VW Bora Door Locks Dead: Likely Contact Signal Issue

Had a very similar issue on my 2004 VW Golf last winter. Have some experience working on basic car maintenance but needed professional help with this one. The door sensor system was acting up exactly like yours, no response from remote or central locking while manual operation worked fine. The vehicle doors would still lock and unlock mechanically, but the automatic features were completely dead. Took it to a workshop where they diagnosed a faulty door latch wiring connection. The cable connection to the main door switch had corroded over time, causing intermittent signal problems with the central locking system. They replaced the wiring harness and checked all door sensors, total repair cost was 95€. Before suggesting specific fixes for your Bora, could you share: Whether you hear any clicking sounds when pressing the remote, If the car alarm still works properly, Which doors are affected (driver side only or all), Whether this started suddenly or developed gradually This info would help determine if you are dealing with a similar wiring issue or potentially something else in the central locking system.

Last service was just completed at 136327km, which is why I noticed this issue. Several good points mentioned about the problem. To answer the questions: No clicking sounds when using remote, Car alarm seems unresponsive as well, All doors affected equally, Started gradually over about 2 weeks The door switch behavior matches exactly what you described, mechanical function works but no electronic response. The contact signal issues between doors and control unit make sense given the symptoms. Did your repair also resolve car alarm functionality? Mine seems tied to the same problem since the alarm stopped working at the same time as the central locking. Grateful for the repair cost reference. Helps set expectations before heading to the workshop.

Thanks for providing those additional details. The symptoms you describe are nearly identical to what I experienced, especially the gradual failure pattern and the alarm system being affected. In my case, the repair of the door sensor wiring harness did fully restore both the central locking and alarm functionality. This makes sense since both systems rely on the same door contact signals and electrical connections to operate properly. The lack of clicking sounds combined with the complete alarm system failure strongly suggests a broader electrical issue affecting the entire door control network, rather than just a single door switch problem. When my car had this issue, the technician found that moisture had slowly damaged multiple connection points in the main door wiring harness. One thing I learned during my repair, the automatic locks and alarm system share a common control module that depends on proper door sensor input. When the electrical connections degrade, both systems typically fail together just as you are experiencing. Given how closely your symptoms match my situation, I would anticipate a similar repair approach focusing on the wiring harness and door contact signal connections. The 95€ repair cost I mentioned earlier covered the complete fix including parts and labor, though prices may vary.

Thanks for providing such useful details. Your situation sounds almost identical to what I went through, so this helps narrow things down. The total pattern now becomes clearer, my gradual failure combined with the completely unresponsive alarm points to a system-wide electrical issue rather than an isolated door sensor problem. Based on your experience, it seems the automatic locks and alarm failures are definitely connected through that shared control module. The matching symptoms, especially how both systems failed together, make me more confident this is a similar wiring harness issue rather than individual door switches. The price reference is particularly helpful, even if costs vary somewhat, it gives me a reasonable starting point for budgeting the repair. Will schedule a workshop visit focusing on checking the door contact signal connections and wiring harness condition. The lack of clicking sounds plus the complete electrical shutdown across all doors really does suggest corrupted wiring rather than mechanical problems. Really appreciate the detailed feedback about your repair experience. This gives me a much better idea of what to expect when I take it in.