My jetta locked my keys in the car

00tdi

Active member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Location
Sturgis, SD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
So i was getting ready to leave to go to the store and my driveway's slanted uphill a bit and I get out to throw away a mcdonald's cup and naturally, my door shuts, key in ignition, and it LOCKS:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:! Since i haven't had a spare key since the car has been in the family i had to have my brother-in-law help me break into it with a coat hanger. I was so pissed it wasn't even funny because this is such a pointless feature, IMO. I know I need to get a spare key made next time I go back home to SD because my dad gets a discount and it's better than paying $410 for a switchblade and a valet down here in AZ. I've pretty much learned my lesson but next time it happens, I will make a scene of Biblical proportions and beat the piss out of it with a sledgehammer :eek:. I've read posts about this POS auto locking feature but is it true i need Vag-Com or whatever it's called or a dealer to disable this? Don't really feel like paying the money for it since there's other things that my jetta would preferrably have. Any replies would be great, Thanks!

-Ben
 

Bob_Fout

Oil Wanker
Joined
Sep 5, 2004
Location
Indiana
TDI
2003 Jetta - Alaska Green (sold) / 2015 GTI 2.0T
Mine's never locked on me if I close the door with the engine running.
 

fnj2

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 1999
Location
Wellfleet, Massachusetts, USA
I could say that if you get out of the car even for 10 seconds while leaving your only key in the ignition, there is only one place to put the blame - but that would be non productive, so I won't.

It's not clear to me why your door locked. I had the dealer change my auto locking feature when the car was nearly new, but that was just to stop the doors locking themselves with an ear shattering WHAP whenever the car got going 10 mph.

I'm not aware of why the locks would automatically actuate in a stationary car on their own, but I'm probably missing something.

I should say that mine is a 99.5, so I have no experience with the immobilizer piece of crap.
 

Honeydew

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 28, 2006
Location
Florida
TDI
13 Passat DSG
My personal rule is to never trust a VW not to lock the keys inside, even with the auto-lock features disabled. If I do need to leave the key in there for whatever reason I'll put a window down and still be nervous.
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
This will happen when the car is not aware that the driver's door has opened and then closed... ie... the usual sign of a defective microswitch in the drivers side door.

In other words, the car autolocking while stationary is usually the sign of something else.

Do your interior lights come on when you open the drivers door?

The stationary autolock can't be defeated with Vagcom evidently... only the "lock when you hit 10 mph" lock is a Vagcom setting. The real fix is to fix the door sensor.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=255853
 
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Ski in NC

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
TDI
2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
Bad door microswitch. Trust me, I know.

You unlock the car with the fob. Open door. Put key in ign, but don't start. In about 20sec car relocks the doors. Why? Because the door microswitch is broke and car does not recognize that the door ever opened.

The reason for this is if a random signal causes car to unlock, and no one gets in, it would be better for it to re-lock than stay unlocked all night.

Open your drivers door. If interior lights do not come on, its the switch and once fixed you will not have this problem again.
 

r72gsaol

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2010
Location
Upstate New York (Have Vag-Com)
TDI
03 Jetta, 99 NB
Mine also did the same thing when the micro switch was bad.

Here is the link on how to fix it. Cost me $10 and it's been fixed for a year. The other option is to replace the module with a new one for about $180. I would stay away from used; you don't have any idea how close it is to failing.

and I never leave my keys in the ignition with the door closed..................
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
x3 microswitch
mine has worked intermittently for years
never leave key in ignition with windows up, always double click unlock before locking, open a different door, or just fix the damn thing
you might ask your local law enforcement if they can break in and get your key for you
 
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00tdi

Active member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Location
Sturgis, SD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
Thanks for the links guys, definitely going to get it fixed, but yes I just put the key in the ignition without turning the key and it just locks, opening the driver door doesn't activate the dome light so that's what it's gotta be is the microswitch. woofta
 

Souzafone

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 4, 2004
Location
Freetown,Ma.
TDI
'99 Jetta A4, Whitish
Another bad microswitch. Had the same thing happen, no other symptoms. After the first time I made a habit of lowering a window whenever I left the keys in the car. BTW, it doesn't matter if the key is in the ignition or not, sometimes the doors will just all lock.
 

00tdi

Active member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Location
Sturgis, SD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
Better solution: why would you EVER get out of the car without at least one key in your pocket? Why?
yep that's exactly it, country living, never had to worry about it in my little south dakota town :). just got out for a split second heard my door close, got a bad feeling, threw away my cup and i heard the horn honk. woops!
 

