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MoT failure because rear passenger door won't open

My 2009 Audi A3 Sportback has failed its MoT due to the nearside rear passenger door intermittently not opening from the outside. First question is, is this a legitimate reason for MoT failure when the door opens from the inside okay? Secondly, they said I needed a new lock at £220 - can they know this from their 'diagnostics' test? Surely it could just be an electrical fault or bad connection?

Asked on 25 February 2016 by Carolyn

Answered by Honest John
Yes, it is a failure because it could prevent an injured passenger being rescued from the car in the event of a crash. But you're lucky that the door still opens from the inside because that means the door trim can be removed and the real reason for the problem can be traced. May just be a sticking lock mechanism or servo that can be cured by driving out any moisture in it with WD40.
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