How to Replace a Driver's Door Latch in a 2003 Jetta

The latch in a Volkswagen Jetta driver's door is part of a full carrier assembly that contains many of the door's components. A bad latch will give you major problems opening and closing the door. Replacing the latch on this model means removing the aforementioned carrier from the door to completely access the latch. You will need to open the door trim panel to do this. This procedure may slightly vary depending on small factors, like whether the door uses power or manual windows.

Instructions

Removal

1

Disconnect the car's negative battery cable.

2

Pry out the inner door's pull cover, handle grip and the power switch bezel with a small screwdriver/trim stick and remove all screws for the main trim panel. Pry along the panel's sides with a larger trim tool and pull the panel off the door.

3

Pull out the plastic plug at the outer edge of the door and loosen the setscrew behind it, which is for the lock cylinder. Insert your key in the cylinder and pull it out of the door.

4

Lower the window glass (reconnect the controls to do this) and then loosen the glass track bolts with your wrench. Raise the glass all the way up by hand and tape it to the window frame.

5

Remove the two Torx-head screws from the end of the door to disconnect the latch from the door.

6

Remove all the mounting bolts for the plastic carrier that contains the latch, radio speaker and window regulator and remove the carrier -- slide it toward the door's inner edge as you work it out and disconnect its electrical connectors.

7

Drive out the two pins on the latch with a punch, disconnect the cable on its clip, flip the latch over and disconnect the cable and link rod to remove the latch.

Installation

8

Install the replacement latch within the carrier with the cables and link rod and then drive the pins back into position.

9

Connect the carrier back to the door with its electrical connectors and bolts, then fasten the latch to the door with its Torx screws. Lower the window glass back down into the window regulator and tighten the track bolts.

10

Insert the lock cylinder back into the door and tighten its setscrew.

11

Reconnect the door trim panel with its clips and screws and then reconnect the control bezel and handle covers.

12

Reconnect the negative battery cable.