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My driver's door did this just as the dealer was returning the car to me after a service. While the service rep went off to order the new microswitch I played with the key in the lock and turning the ignition key on and off and starting and stopping the engine and putting the windows up and down. And the system cured itself. Seems the brains of the car have little strokes now and then and they have to reteach themselves.
In the meantime the back up temp solution is to open the door, get in the car, roll the window down with the window switch, close the door, then put the door back up. If it is the right door it is much easier.
To make the car water tight until you get it fixed, leave the window down when you get out of the car, go to the passanger side and put the window up, then lock the car.
Or you can just lift the handle just enough to trigger the window drop but not the lock mechanisme and just close it. Ive been doing that with my driver door for a few months now. Been too lazy latley to look into it.
door lock assembly. mine had the same issue 3 weeks ago. I had extended service plan and they billed the company roughly $600 for the part/replacement.
door lock assembly. mine had the same issue 3 weeks ago. I had extended service plan and they billed the company roughly $600 for the part/replacement.
+1 for door lock assembly.
Had the same symptoms as the OP and had the door lock assembly replaced.
problem solved!
Can anyone confirm this is the part? Like others, the inside and outside latches both lower the window but the window will go back up with the door open.
door lock assembly. mine had the same issue 3 weeks ago. I had extended service plan and they billed the company roughly $600 for the part/replacement.
Definitely door latch assembly. The latch signals the window to roll up when the door closes. If the window is rolling up too soon, the latch is malfunctioning.
It seems that there are more and more cases of these faults appearing, and as some of our cars are reaching 10-12 years old, it is hardly surprising. I've compiled this information from past personal experience on both of my 996s, reading about others on here and other forums, referring to the workshop manual and wiring diagrams, and applying some logic. Hopefully you might find it useful, and save some grief when troubleshooting.
DOOR MICROSWITCHES
There are seven microswitches in each door which control the alarm system.
Two are separate switches:
a] One on the outside door handle. This switch is used to sense that the handle is lifted.
b] One on the inside door handle, which has the same function.
When the car is unlocked and either handle is lifted, this signals the alarm control module (ACM) to lower the appropriate window by 10mm, and turn on the interior lights. As soon as the door opens, another switch inside the door lock (explained later) tells the ACM that the door is open, which holds the window down until the door is closed, when the window is raised, and the dimming timer on the interior lights is started. Once the car is locked, the outside handle switches are ignored by the ACM.
The remaining five switches are inside the door lock assembly:
c] One switch senses if the door is open or closed.
d] One senses that the key has been turned to the 'lock' position.
e] Another senses that the key has been turned to the 'unlock' position.
f] One senses that the door lock motor has reached the 'lock' position.
g] Another senses that the door lock motor has reached the 'unlock' position.
TYPICAL FAULTS
All these microswitches can be problematic, and it is common for one or more to fail at some time. These are some of the common failures and symptoms:
1) The door window won't drop when lifting a handle. This is usually the handle microswitch which has failed.
2) The window drops, but goes back up when the door opens, or when the handle is released. This can be the handle microswitch, or more likely the 'door open/closed microswitch' ( c ) has stuck. Because the system thinks the door is still closed, it sends the window back up.
3) Door window won't go up the last 10mm. This is likely to be the 'door open/closed microswitch' ( c ) stuck in the opposite sense to (2). The system thinks the door is still open, so won't allow the window to go back up. Note that in this case the door will still lock, but you may get a single-beep from the alarm horn.
4) Door will not lock with key. The 'key lock' microswitch (d) is broken. This is very rare, as this microswitch is hardly ever used – most times the car is locked by remote.
5) Door will not unlock with key. The 'key lock' microswitch (e) is broken. This is also very rare, for the same reason.
6) Door locks, and then immediately unlocks, usually accompanied by a double-beep from the alarm horn. This is the 'door locked' microswitch (f). The locking motor physically operates the door lock, but the microswitch to sense this has failed/stuck. The ACM promptly unlocks the car. In this case, the only way to lock the door is to use the emergency locking procedure. Turn the key in the door to the lock position and back three times in quick succession.
7) The door unlocks, but there is a beep from the alarm horn. This is the 'door unlocked' microswitch (g). Although the door is unlocked, the ACM has not recognised that. The alarm will not sound, as turning the key in the lock has deactivated it.
FIXES
The inside and outside handle microswitches are available separately, and are not too expensive. Although alternative equivalent switches may be available, the genuine Porsche switch comes with a connector and wiring, so it makes sense to use an original. Part Numbers:
The door lock microswitches are not available separately. You have to buy the complete door lock assembly, at a cost of around $120. It has been known for people to repair the offending switch though. This is a picture of a typical failure of a 'door open/close' microswitch (courtesy of another RennTech member):
I didnt put this photo in as you already saw it on another posting..... It shows a broken switch unassembled in parts.
