97urS6

On my 2006 A8L, the driver door handle has 2 problems:
1. The button on top does not activate the Advanced Key door locks (all other doors work).
2. The under handle sensor does not activate the Advanced Key unlock feature (all other doors work).

I have purchased a used replacement (with colour matching Black plate), now I would like to do the handle swap... but I have a few questions:

1. Is there any good "how to" descriptions and/or videos for this procedure?
2. Need to swap over the physical key lock piece, how to do that?
3. Is there any other software related steps required to get the new handle to work with the my key?

Thanks in advance.

MP4.2+6.0

I don't recall any posts specifically on this. Can look it up in Bentley--what folks did (and still do) before web stuff. From having been in there, biggest areas to know about are removing the interior door card (trim) and then the aluminum inner panel right behind it. Search for posts on that. Shouldn't be any software tweaks beyond clearing codes since it is like for like swap and AFAIK not component protected, which in turn is typically dealer. It should have codes for issues like these but those won't prevent functioning.

97urS6

Good to hear that there are no software changes... I ordered a Bentley Manual last week, hasn't arrived yet. I found someone on YouTube that removed the inside door panel (to replace a speaker)... so that looks fairly straight forward. I will take it from there! I might wait for the Bentley to show up before I start tho!!!

97urS6

Took on the job tonight with a VW mechanic buddy of mine... and some help from Google... we got it apart, much bigger job then I figured.

The interior door panel comes off easy enough following a video on YouTube of a guy swapping a speaker.

Next disconnect all wired connectors to everything in there... and there is a lot!

Remove wire clips so you can maneuver the inner door panel (big piece of aluminum)... which is held in with about a dozen screws and bolts, mostly torx.

Remove the soft-close motor assembly and de-couple the pull-wire from its wheel (easy).

Now the real trick was trying to figure out how to get the handle off... it ended up being far easier then we thought, through a hole in the end of the door a long thin torx 15 will spin loose an ingenious clamping mechanism that holds the outside part and the inside part of the door handle together! The engineers that came up with that design deserves 2 thumbs up!

Found a broken wire inside near the outter handle piece... which ended up being the issue... tested the original handle and it all works fine! Good thing I only paid $19 for that used door handle!

Going back together, I relubed the window sliders, replaced all of the broken clips and wire wraps ... obviously someone has been in here before and broke a few plastic bits (nothing major), but now it's all good as new!

How nice it is to be able to use the driver door handle to lock and unlock the car (without the key)!!!

MP4.2+6.0

Good work.

Perhaps you found some of those big button type clips broken on main door panel/card around the perimeter? I bought some extras of those and keep a small bag. A few seem to lock up or otherwise fail each time I pull a door card. Fortunately rare to need to get in there--other usual reason is soft close--but good to replace any tweaked ones to avoid squeaks and rattles. Ditto BTW on keeping some fender liner push pins as the other sacrificial part you run into in common D3 disassembly for DIY'ers.

mrandrewjames

Recently my driver door no longer unlocks just by putting my hand under the handle but still works if I pull up on the handle once. Does yours do the same or is it not unlocking at all? Is it possible a sensor is dirty? Not sure how this feature works. I liked the feature but don't think it's worth taking door apart..

peri77

There is a proximity sensor under the handle. No way it can be dirty. You need to replace the whole exterior handle ...

the_duke

It sounds like battery management is disabling your door handle proximity sensors. Lifting the handle turns them back on. A VCDS scan would tell you it that is the problem.

peri77

No. Your battery management does not disable your proximity sensors. Lifting the handle is a "backup solution". The handle contains a micro-switch which also activates the opening process when your proximity sensor is faulty.

the_duke

You are dead wrong. The OP's issue could be a failed door handle proximity sensor but it's far more common to have the sensors shut off by the battery management module.


A list of item that can be turned off by the battery management module from SSP 287:

Convenience CAN
Sunroof electronics control unit J528
Seat adjustment with memory control unit
J136
Seat adjustment with memory control unit,
front passenger J521
Seat adjustment with memory control unit,
rear J522
Climatronic control unit J255
Additional heater control unit J364
Convenience system central control unit
J393
Onboard power supply control unit J519
Onboard power supply control unit 2 J520
Door control unit J386
Door control unit J387
Door control unit J388
Door control unit J389
Entry and start authorisation control unit
J518
Tyre pressure monitor control unit J502
Control unit with display in
dash panel insert J285
Driver identification control unit J589

As I originally stated a VCDS scan will most likely tell you what the issue is.