Driver Door Won't Lock
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
2001 C320
Driver Door Won't Lock
Hi Everyone,
Long story short, the driver-side front door of my 01 C320 (that just recently turned 151K miles) decided to stop locking when told so via the smartkey (or the dash button) and started throwing out the "Door Open" warning when driving. It's not the infamous "pin dance" where the lock bounces up and down a few times when it is trying to lock it. It just won't lock, unless i manually push it in from the inside (which takes some resistance) or lock it with the real metal key.
This started this morning (which was the first hot 88F+ day in the dc area in a long time if that makes a difference) after working perfectly ever since i got the car a year and a half ago. The door unlocks via the smartkey.
Also one of the side-issues this comes with is a "Remove Key" warning coupled with beeping when I turn the engine off which lasts until i remove the key from the ignition.
My question is two-fold: (1) is this likely meaning that the door lock needs to be replaced? and (2) can there be another issue at play, given that "door open" and the "remove key" signs?
Thank you all!
Long story short, the driver-side front door of my 01 C320 (that just recently turned 151K miles) decided to stop locking when told so via the smartkey (or the dash button) and started throwing out the "Door Open" warning when driving. It's not the infamous "pin dance" where the lock bounces up and down a few times when it is trying to lock it. It just won't lock, unless i manually push it in from the inside (which takes some resistance) or lock it with the real metal key.
This started this morning (which was the first hot 88F+ day in the dc area in a long time if that makes a difference) after working perfectly ever since i got the car a year and a half ago. The door unlocks via the smartkey.
Also one of the side-issues this comes with is a "Remove Key" warning coupled with beeping when I turn the engine off which lasts until i remove the key from the ignition.
My question is two-fold: (1) is this likely meaning that the door lock needs to be replaced? and (2) can there be another issue at play, given that "door open" and the "remove key" signs?
Thank you all!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,657
Likes: 35
From: Austin, TX
2005 C230K(sold), Mk7 Jetta
Sounds like the little switch in the door jamb has died.
https://www.google.com/search?q=w203...sm=93&ie=UTF-8
https://www.google.com/search?q=w203...sm=93&ie=UTF-8
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
^ doubt it as it would say door open and light would stay on. I bet you have a bad door lock and unlike the pogo issue it is just getting old/weak. My car has had that issue on all 4 doors over the years and usually about a day before I decide that I will finally order the new lock it starts working again and just like you my driver lock is the one not working this month.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 26
Likes: 0
2001 C320
Thank you all for the input. Since, I'm too "shy" to take off the door panel and replace the lock as I've heard the airbag-related horror stories, i fiddled around with the lock, door closing mechanism and the door closed sensor and realized that the lock is fine, but the door close sensor was the problem. So I fixed it by taping the door close sensor in place in the door shut position. And everything now locks, and all the "door open" and "remove key" warnings disappeared. A simple and (in)elegant solution
Super Moderator
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 5,295
Likes: 22
From: VA
THE C350
Forgive me lol drinking and posting at 4am lol
Easy fix should be this http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._5C1313F8.aspx
Easy fix should be this http://www.rmeuropean.com/Part-Numbe..._5C1313F8.aspx
