Long time since I’ve posted but now got a 2004 4.4 V8 FullFatt. Bought unseen and trailered up to me. Arrived yesterday flat battery. Drivers door key works but fob doesn’t. Had it on charge overnight. Tried to open unlocked door this morning and alarm goes off. I can’t fully open door as we’ve had a hard frost. So pulled it a bit, stuck, pushed it closed and turned key to lock then unlock to try to stop alarm. Didn’t stop. Went and sprayed antifreeze round door and unlocked with key, wee button raise but door won’t budge. Tried locking and unlocking. No use. When hold key in locked position there is a faint whirring from all locks but on holding key in open position. Nothing apart from wee button up and down.

The key had worked to lock unlock drivers door when dead. It sounds like a super lock issue but wonder how I can get out of it. Bonnet up and battery still on charge. No entry to cabin though. Have I been really unlucky and broken the door handle wire right at the same time as alarm going off superlocked etc....

Any suggestions. I was waiting until battery fully charged to hope that would sort it

Car was jump started off trailer and drove fine for 200 yards and the drivers door had been left unlocked.

Any tips other than brick thru window?

Ta.

Last edited by stenh02 on 9th Jan 2020 6:36pm. Edited 1 time in total

The info. in this post might help?

https://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic31843...uperlocked

Could be that all the locks have frozen if it's really cold.
Can you do global opening? Hold the unlock button down & all the windows should open, would give you access to it at least. And access to the unlock button inside.
Silicone spray all the locks when you get it open.

Rob. 2011 (MY12) 4.4 TDV8 Vogue
2016 Golf GTI PP

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Yes, I have seen Heppsen's post (and in some form of Karma I had posted a reply to the OP's topic in that thread!) but I can't can't get any door open as it stands.

The drivers door lock barell turns and the wee button goes up and down just no action from the actual 'locks'. The barell was frozen but I did spray that got it to move.

Key fob led lights up but get nothing on holding any of the buttons.

Long shot, but the car might have global open working, if you keep your finger on unlock, windows might come down, that way at least you can enter the vehicle, get the bonnet open and go through a battery disconnect procedure to try and reset modules. Do the easy stuff first

Hi Mr Tee, bonnet open and battery on charge in-situ.

Was thinking next step was to take battery out. Charge seperately and put back in.

Had a look in Wiki and saw the disconnect procedure but I was looking for the battery reset procedure, once battery out do you hold the postive and negative connectors together???

Hoping it's something simple. Feel like an eejit.

Yup it's that simple mate, nae idea the length of time to hold them together though, IIRC 10 seconds ish.

Make sure the car is asleep before disconnecting the battery (things were so much easier back in the day without electronic units!)

You could always try a hair dryer or hot air gun around the drivers door seal and lock to see if it will open after thawing.

Im pretty sure on the early models ONLY the drivers door lock will open with the key! It does NOT work the central locking sir... Its a mechanical lock/unlock only...

If you turn the key to unlock the door then hold it in the unlock position you may find global opening works that way too?

I think a brick through the window at this early stage would be daft until you can be sure the door isn't just frozen shut!

"Im pretty sure on the early models ONLY the drivers door lock will open with the key! It does NOT work the central locking sir... Its a mechanical lock/unlock only... "

Yep.

Back home after work. Door not frozen. Key moves the lock barrel and the button moves up and down. That seems to work.

Battery out. Pushed battery leads together for a few seconds. New fully charged battery in. Alarm goes off but no action from the door. Key still turns but pull handle nought.

I’m thinking when I pulled hard this morning against the frost I’ve done something to the handle mech.

So, tailgate not fully snecked. Is there a way I can get in thru the tailgate lock? Get a good 5 mm wiggle from it.

Or pull door top out a bit and try coat hanger to inside door handle hoping it’s still attached?

Take the hinges off the car as you seem to get access with bonnet in service position and I presume when you take the fins out?

Brick?

Long shot but have you checked the door harness connector located between the door and body is pressed fully home / not wet or corroded?

Edit - not sure if you can access this by removing the wing grill given the door is locked closed, doh.

Last edited by JCW on 9th Jan 2020 7:31pm. Edited 1 time in total

No not checked the harness but battery out now and I should be able to open the drivers door without electricity shouldn't I?

To try and gain access to the car to try and open the door from the inside the workshop manual says this..

"The upper tail door latch incorporates a release actuator to open the upper tail door and a micro switch to provide an upper tail door status signal. A black manual release wire is attached to the upper tail door latch to allow the latch to be released in the event of actuator failure or loss of power."

Can this be got at from the outside as I have a wee bit of wiggle room in the tailgate likes its not latched properly?Anyone know where it is?

The release actuator is behind a small removable cover incorporated in the lower part of the upper tailgate internal trim
Unfortunately you won't be able to access it from outside the car.

Do you have AA cover?They are pretty good at gaining access to locked cars...

To be brutally honest, i don't think anyone here will put in print any way they have got into/broken into their locked FF's as its then a security risk for any tom dick or harry to read sir!