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Ignition barrel faults on Volkswagen vehicles tend to show themselves gradually. The key becomes stiff, sticks halfway, or refuses to rotate into the start position. In some cases the VW key stuck in ignition issue appears suddenly, leaving drivers unable to remove the key at all.
Across different VW models, the type of fault varies: Polo and Caddy typically suffer from worn wafers, Golf models often show internal housing wear, and some Tiguans develop steering-lock interference that causes the key to jam unexpectedly.
Because of these model-specific differences, the Volkswagen ignition barrel replacement price in the UK isn’t fixed — it depends on what exactly has failed and whether the cylinder can be rebuilt.
Most technicians will always try to rebuild the barrel to suit the existing key, as a full lockset replacement is rarely necessary and significantly more expensive.
In the UK, Volkswagen ignition barrel replacement price generally sits between £160–£220 for older Polo and Caddy models, and up to £260–£350 for Golf, Tiguan and vehicles with electronic steering locks.
What affects the cost:
Dealers tend to push complete lockset replacements, whereas an auto locksmith can almost always match the new barrel to your existing key.
On the VW Caddy, one of the most common patterns is intermittent stiffness — the key feels normal one day and binds the next. That’s usually the first sign that the wafers inside the ignition barrel have begun to wear.
Another clear indicator is a “soft turn”, where the key rotates too freely without engaging the starter. That means the internal spring pack has lost tension.
Technicians diagnosing a Caddy will check how the cylinder behaves with the wafers removed and whether the housing shows early signs of distortion. If the key has been heavily used (common on fleet Caddys), wear on both sides tends to appear at the same time.
Replacing the barrel takes around 40–60 minutes and can be coded to the driver’s existing key.
VW Polo models often develop classic symptoms: stiffness, uneven rotation, or total refusal to turn. A lot of Polo owners describe the fault as if the key “hits a wall” inside the barrel.
This usually comes from wear along the upper wafer channel. When those wafers lose their edges, the key can no longer align properly, and rotation stops.
Diagnosis involves:
Most Polo barrels can be rebuilt successfully, but if the housing is cracked or warped, a full replacement is the safer option.
There are tools sold online labelled as a VW ignition barrel removal tool, but in real terms they’re not universal. Volkswagen ignition housings differ from model to model, and many require the cylinder to be rotated to a very specific position for release.
If the barrel is jammed or the wafers have collapsed, no “universal” tool will extract it without damage. That’s why professional removal relies on controlled rotation and manual alignment rather than generic tools.
On the VW Golf, ignition barrel faults tend to fall into two categories: worn wafers or internal housing wear. Golf barrels use a compact internal layout, meaning a small amount of wear can cause a big issue.
Drivers often complain that the key begins to stick after longer journeys or on cold mornings. This points to thermal expansion inside the barrel — a sign that the housing is already worn.
Golf barrels can be rebuilt or replaced, and both options allow the new unit to be matched to the original key.
2013 VW models, especially Golf and Polo from that year, are known for tension loss in the upper spring assembly. The key goes in smoothly but refuses to turn, or the rotation feels “empty”, with no engagement.
Many drivers explain it as:
“It feels like something inside isn’t catching at all.”
In these cases the ignition barrel rarely recovers with lubrication — the only reliable solution is replacing or rebuilding the cylinder.
Volkswagen drivers often panic when the key becomes stuck, but the underlying cause varies:
The key may come out after a minute of wiggling, or it may refuse to move at all — and forcing it usually makes things worse.
There is no true “reset” button on a Volkswagen ignition. What drivers sometimes refer to as a reset is simply:
If none of these work, a mechanical fault is preventing the key’s release.
This scenario usually indicates the ignition switch isn’t returning properly. The key becomes stuck and the car refuses to start because the switch isn’t completing the electrical circuit.
Some 2010–2014 Golf and Passat models show this symptom when the switch contacts begin to wear.
A technician will normally:
If the switch has jammed or the wafers have snapped, the only proper fix is removing and rebuilding or replacing the barrel.
On automatic VWs, the selector lever can also be the culprit. If the transmission fails to register “Park”, the key becomes locked in the barrel by design.
This can imitate a mechanical problem, but it’s simply a selector-signal issue.
This is one of the more worrying symptoms, but surprisingly common on older Golf and Passat models. It usually points to a failed ignition switch that no longer releases the lock pin.
If this happens, switching the car off doesn’t always free the key — the internal mechanism has already failed.
The Tiguan’s ignition system is more tightly integrated with its steering lock. When the lock module begins to fail, the key can become trapped even if the barrel itself is fine.
It’s a known issue on early 2010s models.
Replacement on a Tiguan takes longer than on Caddy or Polo, because the steering lock and ignition housing sit deeper inside the column. If the steering lock module is binding, it must be freed before the barrel can be removed.
Once out, the barrel can be rebuilt or replaced, usually coded to the original key.
2012 Passat models frequently suffer from ignition switch binding. Drivers describe the key turning normally but refusing to be removed afterwards.
The switch doesn’t return fully, keeping the release pin engaged. In some cases the switch and the barrel need replacing together.