How To Check and Replace a Door Latch MK5 GTI 

I've watched this about 200 times in the last 2 days! I just finished swapping everything and it went great! You're a LIFESAVER!!!

Great detailed tutorial. Took all of 30 minutes with your instruction and the right tools. The #6 triple square was a very important as I have seen others strip the bolt assuming a T30 will work. Thanks for putting this out.

hHumbleMechanic Thank you very much for the video. Today I went to the Deutch Part office since I live not far from there. Purchased the front driver side Latch for $129plus tax. came home set up a table with all tools ,extra light and some cleaning stuff. I followed all of the directions step by step and it came out with perfection ,works excellent, but i did face couple of problems which I would like to share with the community. Since I am not a mechanic I had no idea about the #6 triple square. So please before you start ,make sure you have the #6 triple square .You use it for the two screws which holds the latch to the door. I tried to use T#30 and I almost ruined it.went to autozone asked for #6 triple square and they gave me a set of for $12.99. Secondly be very careful disconnecting and reconnecting the cable coming out of the door to the latch body very very careful. Lastly I would mark or number every screw coming out of the door not only front back bottom but also would number them each and everyone. Thank you again, Blessings Second thing

Thanks so much for sharing this information! My 15 year old (soon to be 16) daughter and I replaced the door latch together on her 2007 Rabbit yesterday using your step by step instructions. The project was a success that only took us 2 hours to finish.

I actually just did all of this a month ago, and there was nothing in the Internet for this job. I love all of these vids! A lot of great basic technique in this video particularly.

There are a bunch of youtube videos on how to fix/replace the drivers' door latch on the VW Jetta. Yours is absolutely hands-down the best of them, thank you for all of the detail and for mentioning several important steps that others have missed. Commenting on one of the viewers below, and having done this same repair on an earlier generation of Jetta, I found taking off the outside skin to be wayyy easier and provided far better access than going into the door from the inside. The car is up and running again!

Thank GOD this video was made. I haven't been able to lock my Mk5 jetta for a year now

This was the best tutorial for cars I’ve ever seen. Did it on a 2007 Volkswagen Jetta. Don’t have much experience working with cars, but generally some tool experience which was helpful. I do think that any one who is mindful should be able to do these repairs on their own! Good luck!

Thanks mate. This is a great video. I had a rear door latch fail about 3 years ago and had the dealer replace it ($550 parts + labor). About a month later the driver's door latch failed and I didn't want to pay another $550 so I just used the door key. The dealer recommends fixing the latch every time they service the car and this year they quoted $800 + tax. I found your video and thought I would give it a go. I was terrified I was going to make things worse and have to confess to the dealer what I had attempted. On my 2009, once the door skin was off everything was exactly as you described. As someone else mentioned in the comments, for 2009 some of the bolts were replaced with machine screws and there are additional plastic fasteners on the front edge. The plastic fasteners have T30 heads and just spin if you twist them (that had me scratching my head). I got them out intact with a trim tool. I understand the dealer has to make a living but $800 is insane. The OE latch was $110 with shipping -- you saved me a lot of money.

Thank you for this! Having the voice over and list of tools at the start really helped! I couldn’t find the triple square, but here in the UK they are sold as ‘M6 Spline’ rather than the number 6 triple square. Great video!

Thank you! I did this today in 1.5 hours, and your specific knowledge and tips made it stress free. Keep up the great content!

This video was absolutely KEY to doing this job!! If you follow this carefully it will work fine. Be sure you do the 12 turns exactly, be sure to be careful with the bolts along the sides and bottom of the door (I actually individually marked and sorted each one, especially because the bolts at the front of the door have one different than the rest). I had some trouble wiggling out the lock cylinder, so get a nice soft pry tool for that. The only problem I found that wasn't mentioned in this video was that on the metal lock carrier frame, there are two pieces of black foamy tape about a half inch square in size. Look at the 10:45 min point in the video. In my car they had become oily and the loose adhesive had caused these pads to slip around. So when I put everything back together they got in the way of the carrier sitting nice and close on the door skin. That means the handle and lock were hanging out and looking loose. I re-did the procedure, replaced the oily foam tape pads with new clean pads and all was good. Hope that helps. Cheers,

Bro you are the best, you saved my life in this video. It was so damn easy to repair with this video. Saved close to $500 on parts and labor alone. Thanks a ton!!!!!!!

