TheSamba.com :: View topic - Cheap fix for failed ignition lock cylinder

Sun Aug 20, 2023 9:35 am

This group has helped me multiple times over the years, so I'm hoping to give a little back.

The ignition system on my van died, and at first I thought the issue was the ignition switch. But after taking it apart, the switch wasn't the issue. Thanks to another post here (I'll see if I can link to it) I learned how to drill a hole in the ignition body to pull out the lock cylinder and located the issue. The far end of the lock cylinder has a thin tab that engages with the switch, and the tab broke. There is such small contact area with the tab that I'm surprised it hasn't failed before. This is what it should look like:

This is what it looks like broken:

To buy the whole cylinder assembly online is at least $200, and the local VW dealer wanted almost $350 for it. And that doesn't even include the cost/time to rekey a new cylinder.

Fortunately, the tab that broke is part of a small end piece that's designed to be separated from the rest of the cylinder (probably designed to fail for some reason). There is a small pin connecting the end piece to the cylinder, and it can be tapped out with a small nail or punch.

But not even the dealer was able to find just the end piece for me. So in my online searching I was using the part number that's stamped on the end piece, and full lock cylinders were coming up. The part number from the end piece is 357905855B

So I took a chance and bought a lock cylinder assembly that referenced this part number, but was really meant for an earlier model EV. The cost was less than $20 on Amazon:

Here are the two cylinders next to each other:

As far as I could tell, the end piece was an exact match. But I later found that the machining was slightly off.

First, there was a very small misalignment with the holes so the little black pin wouldn't sit all the way in. I gently ran a drill bit thru the holes and then the pin went back in nicely. Here's the new end piece installed on my old lock cylinder:

Then I had to grind down a couple spots on the new end piece to match the old one. I only realized this after reinstalling the lock cylinder assembly into the van twice and having it stick when removing the key. The engine started and stopped just fine, and it allowed me to remove the key, but the internals were sticking which caused the van to think that the key was still in the ignition. So I made several passes at grinding with a Dremel tool to make the new end piece match the wear marks on the old one. Here are the two end pieces before I did any grinding:

I didn't get a photo after grinding but you get the idea. So with everything reinstalled and functioning properly, I paid less than $20 to fix the problem. I didn't have to dig thru the junk yard. I didn't even have to rekey.

Sun Aug 20, 2023 8:27 pm

Thanks for taking the time to write that up and post all those photos!

Hopefully I'll never come across this issue, but having writeups like these are super valuable.

Mon Aug 21, 2023 7:53 pm

Hopefully it saves someone a bit of time and money, just like the post about drilling into the ignition body.

Sat May 24, 2025 7:46 am

Hi. I’m dead in the water 290 miles from home. My ignition key turns all the way to the right and nothing happens, so I suspect that the metal tab broke off on my ignition lock cylinder.
Can the vehicle be started by removing the electronic connector and manually turning the starter inside the hole with a screwdriver after disconnecting it from the ignition lock cylinder? Thanks.

Sat May 24, 2025 1:17 pm

I know how to start it with a screwdriver but can’t remove the lower trim piece under the ignition and steering wheel to access the ignition. I removed all 4 nuts on the bottom bracket, but it won’t come off. Please help.

Sun May 25, 2025 5:19 am

THIS is what I love about this community. We all share solutions to problems. Thanks!

Sun May 25, 2025 5:31 am

rcerick wrote: I know how to start it with a screwdriver but can’t remove the lower trim piece under the ignition and steering wheel to access the ignition. I removed all 4 nuts on the bottom bracket, but it won’t come off. Please help.

when you write "lower trim piece under the ignition" do you mean the padded knee bar that was present in 1997 -2003 vans?

if so, the left side should begin to move somewhat after you've remove the 2 bolts closest to the door (behind the small plastic panel that is accessible by pushing through 2 plastic push pins (keep a watch for them on the floor or inside the knee bar). Of course you also have to removed either 1 or 2 bolts under/behind the knee bar as well, but then it should slide out by pulling it leftwards & downwards and the same time. if memory serves there's a fixed retaining pin(also under/behind the bar that points towards the right side of the van) that is inserted into a fixed retaining hole which is the last thing holding it in place.

Sun May 25, 2025 10:56 am

Thank you. A crack mechanic helped me. He knew exactly how to remove it and we replaced the ignition lock cylinder. Back on the road. Accessing things was unnecessarily complicated.

Wed May 28, 2025 8:40 am

That end piece with the tab that the OP replaced, I got mine off of a 1984 VW cabriolet. It is the same part on many more VW models. If you are ever at pick a part you can grab one. Mine failed without really any warning.