Couple of weeks ago I was an idiot and couldn’t get the sliding door to latch. Still not quite sure what I’d done but it was to do with the internal locking system. Double locking and unlocking fixed it. Anyway - I’d by that stage tried to shut it half a dozen times and it had just bounced back. Now it shuts again but instead of shutting with a satisfying clunk (and it has the auto soft shut system) it makes a horrible metallic clink - I think coming from the rear locking mechanism - on the rhs of the door. I’ve oiled but it’s made no difference. Any ideas?
Sliding door metallic clank
- Thread starter Phibbo
- Start date
Sadly no - no responses and I haven’t a clue. Will have to take to the dealer at some point and hope they agree it’s making an odd noise and do something about it.
Yes - the soft close works and if closed very gently you wouldn’t notice anything, but anything slightly harder and it makes that tinny clank as it shuts. Maybe if it had always been like it I wouldn’t have noticed, but it’s definitely not always been like this.
I had an issue with my door and ended up having to replace the push-in connect on the door, it may be worth having a look if a bit has come off it, if it sliding in correctly.
CampervanFlattie
New Member
Hi I have a new T6.1 with exactly this issue. Did you get any further with it?
thanks
I don't know about @Phibbo, but my issue with mine has gotten worse.
My passengers side, sliding door wouldn't close on Christmas Eve and just seemed to bounce off the striker on the rear lock mechanism. (As per @Phibbo's original post)
Double unlocking didn't fix it,
Here is a photo of the latch, taken at the time that that it wouldn't latch:
For comparison purposes, here is a photo of the perfectly fine, drivers sliding door mech, which was taken at the same time:
I ended up phoning VW Assist as I couldn't get it to close.
After VW Assist attempted to talk me through a fix, they told me that it would be a three hour wait for someone to get to me.
Half an hour later, I sat in the rear seat and repeatedly (and roughly) bounced the door shut, whilst vigorously working the interior opening handle at the same time. This got the door to shut and latch, (With its characteristic, horrible, metallic clunk now sounding worse than ever!)
Seems, I'll have to book it is with dealer when I can!
During the above saga, I managed to upset the nice women at VW Assist, who did everything she could to assist me!
(I had originally pressed the spanner button to get to VW Assist. She had talked me through obvious things to rule out that I was not a moron. The call went dead half way through this and I assumed the call was dropped. in my frustration, I repeatedly said things like "FFS, she was useless", "I'm not a "F* ^%**g Moron", "I'm going to get rid of this piece of s!*t van"......to which 20 seconds later the call resumed and she said something along the lines of "I have you back Sir. I'm sorry you're not happy!"
I begged for forgiveness and explained that I was just frustrated!......Oops!)
CampervanFlattie
New Member
Thanks for the update. I have checked and the fixed striker plate on mine seems to hit the door lock receiver right at the button (not in the middle) where the mechanism seems to have a small vertical lip rather than bring curved so I think it the striker may be bouncing off that. I have ordered a set of spline bits and will raise the striker plate a couple of mm when they arrive to centre it into the receiver on the door and will see if that improves the matter. On the outside of the van the door lines up perfectly so really I don't want to adjust it at all. It would be great if it's a simple fix but it has to go into the dealer on 13th Jan anyway as one of the TPMS sensors failed after 100 miles so I will get them to look at it if moving the striker is no better. I will let you know how I get on and thanks again for your help.
I think the fixed striker plate has a rotating cam which allows the latched door to pull in, facilitating the soft closing. (On vehicles with power latching.)
I'm concerned that VW will blame insulation as being the cause of my issues. I will see, but due to hidden fixings on my install, I am unsure if I should go back to the company that insulated and carpet lined my van first, or if I should take it to VW in the first instance. The joys of owning a modified van whilst in warranty period!
Anyway, I am interested to see how you get on. I hope you'll take lots of pictures to assist a thickie like me!
I'm concerned that VW will blame insulation as being the cause of my issues. I will see, but due to hidden fixings on my install, I am unsure if I should go back to the company that insulated and carpet lined my van first, or if I should take it to VW in the first instance. The joys of owning a modified van whilst in warranty period!
Anyway, I am interested to see how you get on. I hope you'll take lots of pictures to assist a thickie like me!
CampervanFlattie
New Member
Mine doesn't seem to have that it seems to be fixed striker with the soft close mechanism in the door lock
CampervanFlattie
New Member
Just for comparison mine is a T6.1 Cali, MY23.