This is the most in depth video on this subject. I wish it was around when I took mine out. I repaired mine, lasted about a month, should have just replaced it.

Dude, thank you so much for this video! My son and I replaced the passenger side on his Jetta this morning, and your excellent step-by-step instructions and tips were instrumental. Liked and subscribed.

I’ve been watching a bunch of “fix my Mk5” videos this morning, and this is by far the clearest and most complete. I need to change out a fender and the door lock - this one is leaving me feeling pretty confident about the lock. Not so much still on the fender,....

Brilliant video, step by step with nothing missed. Only difference I had is the aftermarket replacement was missing the pre-load spring, so perhaps newer designs have this built in or no longer needed, as worked fine without.

Thank you so much for this video! Used it to replace the outer door skin on my Mk5 GTI today! Also reseated the rubber lips on the door handles thanks to this video! Well done!

Great instructions. 2007 rear door latch was replaced with a $50 (S&H) part. But the spring was reset in the hook but keeps jumping out of the slot when first opening the door. I took care of the handle slop with a thin plastic RTV'd into the gap.

Just completed a door lock swap using your excellent video, the only step I added was checking it all worked as intended before putting the skin back on, my replacement didn’t have that little strong arm that the original had, and it wasn’t even attached, that might have been the issue but the new one is installed, skin, handle and trim on and is working perfectly, tyvm 😊 saved me from the stealers.

Thank you SOOOO much for this video. Successfully changed my door lock 😬 Only notes is that my non-OEM lock has removed that special tension spring, but it still works very well. Just easier to install. I did need to adjust the body clasp slightly however (8 triple square needed). Also, I put sound deadener on the inside of the door skin. Much easier than on the inside panel, as you do in a speaker video. I did however remove the existing foam pads to ensure fitment.

Just replaced my drivers door module, filling this guide. Was so easy! I ran vcds to clear the fault code / malfunction and now it's all working perfectly. I had my passenger side one replaced at vw dealer for a cost of £440!. Just replaced the drivers side myself for a total cost of £40.. Thanks!!

Thank you for posting this video. Just completed the job on my MKV Rabbit. Your video was invaluable. I could not have done the job without it.

I think you just helped me solve a problem with the replacement door latch I put in 6 months ago. I didn't know about the load setting on the cable! That might explain why it takes two pulls of the handle to open the door after I park.

Followed your video step-by-step and all went well on my 2009 Wolfsburg Edition Jetta. I bought an actuator online for $65 and saved hundreds of dollars over taking it into a shop. Thanks very much for the video.

I watch a lot of car repair videos as I have kept my son's and daughter's cars roadworthy. This is the single best produced and delivered tutorial I have had the pleasure to use. Well explained and well videoed. Thank you!!

thanks for this video. Took me about an hour after watching your technique, the hardest part was getting the door skin back on. Finding the right way to place it on before screwing it in was a little annoying! FWIW I was able to source a used OEM latch from a junkyard on Ebay for about $25 bucks - Was very happy to find out that it worked!

Thanks for this, Charles! Just replaced the latch on my GF’s MK5 Jetta today. I’m not much of a mechanic, and after watching this the first time i was thinking there’s no effing way. But i decided to give it a go and lo and behold it turned out fine. Biggest challenges for me were disconnecting the electrical connector and getting the door skin back on.

Thank you SO SO SO much for this tutorial! I completed it today, after a few years of not having a fully functioning lock, and I feel accomplished. LOL

I searched and searched and watched watched other videos. Your's was the most inclusive and descriptive about all the little nuances. Thank you. My daughter's Jetta is good to go now

Great video, followed it step by step and sorted out the issue. The hardest thing I found was attempting to get the tab aligned with the mechanism when putting it back on

Just repaired my car successfully! Your video is the best one on YT. It is very detailed and was able to repair my car without damage or mistakes from the first time! Thanks man 💙

Another awesome instructional video I remember doing the door skin on a mk5 Jetta for the first time I had taken a cardboard cut out and had made holes for all the holes on the door and put the bolts In their place as I took em off the door also a good place I like to put the shell of the door usually is the back seat it stays out of the way and no wind could knock it down

Back again with my buddy's 07 Wolfsburg Jetta only this time it's the driver door. Did this job on the passenger rear a couple years years ago. Nice refresher course! Charles, thanks for the exquisite detail! Cheers!

