Locking the side-door in a VW Transporter panel van?

September 8, 2009 11:33 AM

Is the sliding side-door lockable on the Volkswagen Transporter?

I've just rented a VW Transporter (Short wheel base panel van). Is it possible to have the side-door locked while driving the vehicle? There's no keyhole on the outside, no visible lock on the inside, and no lock button in the cab - as far as I can tell anyway.

posted by knapah to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

Yes, it is possible. The van is probably central locking, but it is certainly possible to lock the doors.

Just lock all the doors while driving.
posted by Brockles at 11:40 AM on September 8

Should I do this with the button on the key fob? There doesn't appear to be a button on the dashboard.
posted by knapah at 11:47 AM on September 8

No, that will turn on the immobiliser if it has one. There should be a manual lock on the driver's door or somewhere on the dash which will activate the central locking if it has it. If not, there will definitely be a manual lock on the other doors (you just haven't found it yet).

It is impossible that there is no means with which to lock the doors. They'd never sell any vans if that were the case as all the delivery places would lose all their goods at every traffic light!
posted by Brockles at 12:16 PM on September 8

Isn't there a knob you can push down on the door? The repair manual shows a lock nob on the door panel next to the interior handle.
posted by Jon-o at 12:24 PM on September 8

That's what I thought. I'll go out and have another look I guess.
posted by knapah at 12:25 PM on September 8

On the sliding door, that is.
posted by Jon-o at 12:26 PM on September 8

The doors might also auto-lock once the van is in motion.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:12 PM on September 8

I found it. As Jon-o says, there is a lock on the door panel. This would be perfectly clear in the model as it comes out of the factory, sadly the rental company have fitted their own wood panel interior to the back of the van and consequently hid the handle and lock thing from a casual examination.

Problem solved. Cheers.

Oh, and the doors don't auto-lock, but that's no problem now.
posted by knapah at 1:18 PM on September 8

the rental company have fitted their own wood panel interior to the back of the van

That's called "pimped."
posted by Jon-o at 1:26 PM on September 8

That's called "pimped."

Yeah, Pimp My Ride Northern Ireland. I'm not entirely clear on the purpose... but oh well.
posted by knapah at 1:28 PM on September 8 [1 favorite]