Door Lock Barrel

[Farmerpug]

I was fixing a friends 2001 corolla 1.3 vvti saloon today, he is complaining of an intermittent problem with the drivers side key barrel sometimes it locks and unlocks other times it doesnt turn correctly.

Although when i used the key it worked, the key barrel feels very loose compared to the boot and passenger side one, taking off the door panel and looking inside all the mechanisms are in good order, and my friend takes good care of the car, the locks and latches regularly get sprayed with wd40 so i think the barrel has just worn out over time, with no remote central locking it seems normal enough

The thing is replacing the barrel, we have ordered a replacement from the dealers that will work with the original key which required providing the vin number, but it cost over £50 and takes 2 weeks to arrive.

Are there independant key cutting places or buisnesses that can make a new key barrel for the car cheaper?

[oldcodger]

Are there independant key cutting places or buisnesses that can make a new key barrel for the car cheaper?

Hi,Cutting a new key , yes, but custom make a new barrel, that surely needs a new casting plus mechanism - who would do that one off ?

Not something I have tried but are not the driver and passenger door lock barrels interchangable ?