Removing and replacing rear door lock - 2005 VW Jetta Sedan

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Geoffzie

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OK, another question concerning a 2005 VW Jetta 2.5L.

The passenger's side rear door lock doesn't work ... I can hear it making noises when activated, but it just won't lock. After looking on-line, it looks like you've got to remove the outer door handle, and the door skin to replace the lock (apparently, the bright boys at VW thought it would be too easy just to make an access hole on the inside of the door to get the lock out!).

I've removed the rear door speaker (it was riveted in?! Had to drill the rivets out) ... I thought I might be able to remove the lock that way ... no dice. The window rail is in the way ... no way to get the lock out that way. Although I WAS able to disconnect and connect the electrical connector several times to make sure it was getting a good connection ... the lock makes noises, but still wouldn't work.

So, I resigned myself to the tedious process of taking the entire door apart. But apparently, someone tried to fix it before ... and stripped the head of the Torx screw holding the door handle cap on! Now what? ... no way to get the door handle off!

Any ideas? Is there an alternate way to get the stupid door lock out? (short of replacing the entire door!)
 
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Geoffzie

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Interesting, I've never seen those before ... certainly not locally.

My only question would be whether they would fit through the very small access hole VW gives you. Presently, I'm using a 1/4" drive Torx bit with 1/4" extension ... and it JUST fits. I'm not even sure a 3/8" drive would fit though the hole.

I guess I could enlarge the access hole ... it's behind a plastic cover anyways.

I'll have to check into that.
 
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Geoffzie

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OK, I got it fixed.

I removed all the door screws around the perimeter of the door, then I pulled the door apart enough to see what was going on with the handle / lock / torx screw. It looked like the screw was already almost out, but it was cocked and jammed. I just took a stick magnet and pulled it out ... problem solved. when I got everything apart, I took a close look at everything to see how it worked ... and assembled it outside the car to make sure it worked properly ... it did.

Then I just reassembled everything ... it turns out the screw head wasn't stripped at all. Because the screw was cocked and jambed, the torx bit couldn't drive it.
 
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Geoffzie

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According to what I read, you're supposed to unscrew the torx screw until it stops, then pull the door handle end cap out ... my screw never stopped, no resistance at all. When I had the door apart, it seemed like it had been taken apart before ... so I'm not sure everything had been put back together correctly, the courtesy light on the bottom of the door panel wasn't plugged in for one (I've finding that with a lot of things on this car).

Besides Jack, I thought the policy with repair manuals was ... "if all else fails, read the repair manual!" :D
 
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Jack@European_Parts

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Besides Jack, I thought the policy with repair manuals was ... "if all else fails, read the repair manual!" :D


Nope............It's the RTFB & JPPSG sometimes the use of the force is not for the many and only the few can be a Jedi. ;)

http://forums.ross-tech.com/showthr...essional-Problem-Solver-Guide-quot-JPPSG-quot

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