Door locks and ignition key

Bug-Eyed · Post by **Bug-Eyed** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 4:16 am

Can either the door locks or ignition switch be re-keyed to match? Someone has either replaced the door handle assemblies or the ignition and now I have three different keys.

Digger89L · Post by **Digger89L** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 8:48 pm

You have to remove the ignition switch, and the driver side door handle. Then you can check to see if they have matching "key codes" ...two letters followed by a series of numbers. The letters may be SG, SC, SU, or SV. The lock on the handle AND the ignition MUST have the same letter code in order for the locks to be keyed the same. At some point in the life of most of these cars, one of the locks (ignition or door) usually ends up breaking and getting changed ...and the easiest thing seems to be just replacing one or the other without making the effort to match them up. That's why most of us have ended up have to use separate keys for the door and the ignition. Here are pictures of MY mismatched locks ..showing the key codes. Good luck!

Bug-Eyed · Post by **Bug-Eyed** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 10:49 pm

I already know that mine has been changed. I have two different keys for the doors and ignition.

What I was wondering is, can the tumblers be changed in either the door locks or the ignition so that I only need one key?

Digger89L · Post by **Digger89L** » Wed Feb 19, 2014 10:56 pm

?????? !!!!!!!!

h~moto · Post by **h~moto** » Sat Feb 22, 2014 6:03 pm

Repining a lock is something I did on one of my cars from the 50's. My guess is that `66 locks are similar but I did the work so long ago that I could not give you specific instructions. It is certainly a job you won't find in a VW service manual and is a job you may not want to undertake. If you are not comfortable taking apart something like a carburetor and getting all the parts back together correctly than I would not attempt the job. It is very easy to loose the small parts (especially the very tiny springs). When I did the work I had some extra used locks that I could pilfer parts from. Before starting, may sure the key you want to use is the correct profile to fit into the lock. Insert the key that works into the cylinder. There has to be some method that keeps the lock cylinder from pulling out of its housing. There might be a small pin that needs to be driven out or a small set screw that needs to be loosened in order to remove the cylinder. Often the pins and springs are held in place by a thin metal plate that fits over the pin holes and is crimped in place. If the metal on the cylinder housing is fatigued then getting the plate back on and held in place can be difficult. When the cylinder is removed insert the key and try to rearrange the pins so that they are level with the outside of the cylinder. A pin can always be filed down but it can be a problem if you don't have enough pins that are long enough.

h~moto · Post by **h~moto** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 12:06 am

I went to TheSamba and found a detailed tutorial complete with pictures.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewto ... rekey+lock

It had been so long since I did the job that I forgot that the locks use what the tutorial calls tumblers instead of pins - so forget what I wrote above about the thin metal plate.

Bug-Eyed · Post by **Bug-Eyed** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 3:01 am

I don't know how this can happen but unfortunately all 3 keys I have for the door, ignition and glove box have different key-ways.

h~moto · Post by **h~moto** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 8:53 am

Keep in mind that if your Beetle is a European model with an ignition switch on the steering column that it would have come with separate keys for the ignition and door.

Bug-Eyed · Post by **Bug-Eyed** » Sun Feb 23, 2014 9:22 am

h~moto wrote:Keep in mind that if your Beetle is a European model with an ignition switch on the steering column that it would have come with separate keys for the ignition and door.

It's not a European model.

Digger89L wrote:?????? !!!!!!!!

What is your question?

Bug-Eyed · Post by **Bug-Eyed** » Fri Mar 14, 2014 9:25 am

I don't know how someone managed to do this but all three keys for my car door, ignition and glove box all have different key-way patterns.

Blue Baron · Post by **Blue Baron** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 9:37 am

The doors probably still use the original key. The ignition witch was probably changed at some point, and unless your car is a convertible, the glovebox lock was an option.

Bug-Eyed · Post by **Bug-Eyed** » Wed Apr 09, 2014 10:07 am

Blue Baron wrote:The doors probably still use the original key. The ignition witch was probably changed at some point, and unless your car is a convertible, the glovebox lock was an option.

I would at least like get the door lock and the ignition keyed the same.

Blue Baron · Post by **Blue Baron** » Thu Apr 10, 2014 11:56 am

That can only be done if the doors and ignition use the same profile key.