Morris Minor Owners Club

I have a 10 yr old VW Passat estate which is my daily driver. The central locking started to play up some months ago when the nearside rear door wouldnt lock when I turned the key in the driver door lock. It locked OK when turning the key in the front passenger side door so Ive been using that method for some months (turning the key in the driver door locked the other doors and tailgate OK, and sometimes I just lock these - eg in the multi storey when the front passenger door is up against a pillar). Then, a couple of months ago the front passenger door would lock either when turning the driver door lock...so I would lock up all doors when necessary from the passenger door....
...you still with me...?

This morning, I went to turn the key in the driver door and it went around 90degrees and was stuck firm, wouldnt turn one way or the other not come out. After a considerable amount of physical effort I managed to turn the key a further 90 degrees in the wrong direction to extract the key. I was able to secure the car from the passenger side once more but I guess the driver door lock barrel is knackered.

So, Ive got a knackered barrel and dodgy connections or whatever as well - any suggestion?. I cant afford to throw much money at this problem, (just in the process of replacing the wifes car...) the VW stiull runs really well (done 163k miles) no rust so I want to keep it going..

...any ideas on what the problem(s) might be and any suggestion for some "cheap" solutions?.

ps I cant really use Benny Traveller instead due to the large number of miles I often have to do each day, often in haste down the motorway!.

Many thanks in advance, in anticipation of some great suggestions!

Is the central locking electric or pneumatic solenoids in the doors.
ie can you hear a pump running in the boot area when key is turned or drivers door buttons pushed down (pneumatic) or a "clunk" at each door (electric) ?

Paul Humphries

About to ask the same thing - had a golf on which the pneumatic pump broke, and being a VW, a fortune to replace

bigginger wrote:About to ask the same thing - had a golf on which the pneumatic pump broke, and being a VW, a fortune to replace

I've got the compete central locking off my old Golf.
I keep meaning to put on eBay as I'd noticed how much individual parts are fetching never mind a 100% system (easy to fit non central locking car).
If pneumatic then my money is on either the pump or maybe an air leak as the hard plastic pipes to pump & actuators connectors are flexible rubber.

Paul Humphries.

I cant afford to throw much money at this problem

the cheapest solution is to disconnect the central locking completely and lock/unlock all doors manually - then you'd just need to replace the drivers door lock with any other one from a scrappy.

rayofleamington wrote:

I cant afford to throw much money at this problem

the cheapest solution is to disconnect the central locking completely and lock/unlock all doors manually - then you'd just need to replace the drivers door lock with any other one from a scrappy.

I'd agree.
VW door handles are easy to remove and don't involve removing any trim.
The key number is also normally marked on VW handles so you can get one from scrap yard and locksmith can make a key from the number to fit if you don't want to order one from VW.

Paul Humphries

I had a similar problem some years ago with a Sierra and it was a combination of a badly worn key and drivers door barrel.