1997 VW Jetta Jazz - lock fell out

It happened to me on the exact same vehicle. Here is what you have to do.

First go buy a new tumbler along with a new connecting rod that connects the tumbler to rhe locking mechcanism. You should also get the springs you will need to repair it.

Remove the door trim yes all of it. You will then remove the door handle, there is one bolt and then you must push it toward the front of the car and then remove it.

YOu must remove the springs and pins from the old tumbler and place them in the new tumbler. This is necessary because this must have been a problem for VW and they made the new connecting rod and the catch on the tumbler beefier than the original.

Assemble the tumbler connecting rod and springs together to the door handle before placing it back into the car otherwise you will not be able to get it back in.

Slide the connecting rod into the slot of the locking mechanism and make sure you also position the actuating lever for the inside door handle between the outside door handle and the retainer, It holds the lever in place so it works.

I would suggest taking a good look at it so you understand how it's put together before takingit apart.

It whole procedure only takes about an huor and is not hard to do, its just very tedious and you must ensure you put it bac together correctly.

What I found to be an easier and more economical fix, was to replace the entire door handle. The part includes the new tumbler already installed with a new set of keys. Just pop the old handle off and pop the new one in. The part only cost me $16. The VW dealer wanted to charge me $39 for just the tumbler alone and a shop wanted to charge me $124 to put on a new door handle. It's so easy to do yourself that I did it right in the parking lot of the parts store where I purchased the new door handle. Good luck!