Randolph

Ok, now they have stopped working altogether. I know it's in the drivers door. My question is...can a bad driver door lock actuator (the thing that accepts the vacumm, I'm not sure what Audi calls it) Cause the locks to not work. I'm pretty confident from further research that my actuator in the drivers door is worn but I'm not 100%. I've got to get this fixed, it's going to drive me bat wild!!!!!TIA.
Randolph
87 5KCSTQ
93 928GTS

Jim Bush

in the door 1)manually opens the door lock for that door (good when the battery is dead) and 2)sends a siginal to the vacuum pump (under back seat??) to "open" the other three.

If none of the other locks work I would say it is either a switch or other eletrical problem or maybe a leak in one of the vacuum tubes.

If one of the front door keys makes all of them work but not the other I would suspect the switch in that door. If you hear the pump running when turning the key in either door, I would suspect the leak if you do not hear it running I would suspect the wiring. If the pump does not work with either key I would think the pump or its wiring.

The drivers door actuator could affect all of the others if it had a leak in it or the tube. If it was just "kinked" the others should work, no vacuum loss.

Sorry, if this restated anything I did not look back at any old threads.

I have a 200 that I am parting out if you need any of the componants.

Jim Bush
Holland, MI

RussB

My car's right rear lock actuator recently developed a leak. Symptom was similar to your description. If I listened closely, I could hear the leak from the actuator. Cure was replacing the failed actuator (whose diaphragm had a pinhole) with one from a newer junked car (maybe $3.00). At the same time, I replaced the pump with a newer one from a newer junked car, as my locks had become slowly sluggish. The pump ($20 from junkyard, many hundreds from dealer) change perked them right up again.

You're dealing with a vacuum/pressure system, in which all components essentially are hanging off one manifold. Thus, if a single component springs a leak, no component will work. This makes troubleshooting tricky. I found that I could isolate the problem by using a hemostat type clamp ($6.00 from Pep Boys) on individual branches of the lock system's pneumatic hoses.
Start by uncovering the pump that's next to the battery beaneath the rear seat bottom, and follow the hose to the first branch. Systematically pinch each branch and operate the lock/pump, 'til all the good actuators work. The one that you've pinched off is faulty.

Good luck.