Door Handle problems on B4 Passats

[BenT Syncro]

This forum is looking lean so thought I'd throw some info about recent work on one of my Watercooled VW's.

Got this 1996 (B4 = 1995-1997) Passat TDI. Exterior handles are crapped out just like most B4 Passats out there. The handles are a consumable item on these cars. You will not likely find good used ones from the junkyard.

I replaced three of the four handles in my car. At a quick glance there seemed to be nothing wrong with the old handle. Upon close examination, I found the culprit. There were more than one. On the front driver's side handle, the pot metal casting for the handle fulcrum had began to separate letting the pivot pin to drop out. This causes the lever to tilt slightly but enough to keep the white plastic button to miss the actuator lever on the door latch. I can post pictures if someone needs them. That was repairable. I simply pinched the two vertical parts together and it now holds the pin.

As for the rear handle, not only did it have the same problem as the fronts, the roll pin gets misaligned because of another separated fulcrum tower. Again causing the lever to be short of reaching the lever on the latch. In this case, the holes that hold the pin have become oval shape. The pin moves just a little on the pivot end. As you get to the tip of the lever, the effect is magnified.

Now the Corrado guys like to use the keyholeless back door handles from the B4 Passat. There are kits available which are made of steel instead of potmetal to replace the weak part of the Passat handles. They replace the lever with a shorter one to match the Corrado latch. Too bad they do not make these kits for Passats so that these handles can be repaired. These days, they just they get tossed even though only that tiny piece is broken.

For you amateur locksmiths, note that the cheap aftermarket copies have single wafers instead of the doubles seen on stock handles. Replacing the lock cylinder from the stock handle is not possible either as the ends do not match.
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BenT

[peaceful warrior]

Hey BenT,
Ironically I just purchased 96 Passat Wagen yesterday, 80K miles, VG body, but has some interior issues, first off being the door locks. I actually got locked in it yesterday for twenty minutes......yes you can laugh!

I would appreciate any photos you can post. I am going to pull the door panels tomorrow on the front doors, but I cannot get the rear doors to release at all.
Any tips on the latter?
Can you recommend any tools that I might need to diagnose this car and anything related to the door locks.
Thank you.
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"Two things are infinite: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." Albert Einstein
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Brian

[Stuartzickefoose]

Looks like I'm buying a new door handle for my new b4 tdi. Gonna safety wire the pin into place, as suggested on another forum.
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Stuart Zickefoose

2011 Jetta Sportwagen TDi 6 speed manual

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