Locks and Keys

One Key Fits All

Many thanks to forum member "Topoftherange" for this guide.

Ever wanted the same key that fits your ignition to do the doors, and boot lock too?, Instead of having a handful of keys which can cause a major headache if lost or broken? Here's a guide on how to achieve the one key fits all again.

Items you will need:

• Phillips and flat blade screwdrivers
• WD40 or similar
• Grease
• Packet of new barrel dowels from VW , Part Number 443 898 041 A (Cost £30 approx)

Below is an image of the dowels supplied by VW with an image of the part number








1. Remove handle from car, 2 screws, one in the door shut and one behind the trim in the recess of the handle, you should end up with this.






2. Insert the key that currently fits the lock barrel (or any key if none do) and unscrew the retaining screw that holds the "flipper" part of the lock barrel, there is a 2 way spring at the base of the flipper to keep tention on the barrel and return it to its normal position after you operate the key, DON'T lose it!! its a very crude design but it works!




Components of the handle once disassembled.






3. Spray barrel with some wd40 and give it a wipe, and then remove the old dowels and springs from the barrel, there are tiny springs in each recess so remember to replace/re use them when you fit the new dowels in the cylinder.






4. Take the new dowels, starting with a number 1, insert it into the first slot and then put the key you want to code into the barrell, if the dowell sits flush in the barrell without ANY part of it protruding then that is the correct code for that slot, if it does not sit flush then try a 2 and so on until you find the one that sits flush, write the number order down as you go for future reference as you will need it to do the other barrels, continue this down the whole barrel, usually around 7 dowels, and by the end the key should fit perfectly and the dowels look like this.






5. Insert the barrel into the handle, and Re assemble the "flipper" NOT forgetting the spring, and do up the retaining screw, the lock should now turn perfectly with your "new" key.


6. Repeat this for all locks, the only difference is cabriolet boot locks have a small retaining dowell instead of a screw holding them in, small bit of persuasion and it comes out easy enough, the principle is the same for ALL Golf/Jetta models upto mk3`s inc Corrado etc, some barrells have more dowels, when there is extra slots as a general rule you just double up the same dowell code using 2 of the dowells instead of just one (my Corrado was like this on the drivers door).


And that`s it, its a little fiddly, but once you have the "code" the rest of the locks can be done in a matter of minutes, the only lock I couldn't recode was the glove box one, but one key for the doors and ignition is still very helpful.