Where to get a key for my anti theft wheel bolts?

fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
Previous mechanic kept/lost the key for the anti theft bolts on my car. Where can I get a new one and how can I find out which one i need? I think there’s over a dozen different variations.

considering just ordering 4 plain bolts and getting rid of those anti theft ones…. No thieves are (or ever have) taking wheels off a 20 year old Jetta.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
DEFINITELY replace those stupid bolts. Don't second-guess that decision in the slightest.

Go to a VW dealer and ask them to remove them. There were roughly 30 different iterations of that multi-spline "security bolt" on VWs; sometimes VIN can tell which one, but most often it's trial-and-error.

If you have extra OEM bolts (ball seat, 17mm head, 14x1.5 thread, 27mm length), available at most scrap yards at very reasonable prices (;)), ask them to replace them there (if you're a familiar face, they probably do it for free, but I'd still offer $20 to whoever did it for you.
Worst case, buy four of OEM bolts for ~$6ea or so from the dealer there.
 

touaregv10tdi

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Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Location
Fort Lauderdale - Florida
TDI
2013 Beetle TDi,2000 Beetle TDi, 2016 BMW X5 Diesel, 2004 Touareg V10 TDi,2015 Beetle TDi, 2005 Jetta TDi
Never go to a dealer to ask them anything it will cost you money. You can use a 12 point socket and hammer and an air wrench to remove those, then go to to the local junkyard and get 4 original regular lug bolts to replace these stupid keys.
Click on the link below for a video with detailed instructions how to.

HOW TO REMOVE WHEEL LOCK NO KEY
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
...and if one doesn't have the proper size 12pt. socket and an air wrench...gotta think those cost money, too. ;)

Sure - if you have the tools and have some time and can be creative, hammer away at it. But if some tire-shop monkey use aforementioned air wrench to install those bolts at 200ft.lbs. and they've been there a while with some corrosion.... not sure that 12pt. socket is going to do the trick.

Dealer is the one place that's almost sure to have the proper adapter. But yes - it will probably cost you money. Friend recently had to do just that - cost him $20CAD for the bolts. (BTW, most of the how-tos I've seen on using a pound-on socket or the like suggest going slow with a breaker bar - seems like high-speed must slip (?).
 

touaregv10tdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 29, 2006
Location
Fort Lauderdale - Florida
TDI
2013 Beetle TDi,2000 Beetle TDi, 2016 BMW X5 Diesel, 2004 Touareg V10 TDi,2015 Beetle TDi, 2005 Jetta TDi
You can user a break bar if you dont have an air wrench, a 12point socket will cost you $5
The dealer almost sure will cost you an arm and a leg !!!
 

fatmobile

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 16, 2019
Location
north iowa
TDI
an ALH M-TDI in a MK2, a 2000 Jetta, 2003 wagon
Previous mechanic kept/lost the key for the anti theft bolts on my car. Where can I get a new one and how can I find out which one i need? I think there’s over a dozen different variations.

considering just ordering 4 plain bolts and getting rid of those anti theft ones…. No thieves are (or ever have) taking wheels off a 20 year old Jetta.
You did check the spare tire tool kit right?
That's where the key is supposed to be.
Maybe hit the salvage yard and check a couple kits.
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
I would imagine most of the big tire chains can remove them. May even do it for free, especially if you're a previous customer. Either way, they'd be cheaper than the dealer. No need to have the new bolts installed, wheels are safe to get you home with just 4 lugs.
 

tactdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 21, 2010
Location
North Carolina
TDI
2005.5 Jetta
I would imagine most of the big tire chains can remove them. May even do it for free, especially if you're a previous customer. Either way, they'd be cheaper than the dealer. No need to have the new bolts installed, wheels are safe to get you home with just 4 lugs.
You would have to have a very good relationship with a shop, before they will allow you to leave their property missing a lug bolt. Liability/insurance would not allow that. Had a shop, refuse to let me leave on my full size spare, since the spare was over 5 years old. Took the car in to fix a flat, flat could not be fixed, and they had to order me a new tire. They did pull a used tire out of their pile that was under 5 years old, to allow me to drive off, while waiting for the tire to be shipped.
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle
You count splines, decide if they are pointy or squared, go to Amazon or Ebay and buy that particular bit. Last one I bought was $3-5 ... something like that. Then throw away the bolts and the tool.
I’ll see if I can find the vendor when I get a chance.
 
