MaxD

My '03 Avant (72,000 miles) tailgate has been touchy from the day I got the car (69,000). Sometimes the "soft touch" button would not open the lid — could hear the mechanism working, but wouldn't release completely. The key would still open the gate manually.

Recently, the "soft touch" button and the remote release on the drivers side door won't open or even audibly activate the switch. However, the remote tailgate button on the key fob still releases the latch and opens the lid when held for 2 seconds, and the old-fashioned key insert/turn/lift still works.

I'm assuming it's the solenoid? Am I wrong? Seems weird that the key fob still works... Any tips/tricks/part numbers related to this issue?

MaxD

I'm updating this in hopes someone will have a clue about what might still be wrong.

Eventually, the key fob/remote stopped working, and the only remaining option to open the trunk was the insert key/turn/lift (old fashioned) way.

Today I replaced the actuator motor following this handy DIY: http://forums.quattroworld.com/a4b6/msgs/10316.phtml.

The key fob remote started working again, but for some reason the soft-touch button above the license plate and the trunk release in the driver's side door still don't do anything!

Any ideas?

MaxD

Wow. Just found my answer on another forum, so I'm posting here for anyone else.

The problem was ... wait for it ... the manual key slot has to be in the vertical position for the soft touch button to work. I guess the boot is considered "locked" when the slot is in the "—" orientation, vs. the "|" orientation.

What a pain. God bless the forums and people who post their fixes!

Lucky736

Don't see a manual key slot on my 04 unless I am missing something. Ug.

A4Audi4Fun

Doesn't exist on my 2008 Avant either but I just checked and there is an access point in the area where the safety triangle is stored in the hatch. There's a white nylon looking piece there so I suspect that needs to get pushed in order to open manually - haven't actually tried that though.

motto_L

Thanks for the post and solution, for some reason my keyslot was turned to horizontal two days ago resulting the the soft touch button become a dead button. Now its fixed!