Triggers, problems, repair costs - defective central locking

Reading time 6 Min.

Recently updated on January 27, 2022 at 10:19 am

What can you do when on the car Central locking system is in the bucket? A fault with the central locking can be a real problem, especially when you can't get into the car. Especially when the lock is completely blocked. It cannot be opened anymore, and maybe that somewhere on a rest stop on the ar *** of the world. In such a case, one should follow the correct procedure to get help quickly.

Central locking defective? The info!

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1. What can happen if the central locking system is defective?
2. What triggers the malfunctions in the central locking?
3. Does it make sense to continue driving with a defective central locking system?
4. How to get in the car
5. How does a defective central locking system affect the general inspection?
6. How does the repair work if the central locking system is defective?
7. What are the costs of repairs to the central locking system?
8. Central locking repair tutorials.

Symptoms - defective central locking?

• When the central locking is activated, the trunk does not open or close. The same applies to certain doors.
• The central locking can no longer be operated by radio key, but only manually.
• The central locking only works after repeated confirmation.
• The vehicle opens or closes automatically.
• There are messages in the error memory such as "electrical error", "electrical circuit servomotor A error", "mechanical error door B" or others. Back to overview

What are the triggers for the disturbances?

Because the system is made up of many components, different triggers are possible for a defect:

• There is a broken cable or a cable is damaged, for example on the tailgate or on the A / B pillar.
• The door lock is defective. (It includes a microswitch and an actuator) There is one lock per door.
• The lock cylinders in the door are broken.
• The battery is empty or the radio control is defective.
• The door control unit is broken. (There is one control unit and one central door control unit per door)
• There is a defect in mechanical components inside the door.
• In older cars, the system may leak or the vacuum pump may be broken.

First you should always check the radio connection. You should take into account that it is not the central locking system, but simply the battery in the key that has given up the ghost. In this case, you can use the key itself to unlock the door. Every car has a keyhole somewhere. Sometimes, however, you may have to remove or push in a cover on the door handle to get to the keyhole. Back to overview

Continue driving with a defective central locking system?

If you notice that the central locking system is no longer working properly, you should go to a workshop as soon as possible. If the door lock is damaged, there is a possibility that the affected door cannot be unlocked at all. This leads to high additional costs because the replacement of the defective lock with the door locked is normally not possible without damage to the door and the door panel. Back to overview

How to get in the car

Try other doors in the car instead of the driver's door. The central locking system may only be defective on one door and can still be used on the other. Perhaps this is how you get into your car from the passenger seat. Another option is to open the trunk to get into the car this way. Sometimes the trunk is not connected to the central locking and can be opened. Depending on the vehicle class, getting started can of course be complicated. If the back seat cannot be folded up from the trunk, then it is done again. Then a locksmith can help. He can often open the car door due to a defective central locking system. Back to overview

Central locking and general inspection?

A damaged central locking system generally has no influence on the result of the general inspection, because it does not affect driving behavior or driving safety. However, if the inspector does not get into the vehicle, or maybe not out, then a repair should be considered as soon as possible. Back to overview

Repairing a defective central locking system?

Caveat: In the following it is assumed that an electronically controlled central locking system is in use.

1. The first step, depending on the precise description of the problem, is a diagnosis in the workshop. With a diagnostic tester there is often the possibility of narrowing down the exact cause.
2. The subsequent cost of the repair varies depending on the cause of the defect. If, among other things, the lock cylinder, door lock or door wiring harness is damaged, the parts must be replaced accordingly. Normally a repair is not considered economical.
3. Depending on the exact defect, you have to remove the inner or outer part of the door panel. In addition, depending on the design, it is also necessary, for example, to dismantle the door assembly support or the pane.
4. Then there is the option of replacing the corresponding cable harness or the door lock, for example, as required.

In addition, further malfunctions can occur in the electronics. Among other things, the need to replace the control unit applies. Often, however, it can also be that only one fuse is defective. This can be replaced with just a few euros. Most of the time, the replaced components still need to be taught in or adjusted. A diagnostic tester is sometimes necessary for this.

Another tip: Because certain spare parts relating to the locking system are often only available from the original manufacturer in a correspondingly high price range, it makes sense to select used spare parts. As a rule, you can get this much cheaper. Back to overview

What are the costs of repairs to the central locking?

The total expenses depend on the exact cause of the problem and the corresponding vehicle as well as the hourly wage of the workshop. It is often possible to assume a workload of 1 to 2 hours, including diagnosis. Based on an exemplary hourly rate of 70 euros, this results in labor costs of 70 to 140 euros.

In addition, there are the material costs for the damaged components. Manufacturers of spare parts include Vimeo, febi bilstein, Bosch and Metzger. The following is a rough price range for the corresponding spare parts:

• new door cable set: from 40 to 120 euros
• new door lock: between 25 and 350 (the latter is the original price.)
• new door control unit: around 80 to 350 euros (depends on the control unit)

Depending on the exact cause of the problem, you can expect around 80 to 600 euros. However, the costs will usually be in the lower price range. Back to overview

Central locking repair tutorials.

Back to overview

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