Audi Door Handle Fault: Key Fob Not Responding

This sounds very familiar, I had a similar issue with my 2010 Audi S4 last year. I have some experience working on basic car maintenance, but electrical issues like this are definitely workshop territory. The door mechanism symptoms match exactly what I encountered, the mechanical door handle worked fine, but the electric door locking system completely failed to respond. Initially thought it was just the key fob battery, but the problem was more complex. Turned out there was a wiring fault where the cables connect to the door handle sensor. The workshop found that water had gotten into the connection point and caused corrosion. They had to replace part of the wiring harness and reseal the connection. Total cost was 95 Euro including diagnostic time. The fix has been solid, no issues since then. However, before suggesting specific solutions, could you share: Have you checked if this happens on all doors or just one? Does the central locking work with the physical key? Are there any other electrical issues with the door (windows, mirrors)? This information would help determine if your issue is isolated to the door handle sensor or if its a broader electrical problem.

The issue is definitely similar. My latest service record shows 134535 KM, so the age and mileage could be factors. The door mechanism problem is limited to just the driver side door, while other doors respond normally. The central locking works fine with the physical key, which suggests its more likely a sensor issue rather than a broader wiring fault. Based on what you described, I should probably have the door actuator and wiring connections checked for water damage. The timing makes sense since we had heavy rain recently. Really helpful to know the repair costs were reasonable in your case. Have you noticed any warning signs before the complete failure? My windows and mirrors still work perfectly, which seems to match your experience about it being an isolated door locking system problem.

Thanks for those extra details, and yes, our cases sound almost identical. Before the complete failure of my door handle sensor, I did notice the keyless entry becoming inconsistent for about a week, especially during damp weather. It would sometimes take multiple attempts to unlock the door. Since you mentioned recent heavy rain, this really reinforces my suspicion about water ingress being the culprit. The fact that your windows and mirrors work perfectly, just like in my case, points strongly to a localized door actuator issue rather than a complete wiring fault. Given your mileage of 134535 KM, the door handle components have seen a lot of use. The seals around the wiring connections tend to deteriorate over time, making them more susceptible to moisture damage. My repair invoice showed the main cost was actually the labor to access and reseal the connections, not the parts themselves. One thing I learned from my experience, its worth having the workshop check all door handle seals while theyre in there, even on the working doors. Preventive maintenance ended up saving me from having the same electric door issues on other doors later.

Thanks for all the feedback. After hearing about your similar experience, Im feeling more confident about the repair path forward. Since my symptoms match yours exactly, especially the keyless entry becoming unreliable during wet weather, Im going to book it in to have the door electronics checked. The fact that only my driver side door is affected and other door functions still work definitely points to a sensor issue. Im relieved to hear your repair costs were reasonable, and the tip about checking all the door handle seals is really valuable. No point fixing one door only to have another fail soon after. Really helpful to know the repair has been reliable for you since then. Given my car has 134535 KM on it, spending a bit on preventive maintenance for the locking system makes sense. Will have them inspect all the door actuator seals while theyre working on it. Ill update once I get it fixed in case anyone else runs into similar electric door problems in the future. Based on what youve shared, Im expecting it to be a straightforward repair of the door handle sensor and wiring connections.