I had this issue a few months ago, also on a 99. The wiring harness on my drivers side door was eaten through, and I had to fix a few broken connections that went into the drivers door control panel. Same symptoms as yours (Hatch release not working, intermittent central locking), but mine was causi...

Thanks for all the help. I was able to get the job done, but I had to wait until after the holiday season to get it sorted. The biggest PITA was the crimps on the copper elbows. I tried it with a hacksaw first, but eventually just took it slow with a dremel. Replaced the yellow connectors and o-ring...