You can see that the plastic plunger has broken, jamming the switch lever inside. These switches are (apparently) made by Burgess, but as yet the source and part number is unknown. There are several other similar standard switches on the market for around $2, and people have stripped down the new switch and rebuilt the old one with the plunger from the new one.
OTHER SWITCHES IN THE ALARM SYSTEM
The other switches and contacts in the alarm system are to monitor the lid closures:
Front lid microswitch
Rear lid microswitch
Oddment compartment microswitch
Glove box microswitch
Radio contact (to detect radio theft)
An open compartment or switch failure will cause a single-beep of the alarm horn on locking. A system error will cause a double-beep.
Other elements of the system include an interior monitoring sensor (in the overhead lighting), an alarm readiness light (on the dashboard in the centre) and a central locking button (on the dashboard). Options are a tilt sensor (next to the battery or under the left hand seat) and an alarm siren (next to the the battery).
Sorry if this has likely been answered in 100 different places, but driver side door is the issue for me--no window movement at all when I pull either in or out handle, so the window is outside when the door is shut. Will this part take care of it? https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...s=0&SVSVSI=896
I replaced both of my window lift Mech. as the window was moving north to south, a few months later the window would start to
go down some times and then up. I had the same issue had to open the window so I could shut the door properly.
The door switch was the culprit, the small micro switch in the door lock was the issue, there is a small tip on the switch that wears along with the cam, there are videos on this. I was going to rebuild myself.
After much deliberation I bought a new one but found out you could use a different one ( and do a small change to one of the levers) it's very easy.
I bought part 3D1-837-015-C its about 1/2 price, works great.
The drawing shows the VW part # and I could not find it, so I got the Porsche one above, you can see the red plastic lever that you have to cut/file, etc . It cut costs in half. All the best
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Hello again, I replaced both of those $36 switches on both dorrs when I had the panels off for the Window Lift mechanisms, as I said it was not a month later that the Door lock switch was found out to be the issue, hence the previous message.
Best thing to do is take it out and watch the video online and it shows you how that small plastic button and the cam wears.
Look at this VW lock assembly its the same as what I sent above and it describes the issue with a window going up and down. Hope this helps
Thanks for pasting this info. I had scenario #3, ended up replacing the door lock assembly but did not fix my issue. Next up will be the micro-switches.
My issues started after replacing a dead battery so I wonder if I have awoken some electrical gremlin somewhere more central than the door.
I also read somewhere that someone fixed it by changing the memory setting of the window so that info was not stored in the radio. I'll see if I can find that info.
Sorry if this has likely been answered in 100 different places, but driver side door is the issue for me--no window movement at all when I pull either in or out handle, so the window is outside when the door is shut. Will this part take care of it? https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_In...s=0&SVSVSI=896
Is this part the wiring for the switch in the center console, not the door latch?
That is very interesting, I have the same issue, window does not go down. However, in addition, the lock button light on the dash is always on. It is causing all sorts of issues w the alarm and locking and battery draw. I believe it is the passenger side, reasonably certain. Does anyone know if the lock light being on, combined with the window not going down are the same issue?
Looking at the old door latch mechanism, I was taking it apart to replace the microswitches, see if that is not a fix, the plastic cam that activates the micro switch was worn away. I am willing to be that was atleast part of the problem. The rubber boot around the micro switch was worn away, but the cam certainly had enough wear to cause an issue. Might not always be just the microswitch.
I was having a similar issue and narrowed it down to the door latch being the likely culprit. The $383 Porsche part was out of stock and backordered everywhere I looked so I took a stab at what looked like a similar door latch for an Audi TT. Even if I could only use the microswitch from it for the old one I wanted this fixed. I replaced the entire lock yesterday and it works just like new. $38 all in. Ha! I'm fully prepared to replace it with the P part if this one doesn't hold up but it was what I could get during these "unprecedented times". Here's the link on Amazon for the one I got. Good luck.
So, I'd like to amend my previous "hack". It seemed like everything was working as it should until I had to lock the doors (rare moment) with the key fob. The door wouldn't lock or unlock. All other functions (to include the alarm) worked as they should. I scanned it with a Durametric and it came up as "lock not recognized". Whoops. I ended up doing surgery and put the micro switch from the new lock on the old lock (as others on here have done) and all is well! So, the micro-switch effectively cost me $38 and I took the door apart three times but now I have a door that works so I'm happy. Just buy the micro-switch.
03-17-2015, 04:00 AM
