Skoda Octavia 1.9tdi ambiente estate 02 reg - Central locking problems - bangerclanger

First of all, after having the car for a couple of years, every now and then I would put the key in the driver's side lock to unlock and all of the windows would come down, the key getting temporarily stuck. I have always had to unlock/lock the vehicle by putting the key in the lock as the remote function has never really worked, despite batteries in the keys being replaced etc.

Today, the windows came down and the key got COMPLETELY stuck. With a bit of wriggling, the key came free but the lock failed to operate and the key just now moves around in the lock i.e. it turns, but will not lock.

The other doors will lock using the separate switch on the panel inside the driver's side door, but the driver's side door will no longer lock for love nor money. Getting the key in and out is ok but the lock won't trigger.

Any ideas? This problem presumably started when the windows first started going down about 6 months ago.

I have a Haynes catalogue and am willing to give most sensible things a go, but the catalogue doesn't help with diagnosis and some of you might have come across this problem before.

Any help in this matter would be very much appreciated. I am a little out of my depth now!!

Kind Regards

Danny

Skoda Octavia 1.9tdi ambiente estate 02 reg - Central locking problems - elekie&a/c doctor

very likely to be the actuator rod/paddle at the back of the lock barrel broken.A very common fault on many vag models.It is usually possible to buy a repair kit.The door lock barrel can be removed without taking off door card.hth