Volkswagen Golf Automatic Hatch Opening

(This mod has turned out to be unreliable over time as the springs compress – a new mod using replacement struts and bumpers supercedes this one –  Volkswagen Golf Automatic Hatch Opening Updated)

Automatic opening of your Volkswagen Golf rear hatch is possible with a few easy changes. Not all cars will work so try the first part requiring VCDS/Vagcom before proceeding.

In VCDs/Vagcom change Byte 2 Bit 3 in the Central Convience Controller 46.

Once this is done when you press the hatch open button on the remote the hatch will pop out about 10mm. If this works then proceed to adding the springs.

Springs for hatch

Alternative springs for hatch

The springs on the left of the first photo are the correct ones to use with a size of 31.77mm long, 17.4mm wide and a spring wire thickness of 2.2mm, these were available from Mitre 10 and Bunnings along with other hardware stores in Australia but they are hard to find now in some areas. The spring on the right of the first photo cut into two is not suitable, it didn’t quite have the power required to keep popping the hatch.

The second photo is of a new spring stocked at Bunnings from the Century Spring Corp, the C-712 is very close to the specifications of the first spring at 31.75mm long, 17.475mm wide and a spring wire thickness of 2.337mm. The spring retails for AUD$4.75.

Warning, when you pop the strut off in the next step make sure you have an assistant or a broom or similar to hold the hatch up as it will drop and it’s very heavy.

Clip removal

Lever the clip back with a flat head screwdriver, don’t pop the clip completely off as it will be very hard to get back on. It takes a little force to pop the socket off.

End of strut

This is the end of the strut with the end of the strut removed. To remove this use two pairs of vise grips and either plastic or a towel to protect the surface of the strut shaft and the end of the strut. Carefully remove the end piece and put to the side.

End of strut removed

The end of the strut removed.

New spring and old spring

The new spring is on the left and the old one on the right.

Spring before installation

New spring before installation, the old spring actually fitted perfectly into the end of the strut, the new one requires some crimping of the end as pictured to reduce the outside diameter and it’s now a snug fit into the end of the strut.

Spring in end of strut

The cap on the end of the shaft has been removed, using some pliers with a towel this doesn’t take a lot of strenght to remove.

The spring is now slid down and sits nicely in the end of the strut.

Spring in end of strut

The spring should hold in the end of the strut by itself.

Cover back over the end of the strut

The cover install over the end of the spring and strut. Put silicon over the outside of the strut but make sure not to get it on the strut shaft as there may be some issues that arrise from silicon in that area. The cap will be a firm fit.

Follow the above instructions in reverse to refit. Then repear for the other side of the car.

All going well you should now have auto hatch opening.