AFTiggerIntel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
Location
Nebraska
TDI
04 Jetta GLS
I had the key lock in the day I picked up the 04. I drive it to the dealer and was in their service bay. Service adviser got in to check mileage and left the key in. He closed the door and click the door was locked. He had to have his mechanic/firefighter break into the car and get it. The valet key was in the glove box because, gee, who thinks that the dealership is going to lock the key in the car. Apparently it happens enough they didn't even put a scratch on the car at all.
 

00tdi

Active member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Location
Sturgis, SD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
I had the key lock in the day I picked up the 04. I drive it to the dealer and was in their service bay. Service adviser got in to check mileage and left the key in. He closed the door and click the door was locked. He had to have his mechanic/firefighter break into the car and get it. The valet key was in the glove box because, gee, who thinks that the dealership is going to lock the key in the car. Apparently it happens enough they didn't even put a scratch on the car at all.
haha that's not good. i used to work at a dealership, happened more than you would think. happened to me in a 2011 half ton chevy lot vehicle twice in one day haha. moral of the story, never trust a volkswagen with your keys! :D
 

AFTiggerIntel

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 16, 2010
Location
Nebraska
TDI
04 Jetta GLS
LOL I don't trust my Ford either and it's got the keyless entry pad on the door frame. Doesn't work so hot when the battery kills itself with the key in your cup holder. The Ford dealer had fun with that one but we finally figured out the PCM killed it multiple times. VWs just don't like me. I told my mom when she gets the car, the valet key goes into her pocket or purse and never leaves her side unless she's in the vehicle.
 

Vince Waldon

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Edmonton AB Canada
TDI
2001 ALH Jetta, 2003 ALH Wagon, 2005 BEW Wagon
Solution: Turn off the auto locking
If you know how to turn this particular autolocking off (door not opened after xx seconds of unlocking so car re-locks itself) off that would be great and a Holy Grail found.

The last time I researched this I was told by some sharp minds that it wasn't possible. It's not on Ross-Techs site either, at least not where I could find it. :)

The "lock when you hit 10 mph" is easy to defeat... autoarming evidently not?
 

JohnBrock

Active member
Joined
Dec 4, 2000
Location
Newburgh, NY USA
TDI
2001 A4/Jetta, Black
In reference to the bad microswitch causing this, I thought it was a "feature". That if the doors were unlocked but the ignition not turned on within X time period that the doors would lock again. Never liked it much, happened to me two months ago. I was able to break into the house and find the valet key.

John B.
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
Short term solutions:
1) Use the key in the door lock to unlock. That is proof positive that unlocking is intentional, not a matching radio frequency of a nearby car.
2) Use the remote if that's more convenient, but open another door that has a working switch. That other door opening will be confirmation that the disarming and unlock is intended.
Long term:
3) Then check the switch built into the door (warning: PITA alert!). My Passat turned out to need just a tweak of the B pillar catch to move the door latch just enough to trigger every time. My long term solution didn't need door disassembly.
 

Ski in NC

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 7, 2008
Location
Wilmington, NC USA
TDI
2001 Jetta ALH 5sp stock
My short term solution is: Unlock with fob. Open door. Key in ign, turn to run, then turn back off. Car then knows not to re-lock.

I hate the door-open chime more than the inconvenience of the broken microswitch. So I am not going to fix it.
 

00tdi

Active member
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Location
Sturgis, SD
TDI
2000 Jetta TDI
Short term solutions:
1) Use the key in the door lock to unlock. That is proof positive that unlocking is intentional, not a matching radio frequency of a nearby car.
2) Use the remote if that's more convenient, but open another door that has a working switch. That other door opening will be confirmation that the disarming and unlock is intended.
Long term:
3) Then check the switch built into the door (warning: PITA alert!). My Passat turned out to need just a tweak of the B pillar catch to move the door latch just enough to trigger every time. My long term solution didn't need door disassembly.
Haha, so fixing the microswitch in the door isn't fun I take it?
 

Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
My short term solution is: Unlock with fob. Open door. Key in ign, turn to run, then turn back off. Car then knows not to re-lock.
Doesn't always work that way. I had an A3 Jetta that would stall and sound the alarm after a prief period of driving. I had to coast off the road, remove the key from the ignition, then lock and unlock the door using the key to get the alarm to stop and the anti-theft to permit the engine to run.
I quit using the remote to unlock. I mean, I have to reach out for the door handle anyway. I have to have the remote and key in my hand too. So I used the key.
I'd lock with the remote as I walked away, but used the key to unlock.
That car had an easily accessed pillar mounted dome light switch that was used for the alarm.
The A4 and B5 have the switch built into the door latch mechanism. No, it is isn't 'fun'.:(
 
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