If you're here then you're probably
having a problem with the pneumatic central locking system in your Audi
A4, S4, A8, or S8. This website is a collection of information about
troubleshooting and fixing the problems associated with this system. If
your car has a central locking control module with the part number
8L0862257N 8D0862257N 8L0862257B or 8D0862257B, or any other module starting with the part
numbers 8L0862257 or 8D0862257, then this information will apply to your car.
In general, the following US-spec cars use this system (Euro-spec cars may vary somewhat):
Audi A4 1997 - 2001
Audi S4 2001 - 2002
Audi A8 1997 - 2003
Audi S8 2001 - 2003
Audi A6 1997
Audi A6 1998 (Avant only)
This website consists of the following parts:
Description of the System
Common Problems
Troubleshooting
Solutions
Additional Information
Description of the System
The
heart of the system is the central locking pump control module (CLP)
located in the trunk. It's in the right rear corner of the A4 & S4,
and in the left rear corner of the A8 & S8. The CLP consists of a
graphite rotary-vane pump driven by an electric motor that generates air
pressure or vacuum that locks and unlocks the doors, trunk, & fuel
door. The air pressure & vacuum are distributed through a simple
network of plastic tubing. The CLP is also contains some circuit boards
& chips that are responsible for interfacing with the remotes,
controlling the security system, controlling interior lighting, and
several other functions.
Common Problems
The Audi pneumatic central locking system is plagued by several common problems as it ages.
The
most common problem is when the internal graphite parts of the air pump
wear out and shatter. This is the result of normal use and wear of
this component. Many people have observed the locks taking longer and
longer to unlock over a period of weeks or months as the pump parts are
in their final stages of life.
Another problem is failure of the
electronics due to water intrusion into the trunk. In extreme cases the
electronics failure can cause the CLP to run until it heats up and
melts. Water intrusion on the A4 & S4 models is often through a
faulty trunk seal or faulty right side tail light seal. Water intrusion
on the A8 & S8 is often through the fender mounted radio antenna,
which is directly above the CLP.
A third type of problem involves
failures or leaks in the network of plastic tubing that connects the
CLP to each of the locks it controls. The most common leak is in the
hinge area between the body and the driver's door. The hard plastic
tubing in this area becomes brittle with age and repeated flexing as the
door is cycled; it can break here and cause a leak. Leaks can occur in
other parts of the system; more information on leaks is included in the
troubleshooting section below.
Troubleshooting
The first step in troubleshooting is to determine if one of the 3 common problems described above is your problem. Use the flowchart to work through the process. The text below roughly follows the flowchart and includes a few additional details. You can click on many of the photos for a much larger view.
Open
all the doors operate the key in the drivers door lock a few times to
lock & unlock the doors. Observe the lock knobs on each door. If
any of them move at all then you either have a leak in the system or an
air pump that is failing. Listen for any hissing, which would indicate a
leak in the tubing system. Locate the source of any hissing and patch
any breaks using standard rubber or silicone vacuum line.
Assuming
your remote has been working well prior to the CLP problems, i.e. the
batteries in your remote are good and the remote is synched to the CLP.
Push the lock & unlock buttons a few times with a few seconds in
between. Observe the side marker lights and listen for the alarm horn
to honk. If those lights flash and/or the horn honks when the alarm is
arming the same way they did before the CLP problem then it's a safe
bet that your electronics are OK and the problem lies elsewhere.
Place
your key in the drivers door lock and lock & unlock the door a few
times. If the alarm horn honks when you lock the door then the
electronics in the CLP are probably OK. Next, open the trunk and listen
for the sound of an electric motor near the right rear (A4) or left
rear (A8) corner of the trunk while operating the key in the drivers
door (or trunk lock). If you hear the motor running for 5 to 15 seconds
then the electronics in the CLP are probably OK.
Next, you'll
need to locate the CLP in the trunk and assess it's condition. It is
exposed by removing a little bit of hard plastic trim and gently pulling
the hard, molded 'carpeting' out of the way. Here's a link to more detailed information about that.
