If you’re thinking about buying, or already have the new shape Vauxhall Movano, then this is for you. We’ve written this because every week, we take calls about the newer shape Vauxhall Movano lock problem.
We believe you should know the fault so you can look out for it. At its worst, you’re either locked out, or can’t drive so van, so it’s important you read on!
The root of the Movano lock problem is Inferior Component Design. Although it’s similar to other new high security locks, the design of the key groove is causing a problem.
The groove is there to make the tumblers inside the lock move up and down into place. It’s pretty clever how it works really.
Unfortunately, the designers are asking too much of these tumblers, and the key is also at fault. Once you understand the problem, it’s really obvious to see, so here’s a photo to help.
The way the groove moves left and right along the key is really important. If the groove changes direction gradually, then it slides in and out of the lock easily. The key at the top of the photo is from a Fiat.
The groove is smooth and changes direction slightly along the length of the key. However, the key at the bottom of the photo is used on the new shape Vauxhall Movano.
The change in direction of the groove is too severe, moving sharply from left to right. We believe this is the cause of the Movano lock problem.
Vauxhall Movano Lock Problem Saw tooth Keyblade
When you design a saw, you want the teeth to be sharp and regularly spaced, so each tooth can damage the wood and cut through it. We think this is similar to the Movano key below.
As you can see, the key blade groove moves up and down very sharply and unfortunately it acts like a saw blade. Every time it moves in and out of the lock, the pointed ends of the ‘teeth’ scrape away at the lock internals.
Along with this, as the lock ages, the tumblers inside the lock that moved easily when new, start to get jammed. This means the key struggles to move in and out of the lock freely.
You’re Making the Vauxhall Movano Lock problem worse!
When the key is hard to get into the lock, the natural thing is to force it in, we all do it. Unfortunately, this causes more damage to both the lock and the key.
At its worse, the key struggles just to get into the lock, let alone turn it on to start! At this point, the only answer is a new lock and key.
Waiting days and days for a new lock!
The next real problem is that Vauxhall and Renault have become unhelpful when you need to order lock parts and keys for vehicles. I understand that when you order a key, there should be some security check, in case it’s being ordered to steal a van.
However, I just cannot understand how this applies to locks. No-one ever tried to steal a van with a new ignition lock, it’s just gone silly. The knock-on for you, as an owner, is that when you really need a new lock, there are a few hoops to jump through first.
New shape Vauxhall Movano lock problem – How to get moving again
So to get back up and running you need a plan, and as far as we’re concerned, there are two choices. This is based on using new parts from the dealer. If however you choose to buy a second hand ignition or door lock, good luck.
With a new lock you should get 5 years wear under normal use, but if you’re getting a used part, you have no idea how much that has been used before. So.
Vauxhall Movano lock problem – Solution One
You order a new ignition, to the chassis number of your van. The good thing is that when it arrives from france, it will have the same profile of you current key. This means that the new blade that comes with it will also fit your door lock.
The downside is that to order it, you need to show the dealers three forms of identification. These are normally the V5, driving license and a utility bill. All three need to be in the same name and address.
This can be a problem if you have a fleet of vans and they have the comany address on the V5. if this is the case you may need to add a covering letter. It all depends on the relationship you have with the local Vauxhall dealer, and how helpful they are
The lock normally arrives in 7-10 days, which can be a big problem if you rely on your van. Lastly, you need to remove the faulty ignition from the van and this can prove a problem.
The lock has a security pin that engages in a hole within the lock housing. You can only depress the pin, when the lock is turned, and this makes sense. It stops someone removing the lock by force.
However, the problem comes when you have to replace a faulty lock. If you can’t turn the lock, then you can’t put the key into the correct position so the in can be pressed in. This means, the lock can’t be removed easily. A grinder, or a dremel is needed and it all gets a bit messy.
Vauxhall Movano lock problem – Solution Two
This is quicker and easier for you, but there are a few problems that come with it. In the olden days, the quickest way to sort out a Vauxhall Movano lock problem was to replace all the locks! Just buy a bag of new locks to a random shape key, fit the ignition and off you go.
If you were really professional, you’d get the door locks fitted too. However, you can’t do this anymore. You have to order each lock, individually, to a random key code. This means that instead of picking up a back of matching locks, you need to order each lock to a random code. This still takes 7-10 days! So we have another answer.
The best answer if you need a fast solution, is to use an independent Auto Locksmith. A good Auto Locksmiths will keep a brand new lock in stock, and will hopefully be able to fit it within 24 hours!
The problem with this will be that the door lock will have a different key to the ignition lock. However, this trade off may mean that instead of having your van off the road for 2-3 weeks, you’l be up and running quickly.
Have questions about this problem? Just comment below and we hope this helps.
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