The rear door on my golf does not work, the lock opens with the key fob, but wont physicaaly open, I could open it from the inside, but unfortunately, I was giving a family member a lift with her children and without thinking put the child lock on so I can't open it at all now. I believe there is a cable inside that has been come loose inside the mechanism and it will have to be drilled out from the outside.

Any adivce on how to do this and what parts I will need will be very much appreciated

Chris, January 2009

Hi want to no how to remove the rear door handle on a mk4 golf

Ashley, February 2011

Same problem.
Stickier answer.
(1998 Mk4 1.4 16v)

Got the whole interior of the door off (even with door closed - tight but possible)

Can just about reach the child lock switch but cannot move it. Is it possible that the door has to be in the open position in order to shift the child lock switch? ie, maybe it cannot be moved with door closed?

Will try again tomorrow and post any helpful results.
Cheers, ph

ph, October 2009

The first bit with the coat hanger worked on my Mark 5 as well. Yet to try the second bit.

VW wanted £150 for a new lock...work that one out!

Trevor, July 2009

Nah, if you mean that the door's stuck because the childlock is on and the exterior handle doesn't work then there IS a fix!!!!

VW were no help, quoting silly money. Here's how to do it....

Firstly, open the door handle on the side that works and look into the part that is exposed only when the handle is pulled. There should be a small black plastic oblong piece visible situated in the exposed slot. The handle that doesn't work will not have this piece of plastic visible as it's slipped off!!!

Take one plastic coathanger, the cheap kind that comes with t-shirts etc. Unscrew the wire 'u' piece to expose the screw thread at the end. Straighten the piece of wire as much as possible but leave some of it curved at the 'blunt' end.

Next, unlock the car door with the fob ensuring all the door buttons are raised. Pull open the door handle and there, where the piece of plastic should be, place the threaded end of the coathanger metal down through it. you don't have to insert it too far to go to achieve the aim here. What you're trying to do is feel for the piece of metal that this missing plastic piece is attached to on the lock side. Be patient here but it WILL work.

Feel around and any time you feel the threaded end of the coathanger metal against something, put some sidewards pressure on it to increase the force applied and pull. After a time, the small plate attached to the errant plastic 'bullet' will come forwards and the door will spring open.

If I could post pics here I would but feel free to email me on brianrussellsimpson(at)hotmail.com.

Trust me- it works a peach!!

Meant to say that the permanent fix after that is dead simple. Open door, follow the door seal down and just opposite the latch mechanism is a rubber grommet which is attached to the door seal. Prise this out and stick a torx head inside. Hold open handle and unscrew thus a few turns at a tume. Eventually (making sure not to unscrew it tooooo much) the smaller handle trim piece, the less llonger part of the exterior door handle will come off.

Look inside and you'll see the piece of wire with the small plastic 'bullet' on the end. Fish it out and re-attach it to the door handle. I placed a small piece of Blu-tac her to help it seat and retain it there to avoid another episode.

Re-assemble, drive to a VW dealership and pee on their front lawn.

Job done!!

betteronabikeanyway, June 2009

Let me guess? Door handle gave way, opened door from inside and tried the 'childlock fix'. Shut door not realising that the childlock was on and not off thus rendering door use inoperable.

Yeah, me too!!

VW, after prophesising doom, quoted megabucks to sort but that was IF they could sort it. PLus, it's an MOT failure point - and that's why mine sat on the drive on SORN for the last 6 months.

In short, you're screwed. Oops.

Betteronamotorbikeanyway, June 2009

You could try removing the internal door trim so you can access the inside of the door, that should allow you to get to the child lock and the handle mechanism. Good luck

Richard, January 2009