04 sliding door catch and other things!

[jonnie100]

New owner so just getting familiar with the vans little quirks.
Both sliding door catches don't work properly. The arm at bottom of door neither engages to keep door open nor disengages to allow closing, I have to pull arm out manually to close doors. So, where is the actual 'button/arm/handle' that operates the catch release as I can't see anything other than external door handle or internal door lock button?
Also, the radio reception is poor on many stations, is this a common fault?
And finally, the reg number plates need changing. I tried to remove rear plate fixing screws yesterday but they appear to have turned to mainly rust so can't even work out if it's just a screw or allen key etc.. and won't turn even with good grip of pliers. Before I get heavy handed, is there a trick I'm missing such as accessing from internal side of door?
Thanks

[Mike]

If it is any help the exterior handle operates the sliding door release, it should pull the cable to release it. I think the catch itself is just spring loaded (I haven't had a mark 2 since March last year and the catches are different on the new version).

[jonnie100]

Thanks Mike.

[Kokain]

Fill a bottle with bensin and get a tooth brush + rags. Wash the entire mechanism well with the brush till you can see clean metal, move the hook around and keep rubbing the spring, clean all the sliders.....bottom, the one that finish inside the chassi, top one from the inside of the chassi, middle one under the glass on the outside. Wipe all the grease where the wheels slide. Now, don't use grease, get some old engine oil (or anything you got, preferably not WD40) with a brush and run the entire lenght with the oil brush, get the hook and spring wet, move the latches a bit till it penetrates the spring and slide the door open and close a few times. I promise you the door will slide with zero effort, when you open it will go by itself all the way out and latch on, and with little effort when you press the handle forward it will release and close itself.
I've done it the first time with new grease and that eventually just clogged up again, so now I simply re oil it occasionally like every 6 months etc. So general advice is wipe everything off clean and brush on some oil on all doors and they will be great. Check their connections too and make sure they are looking nice and gold so you don't get eventually warning messages like doors open, or central locking doesn't engage etc..