Hi,

I have an aging S Reg 1999 Octavia 1.9 TDi GLX on which I have a problem with the drivers side door lock. When the key is inserted and turned, it just keeps turning and does not unlock the doors.

We did have a problem with it before, where the central locking did not activate but at that time it did not spin. A little lubrication seemed to cure it.

So, my question is, does anyone know what the problem is? Would it be possible to swap parts from the passenger side to fix it? I just need to keep the cost of repair down so any help would much appreciated.

If it spins and spins and spins, it'll be because the lock barrel itself rotates as an anti-forcing measure. It works on a sprung latch sort of thing, so that the force normally applied when turning the key won't release the latch, but if you try and force the lock with a screwdriver, the latch releases and the lock barrel turns. Try squirting some WD40 inside the barrel of the lock (use a pin or piece of wire to hold the sliding cover open), leaving it to penetrate for a while, and then trying again with the key...