The pump is housed in a dense foam rubber block that's probably
designed to reduce the noise of the pump when it runs. If the foam
block is wet or damp then that's a good indication you have water
intrusion into that area of the trunk that has (or will) fried the
electronics in your CLP.
Remove the pump and foam block from the
area it's mounted in. Be VERY careful not to stress the connection
between the 2 vacuum lines and the CLP. The nipples on the CLP can
break if abused. I prefer to remove some of the wire ties holding the
wiring harness to the body of the car to give myself more room to work.
With the CLP in a reasonably handy & stable spot, gently remove the
2 vacuum lines by pinching the outer ring with your fingers while
pulling the connectors straight off. The photo at the left shows you
how the connection is designed. Pinching the outer ring in the right
spots (as marked by the yellow arrows in my photo) moves the locking tabs out and away from the barbs on the nipple. CLICK ON THE PHOTO FOR A LARGER VIEW.
With
the CLP exposed, the vacuum lines removed, and the electrical
connectors still connected you can do a few more tests. Push the
buttons on your remote or lock & unlock the doors with your key and
observe the CLP. You might be able to hear it hum as the electric motor
inside runs. Place fingers over each vacuum nipple and operate the
locks again, observing whether or not you can feel any air pressure or
vacuum generated.
If the electric motor runs and you can't
detect air pressure or vacuum then the rotary vane pump inside the CLP
is probably broken. More on that below.
If the CLP seems
to generate pressure and vacuum then you may have a leak in the tubing
network. Place one of the vacuum lines with the white connectors into
your mouth and seal your lips around it. With minimal effort you should
be able to lock and unlock the doors while blowing and sucking on the
lines. The smaller line controls the drivers door and the fuel flap
door. The larger line controls the other 3 doors and the trunk/hatch.
If the door locks don't respond then you probably have a leak in the
system. If they do respond to your breath test then the CLP probably
isn't generating enough pressure & vacuum.
At this point you
should have a good idea of which type of problem your particular CLP is
experiencing. If you get any noise at all out of the pump while turning
the key in the door lock then the electronics are probably OK. If you
can operate the locks with your breath then the tubing network to the
doors is probably OK. If the foam block is wet and the CLP doesn't
respond to the remote or the key in the door lock then the electronics
in the CLP are probably fried.
If you suspect the graphite rotary vane air pump inside the CLP then you'll want to dig just a
little bit deeper. Remove the 3 electrical connectors from the CLP and
take the CLP to a stable place to work on it. Remove the white lid by
gently prying it off of the 8 locking tabs holding it on. Set the lid
aside and inspect the circuit board. When the graphite pump fails it
usually distributes a messy black film of carbon dust all over the
inside of the CLP. It will probably be all over your fingers at this
point if that's the case. Also inspect the circuit board for any
mineral deposits, corrosion, or other indication of long term exposure
to moisture. Remove the circuit board by gently pushing on the prongs
of the electrical connectors with your fingers. The board should easily
pop out with very soft pressure from your fingers. The board will
still be connected to the CLP by a ribbon connecter. I generally set
the pump on its side and allow the circuit board to lie flat on the
table. Again, watch for the black dust and inspect the bottom side of
the circuit board for moisture issues.
The last step in
troubleshooting the CLP is to remove the 3 brass-colored screws from the
round top of the black graphite rotary vane air pump and assess the
internal components. I like to mark the orientation of the parts by
marking them down the side with a paint stick before removing the
screws. I also set the pump upright and allow the circuit board to sit on top of the housing (see photo), being VERY gentle with the
cable. CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR A LARGER VIEW.
When you remove the 3 screws and the top of the pump you'll probably see dozens of broken black graphite parts and the source of all the black dust. If so, then the pump itself is obviously broken. CLICK ON THE PHOTOS FOR A LARGER VIEW. See the Solutions section for a source of parts to fix this particular fault.