Help Need Keys and Locks

abbeyinc

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Location
Alamosa, CO
TDI
Had two B4 TDi sedans, currently running a 96 B4 TDi wagon.
Wife lost the keys to our B4V. Unable to get new keys made locally. I need help with one of two solutions:
1- need help getting a key code from my VIN. Nearest dealership is 3 hours away. I can't take the car in.
OR
2- need a lead on a complete set of locks and keys for the car including ignition so I can replace them all.
thanks in advance
matt.tammy.abbey@gmail.com
1996 B4V, first one
2x 1996 B4's
old chevy, couple of dodge diesels.
Alamosa, CO
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
VW used to stamp the key code on the driver handle lock cylinder housing. You don’t have locksmiths in your area? You should be able to give the code to a real locksmith, (not the paint guy working at the key kiosk, in Home Depot) and get a duplicate cut. Or go with TDD’s solution.

It’s worth a shot… it’s cheap. Otherwise, I have a lock set from a Jetta. The ignition cylinder will definitely be the same… I’d think the door cylinders could be swapped, but not $100% sure, and not sure about the trunk…

-Todd
 

turbodieseldyke

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Free Mustache Rides
TDI
Big ol' honkin' tdis
One of my jettas had separate keys for ignition, door, trunk. I re-pinned the doors and trunk to match the ignition, from pins I collected from junkyards. It's all do-able.

If I were in OP's shoes, i would much, MUCH rather just get a key that fits the existing locks.
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
True dat…. I’ve done what you’ve done and also redid locks so multiple cars used one key. It’s time consuming.

From experience the ignition cylinder is a major pain, and you need two, to make one. One is sacrificial.

I’d rather spend $25 on a duplicate, than go through the work. You don’t have mobile locksmiths, in CO?

-Todd
 

abbeyinc

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Location
Alamosa, CO
TDI
Had two B4 TDi sedans, currently running a 96 B4 TDi wagon.
thanks guys. we do have locksmiths, but this is a very isolated area of CO. my local guys can't get me where I need to go. I shipped both front door handles up to a dealer in Denver. I got back two handles, a key that fits one of them, but it doesn't fit the ignition. im going to try the key code thing. thanks.
 

turbodieseldyke

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jun 6, 2010
Location
Free Mustache Rides
TDI
Big ol' honkin' tdis
Did you have separate keys for the different locks (doors, ign, trunk)? If not, and you had a single master key for everything, then that key should work in everything. Maybe you just need to jiggle it some more. Sometimes you hear stories about people opening the wrong car in a parking lot with their key, because these things aren't made to exacting tolerances like for a bank vault.
 

abbeyinc

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Location
Alamosa, CO
TDI
Had two B4 TDi sedans, currently running a 96 B4 TDi wagon.
ok, got the code. is there a favorite vendor for getting keys cut from a code?
thanks
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
thanks guys. we do have locksmiths, but this is a very isolated area of CO. my local guys can't get me where I need to go. I shipped both front door handles up to a dealer in Denver. I got back two handles, a key that fits one of them, but it doesn't fit the ignition. im going to try the key code thing. thanks.
That's crazy, the dealer should have been able to make a key (or have one made) for the existing lock cylinder in the door handles rather than just sending you new keys plus handles fitted for that. What did they expect you to do for the ignition?

They could have done it, they just didn't want to.

Steve
 

ToddA1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 3, 2011
Location
NJ 08002
TDI
'96 B4V, '97 B4 (sold), '97 Jetta (scrapped)
My local dealer did it for me and didn’t even charge me, since I provided the VW blank…. He did a test with a junk key and gave that one to me, as well.

I’d bet this guy can do it. I’ve purchased VW stuff from him before, but never keys.

-Todd
 

abbeyinc

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 26, 2006
Location
Alamosa, CO
TDI
Had two B4 TDi sedans, currently running a 96 B4 TDi wagon.
ok I give up. What's the procedure for changing the ignition cylinder? anyone have a guide? I can't find it in my Bentley books.
Going to just do the whole g-d car with new locks and keys.
 

Phi1osopher

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2019
Location
Austin, TX
TDI
'96 B4V TDI Passat Wagon
I "rekeyed" my B4 Passat myself, and it really wasn't all that hard. I bought the car and it had 3 different keys... At some point I had to replace the ignition and then had yet another key.



I took the ignition key and removed the cylinders from the front doors and rear tailgate. Once you have the cylinders it is pretty easy to open them up. I just mixed and matched parts until the ignition key would work for all the others. There are 7 pins in each lock cylinder. One lock ended up with all 7 pins, and the other two only had 4 or 5.... but I figure that no one is likely to try to "pop" the lock on my the tailgate of my old station wagon.

It was free, and took me a couple hours after dinner one evening to sort it all out. I'm not a locksmith, but am generally handy with these sorts of things... I imagine that anyone could do it with a bit of patience and a clean space to work so you don't loose any of the little pieces.

Once the cylinder is removed and in your hand, you swap pins around until no pins stick out from the cylinder when the key is inserted. You want it perfectly round on the outside. Some pins can be carefully filed down to help them fit.

Good luck!
 
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