My Audi Door Won’t Open (7 ACTUAL PROVEN FIXES!) in 2023

Today, a client called me saying, “My Audi door won’t open no matter how I try.” I knowhow frustrating this situation can be.

In this post, I am going to show you some of the common reasons why your Audi door won’t open from the inside or outside.

More importantly, I will guide you through step-by-step procedures to fix an Audi door the issue

Without any further ado, let’s get into it!

Why Your Audi Door Won’t Open

There are several reasons why your Audi car door won’t open, these include:

1. Loose or Disconnected Cable

When it comes to Audi doors not opening, one of the common issues is a loose or disconnected cable.

If the Bowden cable inside the door has become detached from the mechanism, you will most likely not be able to open the door from inside.

2. Stuck Door Mechanism

Rust and dirt have more severe impacts on your Audi doors than you can imagine, as they can cause the door mechanism to become stuck. Loss of lubrication may also cause the same issue.

If the latch and unlocking mechanism is affected by rust or dirt, it can cause your Audi doors to stop working properly.

An issue with the actuator can also be responsible for your Audi door not opening.

3. Electronics Coding Issue

In modern Audi vehicles, door locks rely more on electronics than mechanics, so coding plays a vital role in their functionality.

If there’s a coding problem, it can affect the door locking module, in which case you will need a VCDS (VAG-COM Diagnostic System) to access the door locking module electronically and reset it to your car’s default settings.

4. Accident

If your car was involved in an accident in the past, chances of having a door opening issue and other malfunctions are very high.

5. Weather Condition

Very cold weather affects the functionality of car doors as it affects some parts of the mechanism.

If you have ever driven your Audi under heavy rainfall, or in a water logged situation, water may also become logged inside affecting the door function.

With these in mind, let’s look at some proven ways to fix the issue.

How to Fix Audi Door that Won’t Open

Before you begin the process of solving this problem, you need to check out the number of doors that are having the same problems in your car.

Also, you need to examine if the problem with your Audi car door is from the inside or from the outside. Sometimes, the issue is a combination of both inside and outside.

With these in mind, follow the step-by-step procedures below to fix an Audi door that won’t open.

1. Check the Key Fob

If you’ve been experiencing difficulties in unlocking your car doors, it’s possible that your key fob battery is gradually weakening and needs a replacement.

To address this issue, extract the spare key from the key fob and replace the battery.

If the problem persists and you’re unable to manually open the door, try using a spare key fob if you have one.

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2. Loosen the Stuck Door Mechanism

If your Audi door opens from inside but will will not open from outside especially after you lock it with the key, then the door mechanism is likely stuck.

Luckily, there’s quick and easy way to fix this and does not even require you to open the door panel or anything like this.

NOTE: For this method, you need to be able to open the door either from inside to access the side of the door required for this fix, after which you will be able to open the door from both inside and out.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Open the door from inside and check the side of the door that won’t open from outside.
• You will see a black rubber with a rectangular-shaped hole like the one circled below.

• Now, peel the black rubber open (may require a little force). A plastic with a similar rectangular-shaped dent will be revealed under it.

• Rotate the inner plastic in any direction about 90 degrees (you can use a finger), and then rotate it back into the position it was in.
• Here’s another view as regards where you can find it:

My guess on why this works is that something was stuck which prevents the door from opening from outside, and by twisting the plastic, it becomes loosened.

Here’s a video showing the process:

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3. Lubricate the Door Latch

This is also for the case where your door Audi door won’t open from outside.

If twisting the plastic as shown in the last step does not fix the issue for you, then you need to take it a step further and lubricate the door latch.

You will need a screwdriver and grease for this procedure.

To do this, you need to first remove the door card and black plastic inspection panel:

• First, start by removing any screws or loose panels along the edges, like covers around door handles and switches.
• Use a trim tool to gently pry the door panel, then lift and carefully remove it.
• Ensure you don’t damage or lose any clips inside the door panel.
• Next, remove the black plastic inspection panel
• Use the grease and screwdriver to knock the door latch free from the position it was stuck in, by applying the grease
• Keep the door open and pull the exterior door hand multiple times to work in the grease

Here’s a video showing you how to remove the door card on your Audi:

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4. Fix the Inner Door Handle

If the inside handle is completely loose (and feels like nothing is connected to it and it is actually not pulling on any cable), then you will not be able to open the door from inside.

To fix it, you need to open up the panel and fix the loose or detached cable which is supposed to connect the interior door handle to the lock mechanism.

In some cases, the cable might be attached at both ends, but the end of the housing moved whenever I the cable is pulled, instead of being held in place.

Since the latch opens only if the cable moves while its housing remains stationary, you may need to align and route the cable correctly.

Here’s how to fix the inside panel handle cable (including how to actually open the inside panel):

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5. Fix the Door Wiring Harness

Electrical and wiring issues might also be responsible for the door issue you are facing with your Audi.

To access the door’s wiring and mechanisms, you will need to partially remove the interior door panel. While the process might slightly vary across models, the principal is quite similar.

Here’s what you need to do:

• First, start by removing any screws or loose panels along the edges, like covers around door handles and switches.
• Use a trim tool to gently pry the door panel, then lift and carefully remove it. Ensure you don’t damage or lose any clips inside the door panel and avoid harming the wiring and connectors as you detach the panel.
• Don’t forget to examine the wiring surrounding the door hinges, as they are more susceptible to strain due to the door’s repetitive opening and closing motions.
• If you encounter a broken wire, solder on a new section of wire to fix it.
• Should an electrical connector be identified as the problem, try bending its pins slightly to see if it resolves the issue. If not, you will need to replace the connector.

Equipment you might need:

1. Screwdrivers
2. A ratchet with an 8mm 12-point socket
3. Trim tool
4. Soldering iron
5. Solder
6. Electrical tape

If the issue is still not fixed, you might need to replace the latch/lock module.

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6. Replace the Door Lock Assembly

Your Audi door not opening might also be caused by a fault door lock assembly or actuator.

Here’s what you need to do:

• Carefully disconnect your door panel entirely, detaching all electrical connectors and other components.
• Locate the rod connecting the handle to the door lock mechanism. Note the plastic clip holding the rod in place.
• Gently push down on the clip to release the rod, then pull the rod upward and out of the door.
• Unfasten the door lock assembly from the door using appropriate Torx screwdrivers.
• Carefully remove the door lock assembly from the door.
• Obtain a replacement door lock actuator and replacement cable.
• Now, install the new door lock assembly by reversing the steps taken during removal.

Here’s a video showing the process of replacing the actuator:

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7. Seek Professional Help

If you’ve tried all the methods discussed on this guide, your Audi door should now open without any issue. Otherwise, you should seek professional help.

Professional mechanics have the knowledge, experience, and tools necessary to diagnose and fix the door issue.