No - I’ve not had any joy with mine either. Not that I’ve yet tried. It would be good to hear on here someone who had the issue and then managed to get it properly fixed ( by VW or otherwise ) so @CampervanFlattie or @Samro if either of you get any joy let us know! Ta
CampervanFlattie
New Member
Well no good news here, I adjusted the striker plate to be perfectly central and to ensure the door closed nicely inline on the outside but it made no difference. I took it into VW today and they simply said « looks ok to us , just close it firmly » which rather makes the soft close pointless. So please let me know if you find a solution.
Me too!
Mine is back in with the main dealer and they agree that the noise exists, but can't identify the cause! Did @CampervanFlattie or @Phibbo ever get your "door clank" resolved?
The dealers reckon that the plate that @Wanderlust referred to is ok and they are now starting to blame the aftermarket window which I am sure isn't the cause of the "clank"!
The dealers reckon that the plate that @Wanderlust referred to is ok and they are now starting to blame the aftermarket window which I am sure isn't the cause of the "clank"!
CampervanFlattie
New Member
As I said above, the dealer was no help so basically I have learned to live with it. I have decided that as it doesn’t appear to do it so much when another door or window is open it may be the result of some source of air pressure bounce back against the latch before it activates but that’s really just a guess. How is yours with a window open?
Hurrah. It is fixed. It needed an entire new latch (at the rear end of the door.)
The VW Dealer fixed it for me under warranty, along with replacing my starter motor which sounded like an asthmatic hamster wheel when starting the van each morning.
RANT ALERT- It took two visits to the dealer. After the first visit, a representative from the dealer called and told me that I needed a new catch and I needed to pay £400 because I had damaged the fixing bolts! I was also told that there was no fault with the starter motor which I reported to be noisy.
After I went properly (and uncharacteristically) banjo over the phone, I rocked up to collect the van and threw a child like tantrum at the service desk!
There is a really decent, no nonsense guy that sits behind the service desk at the dealership, that I always thought was the parts manager. He took me aside and came out to the van for me to show him my woes. I showed him. He listened, confirmed that the faults existed and that he'd sort it if I came back for a second time, which I did this last week.
Main dealers get a lot of flack on this forum and it is my opinion that this is not entirely the dealers fault. I think the issue is youngsters who are employed to sit at the service desk to talk bobbins to customers. Unfortunately, it seems that employing staff is a nightmare these days and so many employees just can't be bothered to do their job properly.
The chap that helped me at the dealership has secured my confidence and custom. It's a pitty that the original chap I was dealing with couldn't give a 4X if he retained my custom or not! (I get the impression that his attitude is that he has a job and will be sat at the same desk earning the same mediocre salary and he is happy with that "easy life".)
I think we simply have a problem with poor education, parenting and general attitude of a certain generation and as I go though life I seem to encounter the consequences of what seems to be an increasing dysfunctional country!
I feel better now........ Thanks T6 forum!
The VW Dealer fixed it for me under warranty, along with replacing my starter motor which sounded like an asthmatic hamster wheel when starting the van each morning.
RANT ALERT- It took two visits to the dealer. After the first visit, a representative from the dealer called and told me that I needed a new catch and I needed to pay £400 because I had damaged the fixing bolts! I was also told that there was no fault with the starter motor which I reported to be noisy.
After I went properly (and uncharacteristically) banjo over the phone, I rocked up to collect the van and threw a child like tantrum at the service desk!
There is a really decent, no nonsense guy that sits behind the service desk at the dealership, that I always thought was the parts manager. He took me aside and came out to the van for me to show him my woes. I showed him. He listened, confirmed that the faults existed and that he'd sort it if I came back for a second time, which I did this last week.
Main dealers get a lot of flack on this forum and it is my opinion that this is not entirely the dealers fault. I think the issue is youngsters who are employed to sit at the service desk to talk bobbins to customers. Unfortunately, it seems that employing staff is a nightmare these days and so many employees just can't be bothered to do their job properly.
The chap that helped me at the dealership has secured my confidence and custom. It's a pitty that the original chap I was dealing with couldn't give a 4X if he retained my custom or not! (I get the impression that his attitude is that he has a job and will be sat at the same desk earning the same mediocre salary and he is happy with that "easy life".)
I think we simply have a problem with poor education, parenting and general attitude of a certain generation and as I go though life I seem to encounter the consequences of what seems to be an increasing dysfunctional country!
I feel better now........ Thanks T6 forum!
It’s the same in many industries, personally I’m not interested in talking with the suit in a showroom, I want to talk to the technician.
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