This is by far the best, simple and most detailed step by step and easy to follow video I could find. This saved me lots of $$$ plus it was a fun project for someone with no experience. Great video!!! The "12 tuns", "Order of the screws" and "resting the square hole of the latch in the little hook" are live savers. ATTENTION: The replacement part may not come with the small spring he's referring to when discussing the pre-load. I tossed the old part and had to rescue it from the garbage to remove the spring and put it in the new part. Other than that, I had zero issues! Thank you SO much!

Repaired all four door latches on a Touareg gen1. Driver door needed an updated microswitch. The other three doors had sticky mechanisms... needed a good cleaning, lubrication, as well as a slight adjustment to the actuator. I replaced the microswitches on those as well with the revised version. All doors work and the wife is happy.

Latch was no problem and now sets the alarm with audible. However I missed the door lock is inop. I was a 20year pm. Beginning to forget things. Thanks. Appreciate your kindness. The dealership biz changes us and gladly after we retire we become as normal again.

Thank you so much! I seem other installs replacing the door lock actuator, however those installs were done from the interior and not the exterior. So I'm so glad I found your video. Now I'm able to replace my door lock actuator.

Just used this vid to change my intermittent latch issue. On the 2009's the skin bolts are slightly different and there were plastic clips in the front section. The vid still helped a ton and now the new latch works every time.

This is the best detailed tutorial. There are instructions and explanations for everything, tips to avoid problems, and great video. Makes the job easy!

I just used this video to fix two of the units in my GTI and saved a fair bit of money. Thanks, humble mechanic God.

Great video. Step by step. Bought a replacement for £20. Perfect. Wouldn't bother with re-soldering. Thank you

Just did this job the other day. One quick note though: after putting the door skin back on, I at first wasn't slipping the two plastic clips/hooks that are on the end of the door hand carrier (opposite the carrier screw hole) above the door skin (you can notice that step if you watch carefully in your video). Not doing so of course caused enough of a gap that the small butt end part of the door handle (aka handle cylinder piece) would not be secured back in place when doing a reverse 12 turns of the T20 screw that turns the metal cylinder within the carrier to secure the door handle cylinder piece back in place. After taking the door skin back off, re-adjusting the carrier (as the metal cylinder on the carrier got knocked out of alignment with the spring mechanism), all went well during the second reassembly. Devils always in the details... Thanks for the great video. Cheers.

Just wanted to say thank you, your comment 11.40 about making sure the screw matched up couldn't have been more true. I'd spent ages trying to get the blanking piece back in without luck. I checked and my screw was too far over. Got it back in the old position as you said and the blanking piece locked in perfectly. I was going nuts until then. Don't know if you read the peoples comments but just wanted to say thanks. Cheers.

Huge, huge thank you from Liverpool UK. Just fixed my wife’s car with your very detailed guide. All the best to you 🙌🏻👏🏻

2nd GTI with this issue. First was drivers door, this time front passenger. Both times this video was very helpful!! Thank you for all your content!!

Thank you so much for posting this! Just fixed my two doors and I cannot be happier. Felt so empowering to be able to this and saved me 500 dollars! Thank you!

Thanks buddy just replaced two locks and saved myself 700 bucks. One part that held me up a bit was getting the lock on the square hook. It seems some of these cheap Chinese aftermarket locks don't have a very good square hole. I just lined it up as best as I could and out the two triple square bolts in using the witness marks. Everything works perfect:)

Thank you so much for this video! Such perfect step by step. It helped me pick a part from the junk yard for only $15 and fix my door. I watched it over and over to help me avoid making mistakes

Awesome Charles, your attention to detail and sequential instructions make this an easy job for anyone. Professional Video.

Step by step instructions and good hints. Just finished the lock on my Golf Mk5. Couldn't have done it without you

This was so much simpler than I expected! Thanks for the instructional! Saved me time and money

Thanks for a really useful video! It helped me repair my car yesterday. I had a slight issue when the door handle carrier which “came apart” on refitting. Make sure the rotating collar (which secures the lock when the “12 turns” screw is rotated) is correctly installed. Saved me £285 😀👍

Never knew the door skin came off these doors. This is the best explanation of this job, period! Huge shout out to The Humble Mechanic. Great job sir!

Excellent Video! This demonstration was done well including the helpful commentary (e.g. tools needed and best practices) to assist any DIY'er. The whole procedure took less than 1-hour to complete and saved me a lot vs. the repair shop. Found the part on e-Bay for $35 and all is now well. I'll be coming back here more often for any future car repair advice. Thanks, HumbleMechanic!