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JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle


A third of the way down the listing you select the matching tool configuration from the pull-down menu.

I must have lucked out on needing an inexpensive one. They are priced all differently. Nonetheless it lists the part number of the different tools and maybe you can search for a less expensive one elsewhere.
 
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BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Yes, you can buy the tool and throw it away with the 4 lugs. I was lucky my mechanic owns a full set. You might even be able to sell the security lug nuts with the tool.
 

J_dude

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 9, 2020
Location
SK Canada
TDI
2003 1.9l “Jedi”
I’m curious, why so many suggestions to get rid of/throw away the anti-theft bolts?
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
They are a pain and pretty useless. If it can be removed without the key by the brute force method you aren't getting any protection anyway. If stealing wheels they will more than likely use this method anyway. Not likely they will have a full set of keys for any wheel locks they encounter.
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle
I’m curious, why so many suggestions to get rid of/throw away the anti-theft bolts?
Tongue in cheek...seems like the tool can get lost just when its needed.
I've yet to hear of VW wheels getting stolen but, that's me.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Me either, but that is what they are sold for. Never saw the protection or the need for them myself. Creates a real issue when tool lost. Had them removed when I bought my Beetle.
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle
you might need them if you had 20" wheels with spinners, etc ...but 15" Avus wheels with what tires wind up on them these days? much less likely.
 
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fouillard13

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Location
Pincher Creek, AB
TDI
03 Jetta TDI Standard
ill check my spare tire kit.

I remember the local tire shop calling me and asking where my special key is so I am not sure if they have one. these stupid things have screwed me around more than a few times.

thanks for the answers guys. ill do some shopping around and see what I can come up with on my days off. being in a small town doesnt leave me many options.
 

JETaah

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Jan 18, 2001
Location
mi 48836
TDI
96 B4V, 1999.5 jettaIV,2005 BEW Beetle
Go to a VW dealer and ask them to remove them. There were roughly 30 different iterations of that multi-spline "security bolt" on VWs; sometimes VIN can tell which one, but most often it's trial-and-error.
Or you can count the splines and decide whether they are pointed or square. Buy the tool on EBay. It works for that format of security lug. Not so since they moved to the squiggly milled pattern lugs.
Anything done at a dealership sounds like a $120 out-of-pocket visit unless there is a merciful service manager willing to do it off the books.
 

kjclow

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Joined
Apr 26, 2003
Location
Charlotte, NC
TDI
2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I think it cost me about $25 (including the new lugs) to have the dealer pull them and replace with regular lugs. I did it after my wife had a flat and I couldn't get the stupid key to remain seated on the lug for more than a quarter turn. Had it done with a tire rotation, so the lugs were already off.
 
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Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
Go to a VW dealer and ask them to remove them. There were roughly 30 different iterations of that multi-spline "security bolt" on VWs; sometimes VIN can tell which one, but most often it's trial-and-error.
Is there an echo in here? ;)
Go to a VW dealer and ask them to remove them. There were roughly 30 different iterations of that multi-spline "security bolt" on VWs; sometimes VIN can tell which one, but most often it's trial-and-error.
 

Nuje

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2005
Location
Island near Vancouver
TDI
2015 Sportwagen; Golf GLS 2002 (swap from 2L gas); 2016 A3 e-tron
I think it cost me about $25 (including the new lugs) to have the dealer pull them and replace with regular lugs. I did it after my wife had a flat and I couldn't get the stupid key to remain seated on the lug for more than a quarter turn. Had it done with a tire rotation, do the lugs were already off.
The newer locking lugs that have some cut-out design instead of multiple splines....NOT! GOOD!


My wife got a flat in her Mk7 Golf and I was walking her through it over the phone....and she couldn't get it to hold with the lug wrench.
"Feeble woman!", methinks.

Ummm...nope. When she got home (courtesy of tow truck), I took a crack at it - not a chance in hell. Finally took out my M18 ½" 700ft.lb impact, leaned all my weight against it as a blipped the trigger, and that's what broke it loose.

Needless to say, all of those locking things were replaced that very evening.
 
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tdidieselbobny

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Stafford,NY (WNY)
TDI
'03 Galactic Blue Jetta TDI, '15 Silk Blue Golf Sportwagen TDI
Just saw someone on another forum having same problem-said they took a 16mm triple square and knocked it in to lug, then used an 18mm one if that 16 one rounded it out some.... those were first things I replaced on the '15 when I bought it....
 
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