Passat driver side door lock malfunction with key

I have a '98 Passat wagon. When unlocking the driver side door with a
key, by using a combination of left turns and right turns you are
supposed to lock/unlock all doors, activate the alarm, or open the
windows.

This works fine from the passenger side, and the alarm is set when
locking the hatch.

However from the drivers side, this has only worked intermitently.

If the doors the alarm is set and all doors locked, I can unlock the
driver's door, but the alarm does not go off.

I also noticed that when this is all working the "your lights are on"
beeping works when you turn off the car and open the door, but when the
door lock doesn't work, I get no warning if the lights are on.

Has anyone else had this problem? Can it be repaired cheaply?

Thanks,
Bill
VT

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, wrote:

>
>If the doors the alarm is set and all doors locked, I can unlock the
>driver's door, but the alarm does not go off.

What does it mean to you to have an alarm go off?

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>I have a '98 Passat wagon. When unlocking the driver side door with a
> key, by using a combination of left turns and right turns you are
> supposed to lock/unlock all doors, activate the alarm, or open the
> windows.
>
> This works fine from the passenger side, and the alarm is set when
> locking the hatch.
>
> However from the drivers side, this has only worked intermitently.
>
> If the doors the alarm is set and all doors locked, I can unlock the
> driver's door, but the alarm does not go off.
>
> I also noticed that when this is all working the "your lights are on"
> beeping works when you turn off the car and open the door, but when the
> door lock doesn't work, I get no warning if the lights are on.
>
One or more of the switches in the door lock is bad.
See here for more info:
http://www.taligentx.com/passat/main...lockmechanism/

Rgds