This video is incredibly well done. Who would give this a thumbs down?! Great job.. you made replacing the latch on my MKV for the first much easier.. even for someone with plenty of mechanical ability. Thank you.

Fantastic easy to follow video. So well explained that there were no hidden problems and replacement and fitment was so easy. Many many thanks, saved me a fortune.

Without quality instructional videos like this, there would be no "love", in my "love/hate relationship" with my Volkswagen. Thank you so much

I love all the precise, intricate tips that you give to do this job right! You made it super easy, especially after the dealership said they could do for $520!! Cost me about $50 bucks. You are the man!!!

Just did the front passenger door on a Jetta Mk5. You literally saved me hours! Thank you for posting this video.

With this step-by-step tutorial I was able to replace my daughters 2009 Jetta drivers side door lock actuator by myself in about 2 hours. Thank you, thank you, thank you! So helpful. The part itself was only $41, and doing it myself saved me a couple of hundred dollars at my VW dealer.

Larry & Chris 12 I disagree this is the easiest latch that I have ever installed. taking the door skin off is an amazing idea.. this video is so clear and easy to follow that anyone with just a little mechanical knowlage at all will be able to do this easily. The tips and hints were priceless. Took us less than an hour to replace and now the door works great. Thanks and keep up the good work.

Awesime vid! My daughter just picked up a Jetta with this problem. This video has great tips that saved us time and money!

Thanks again man for the video. Helped me a ton on my 09 GLI. Ended up being only a 40 minute job. Super easy!

hey man. i have a 2009 jetta with a bad actuator; i've had the new actuator sitting in the trunk for almost 3 years now because I've been procrastinating to take it to a mechanic. After recently changing my ignition coils and spark plugs; I came across your video and it instilled within me great confidence to finally tackle the project on my own. 3 years later and I am in utter disbelief that I had the ability and the power to do this all on my own in under an hour. Thank you for giving me the confidence and the knowledge to succeed my friend. You rule

Fitted new lock module to my UK right hand drive 2006 Jetta.Left front passenger door. Had problems with the screw to remove the blank lock barrel and screw under the exterior handle until I realised that the screw was a T15 and not T20. Job went very smoothly thanks to your video.

Thank you for taking the time to make such a clear and easy to understand video for this fix. You sir are a legend. I followed step by step your procedure with the recommended tools, and the fix worked perfectly first time. My sons 2007 Golf Mk5 GTi had no passenger door lock and the mechanism had no pre-load for the door handle, but the steps in this video were perfect as were your tips about the bolt pattern and witness marks. Thank you for making my life easier today.

Actually cool how this door is made you could change out the door skin easily if it gets dented or damaged. Looks much easier than most cars to replace things inside the window as it has much more working room! Awesome!!!

Great vid! My rear passenger actuator is just starting to play up. Press the lock button and it locks fine double press the key pull handle and no go. Use the handle inside car and then pull door handle door opens no issue. I have a feeling a cable may have slipped or something but going to get a new part strip door skin and if it’s not a cable I’ll just replace the actuator while the door skin is off. Perfect timing I found this Charles. Great thank you 🙏

Handle out and 12 turns. Followed these instructions exactly and the tumbler came out perfectly. Thanks man!

Best video yet - all the essential steps and details you need without any unnecessary, time-consuming verbage. Great work!

Thank you for your excellent video. I now feel confident to undertake this task on my own. Your advice and tips are invaluable.

Thank you for your detailed video! I managed to replace the rear door lock on my daughter's VW Golf MK 5. I definitely could not have done so without your detailed how to.

Ok, follow your instructions I changed yesterday rear right door lock in my mk5 from 2006 and I have to say-that was a great path. Step after step I went through whole process and finally all working! I had a problem with my not flashing indicators when you lock the the car. After changed lock, all working again!Finally!Only nearly stop everything was little f... screw, one from two, which holding lock. M6. I fighted with this little shit about hour but decided scrached little bit inner site my doors and holded with players and finally moved...ufff hard effort lol So, thanks for that again! Tom.

Really good video, I had to replace three of my door locks, the rear doors had a different cable connection for the internal latch, this was really difficult to get off. Had to loosen the windows frame holder to create more space. The model was an FSI 2005 made in south africa

Great Clear specific, Took me Through from start to finish. Helps to watch it several times before you start, for those of us who may be slow learners. A gifted educator. reminds me of an old VW repair book for the complete idiot. nice work!

