Question on electric sliders

[Kyle1403]

I have a question about electric sliders. I’m looking at buying a van but have a concern with the doors. I need to park the back half of the van down the side of my house about 2 inches from the wall max. Not an exxageration, i used to be able to get my caddy within 1/2”.

If i (or my child) accidentally press the remote button to open the sliding door, does it have a way of sesnsing the wall before hitting it? If it relies on hitting something to stop, how hard does it hit it, will it be a slight scratch or mangled?

And does pressing the off button on the dash stop the remote function from working too?

I’m worried it’s added complexity to go wrong and an accident waiting to happen but i like the van and spec otherwise.

Thanks!

 

[DXX]

I don’t have electric sliders but I’m 99.999% sure it’s not that smart, there are no proximity sensors.
Have you considered that the wing mirror even when folded won’t let you get anywhere near that close?

 

[Kyle1403]

I don’t have electric sliders but I’m 99.999% sure it’s not that smart, there are no proximity sensors.
Have you considered that the wing mirror even when folded won’t let you get anywhere near that close?

I don’t reverse that far back, only to the B pillar so it’s out the road but the front passenger door still opens. Would smash the mirror off even if folded if i went back further.

 

[DXX]

No reason why you couldn’t piggyback an isolation switch off the fuse panel but then you need to remember to activate the switch.
IMO electric sliders aren’t worth the battery drain and reliability issues, obviously depends on what you intend to use the van for and personal mobility but they don’t seem to come without ‘niggles’.

 

[Kyle1403]

No reason why you couldn’t piggyback an isolation switch off the fuse panel but then you need to remember to activate the switch.
IMO electric sliders aren’t worth the battery drain and reliability issues, obviously depends on what you intend to use the van for and personal mobility but they don’t seem to come without ‘niggles’.

 

[Kyle1403]

Yeah i don’t really want them. Just the van i’m looking at ticks all the other boxes i wanted, so trying to work out if they are a deal breaker that would just make me worry about an issue constantly. Seems that alot of the nicer specced Kombis (especially the sportlines) seem to have them more often than not though. Are they known to be unreliable too?

 

[dubber36]

They have a safety function like electric windows, so they have to hit something before rolling back.

I'd screw a horizontal batten wrapped in pipe lagging to the wall, so if a door did open, it would have a soft impact.

 

[DXX]

They have a safety function like electric windows, so they have to hit something before rolling back.

I'd screw a horizontal batten wrapped in pipe lagging to the wall, so if a door did open, it would have a soft impact.

But it would need to be much less than 2” thick.

 

[Kyle1403]

They have a safety function like electric windows, so they have to hit something before rolling back.

I'd screw a horizontal batten wrapped in pipe lagging to the wall, so if a door did open, it would have a soft impact.

This has been my current thinking, good to know they work how i thought thanks!

 

[StratosFearXX]

I've got them, also didn't want them ... I think if they're off on the dash they won't open on the remote but will check later today.

Could always pull the fuse for the side that needs to be near the wall. It'll still open just not electrically.

 

[Kyle1403]

I've got them, also didn't want them ... I think if they're off on the dash they won't open on the remote but will check later today.

Could always pull the fuse for the side that needs to be near the wall. It'll still open just not electrically.

Thanks for taking a look, out of curiosity are they really heavy to operate if you turn them off?

 

[StratosFearXX]

Thanks for taking a look, out of curiosity are they really heavy to operate if you turn them off?

Pretty heavy, yes. I guess there's a toothed belt (that could be removed) or something that goes to the motors so you're turning the motor if you open the door without power.

 

[StratosFearXX]

@Kyle1403 - unlocked van, no key in ign, switched slidy electric doors off, locked van, unlocked van, pressed slidy door button, didn't open, flashes door disabled button when I press open door button.

Van now locked again, will go back in 30 mins to see if it's remembered they're switched off.

Soft close still works with doors switched off.

 

[Kyle1403]

@Kyle1403 - unlocked van, no key in ign, switched slidy electric doors off, locked van, unlocked van, pressed slidy door button, didn't open, flashes door disabled button when I press open door button.

Van now locked again, will go back in 30 mins to see if it's remembered they're switched off.

Soft close still works with doors switched off.

Thanks, sorry for another question, but do you need to unlock the van before the slidey button on the remote works too? Or does it work from locked if they are switched on in the cab?

 

[StratosFearXX]

Thanks, sorry for another question, but do you need to unlock the van before the slidey button on the remote works too? Or does it work from locked if they are switched on in the cab?

Yes need to unlock first.

 

[StratosFearXX]

Got electric tailgate as well, didn't really want that either ...

 

[StratosFearXX]

And it's a 24 plate factory Kombi that's been faffed with (sussys, wheels, bumper, carpet etc).

Soft close went wrong passenger side, fixed under warranty, VW said the module had overheated because of the insulation I'd stuffed round it in the back panel. *Which I find highly suspect as they didn't try to get out of covering it under warranty and it failed in the middle of winter ...

 

[StratosFearXX]

Yeah @Kyle1403 it remembers they're switched off after 30mins.

 

[DXX]

And it's a 24 plate factory Kombi that's been faffed with (sussys, wheels, bumper, carpet etc).

Soft close went wrong passenger side, fixed under warranty, VW said the module had overheated because of the insulation I'd stuffed round it in the back panel. *Which I find highly suspect as they didn't try to get out of covering it under warranty and it failed in the middle of winter ...

A cunning plan fitting electric door opening, defective door opening distracts the owner from the leaking side windows, problem fixed.

 

[StratosFearXX]

A cunning plan fitting electric door opening, defective door opening distracts the owner from the leaking side windows, problem fixed.

Shush, mine aren't leaking yet!