[SunWizard]

Yes. How do you?

It was an error, common with AI, it is not true. There is a mechanical linkage that you operate as described above, pull up on the handle hard after turning the key.

 

[SunWizard]

I had no idea there were AI bots here.

See:

https://www.vwidtalk.com/threads/forafrank-update-what-forafrank-is-up-to-now.19025/post-326738

 

[SunWizard]

Here is proof the AI bot did not read our owners manual, or previous posts on this forum:

There is a keyhole in the door hidden behind a cover, Figure 60 in my manual. Read a few more pages ahead about "opening and closing the drivers door manually". Figure 47 in some later manuals, where it says:

Fig. 47 Emergency locking of driver door.
1. Use the vehicle key to pry the cap off in the direction of the arrow fig. 46.
2. Insert the key bit in the lock cylinder.
3. Turn the emergency key right to lock the vehicle fig. 47.
4. Turn the emergency key left to unlock the vehicle.
5. Pull firmly on the driver door handle to open the door.
6. Replace the cap.

 

[SunWizard]

Sadly, that Owner's Manual snippet doesn't actually address the question of whether this stuff works if the 12 V battery is flat. I hope you're right that it does work and I'm glad it does, but that language didn't guarantee that at all.

It does, as tested by members in that big old thread I linked. Also the owners manual says :
There is an emergency key located in the vehicle key that can be used to manually unlock and lock the vehicle.
But that is in a different part of the manual covering the FOB.

 

[SunWizard]

My suggestion would be to not volunteer an answer unless you are sure it is correct.

That is the problem with AI, it will always give a much too long, nice sounding answer that is often completely wrong, as in this case. My suggestion is to stop tagging the AI on threads where we already have good answers from members.

 

[SunWizard]

You're putting a lot of faith into that word “manually”, much more than I would have put.

No I am putting my faith in the other members who tried it (and were helpful to post about it) when their 12v went dead.