Thanks for the tutorial. Switched the lock on right rear door on my 2007 Jetta. There are some small differences but, but I figured those out. My problem was that sometimes the door would not open from outside but from inside it worked. I noticed when I took it a part that the small cable was all the way in the bottom. Maybe It would have been enough just to ‘preload’ the old lock and put things together again instead of replacing the lock. But of course, you don’t know these things before you have taken the things apart.

This worked flawlessly! The 12 turn trick was perfect! Thanks for the vid, helped out a ton!

I just want to thank you. This video just saved me. No not the handle but someone broke my window today while at work. I have a 2006 Gli and a crashed one out back for spare parts. This video gave me the knowledge to do the job myself. Thank you 🙏

Watched this whilst I was doing the job, door now fully functional! Thank you

Awesome video. Was able to replace three actuators on my 2007 Jetta in 4 hours by myself. Saved mucho dinero and hassle. Thanks again!

Just did this for the first time, and I say thankyou so much, was worried at first about doing it as it looked like a big job, but I just followed the video as I done it, and it went great. Thanks so much great job

Thanks very much for the video. Precise and detailed instructions and great tips. I wouldn't have tackled the replacement without it. My Golf FSI passenger door can now be locked. Unfortunately it can only be opened from the inside and then only with a sharp tug on the inside handle. I can open from the outside until I operate the lock and then when it's unlocked the outside handle won't open. Something wrong with the attachment of the cable to the handle but I can't figure it out. I've given up fiddling with it for now but have not yet resorted to throwing the handle away and tying a bit of string to the cable! Still, I'm ahead of where I started.

Thanks for the information. I have a 2008 GTI which is slightly different but, I couldn't have done the job without your tips. Thanks so much, you have saved me $$.

Awesome. Best video by far on RU-vid of VW Golf MK5 lock mechanism replacement. Thank you for taking the time to produce this and for sharing.

Humble Mechanic, thanks very much for your vid which enabled me to replace the lock in my wife's Golf saving the $200 labour plus the higher cost of the part being supplied by the workshop vs me sourcing. Your vid and clear explanation made it very straightforward, me dropping a bolt and T Tip which both disappeared somewhere inside the front guard not my finest work and will require some fishing around to retrieve :-)

Thank you Humble Mechanic from Cornwall, England. Changing the module went perfectly thanks to your great instructions.

Followed this guide and it went great. Ok is working perfectly now! Thank you very much indeed.

Thank you for this video. I've done both driver and passenger doors since. God bless!

Great video Charles! You helped me change the door lock actuator on my passenger door today.

Superb, fixed a mk5 golf in the UK in an hour. Thank you so much for such a great video.

Great Video, thank you so much for you giving us as much detailed step by step, you’ve left nothing out, making the job nice and easy 👊.

Just used this video on my 2007 Jetta rear drivers door that wouldn’t lock. Followed the steps to a T and worked perfectly for me. Would have been done a lot quicker if I didn’t have to go buy a triple square set. Huge thanks!!!

I had to swap my door skin on my mk6 JSW recently. I did not use your video and now my door handle sometimes pulls the key hole cover off when I open the door. I’m going to go back in with the instructions from your video to make sure I follow all of the steps for latch and handle installation. Thanks for the video.

You come from the outside of the door and Paul (DAP) comes from the inside, both are great options. I think your way makes more sense to me, not saying his way is wrong, this way just jives with my brain better. Thanks.

Thank you so much for the video! I have used it twice because both of the door latches on the right side of 2006 jetta had to be replaced. without this video I would have been lost

Thank you! You made it easy. My 2007 Rabbit needed both front door latches replaced. Only needed to order a #6 triple square.

Great video,very detailed. I'm replacing a locking module on my Mk3 Jetta tomorrow. I have cured two door locks by spraying WD40 into the observation hole and into a hole by removing one fixing bolt, but this one refuses to play ball. Thanks.

Thank you for all the details - no way I could have ever done this . I had to rewatch it a couple times along the way too to fix some mistakes. The micro switch on at the latch failed showing door always open - I cut it off for now so the door shows shut. You have to have a lot of patience to work on VW's . Stupid latch on the door harness connector broke on the job - not sure how but I got the pieces of it back in good enough.

One of the best videos I have seen for auto repair. Thanks for the details and great camera work.