When people think of the Mercedes brand, they think of reliability and luxury, but as with any vehicle, they do have some problems, and one of these is vacuum door lock failure.

It can be frustrating for any car owner when something starts to go wrong in their car, but for Mercedes owners, it is even more frustrating, as Mercedes owners expect their cars to be exemplary. Door lock failure is particularly problematic, since it means that your car can be easily accessed when you’re not there, allowing thieves to take the car or steal items from inside the vehicle. Let’s look at some of the reasons why this might occur and how to fix it when it happens.

Reasons for a Vacuum Door Lock Failure

As its name suggests, the vacuum door lock operates by using air and a vacuum to lock all the doors in a vehicle at once. It is what allows you to press a button on the key fob and lock your car doors, instead of needing a key.

Because of this, there is a vacuum pump inside the passenger side car door that activates whenever you press the button, moving the air to either lock or unlock the doors. That vacuum pump can malfunction in some way and prevent the doors from latching properly.

Additionally, there is a component called an actuator that helps control the door locking system by telling the other components of the vacuum door lock when to activate. However, this actuator can fail just like any other part. Most often, the way it does this is by leaking.

Finally, simple wear and tear can also cause door lock failure. The pieces that make up the vacuum door lock system have to deal with a lot of pressure, as most things do inside a car. They’re also made of plastic, which means that they can crack or become brittle rather easily over time.

Symptoms of Vacuum Door Lock Failure

As you might expect, you’ll be able to tell that the vacuum door lock is failing when the door either won’t lock or won’t unlock when you press the button to tell it to. However, it’s important to note that, other than in very unique cases, this failure will probably be a slow process. This means that all of the doors won’t suddenly stop working at once. Instead, you may notice that one door in particular won’t respond when you tell it to lock or unlock. Oftentimes, the first door to fail in this way will be the driver’s side door, since that door is the one that’s used the most often and has the most wear and tear on it.

As soon as you notice problems with your doors not locking properly or not staying locked, it’s best to bring your vehicle to the shop as soon as possible. While malfunctioning door locks may not be particularly dangerous when it comes to the operation of your vehicle, it is dangerous to leave an unattended car unlocked, especially a luxury vehicle like a Mercedes. If you don’t, you run the risk of thieves being able to gain access to your vehicle and steal it or anything of interest that you might have inside it. Alternatively, you may find yourself unable to unlock the door when you need to go somewhere, which means that you could be late to whatever appointment you might have. Both of these are things that are better to avoid.

The Best Place to Go to Fix Vacuum Door Lock Failure in Texas

Whether you’re dealing with door lock failure or some other problem with your Mercedes, the experienced mechanics at Rowlett Motorwerks would be happy to help you get your vehicle back into the shape you’re accustomed to. We are conveniently located for customers in Garland, Rockwall, Sachse, Wylie, and Rowlett, Texas.

If you would like to learn more about us or our services, feel free to contact us or visit us in store. We’d love to get to know you better and get your care safely back on the road. Give us a call today!