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Assembling and Coding the Front Side Door Lock Cylinder

WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2004 Cadillac CTS. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.

The front side door lock cylinder only uses seven of the ten cut positions, 4 through 10. The tumbler positions are staggered from side to side with four on one side and three on the other. The left and right door lock cylinders are identical except for the lever (2) and rod retainer (1). The right lever is color-coded, yellow and stamped with the letter R and the left lever is color-coded olive drab and stamped with the letter L. The right rod retainer is color coded yellow and the left rod retainer is color-coded green. The lock pawl determines which side of the vehicle the lock cylinder will be installed.

  1. Hold the cylinder (9) so that the side with 4 tumbler spring wells faces upward.
    Fig 1: Exploded View Of Door Lock Cylinder & Components
    GM550196Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
    IMPORTANT: The front side door lock cylinder tumblers (10) are not self retaining and must be held in place if the key is not fully inserted into the lock cylinder, or until the cylinder (9) is assembled into the case assembly (11).
  2. Insert tumbler springs (5) into the 4 spring wells.
    3. Fig 2: Identifying Key Cutting Depths
    GM337412Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  3. Install the tumbler for key cut position 4 in the slot nearest to the front of the lock cylinder (2).
  4. Install the three remaining tumblers, key cut positions 6, 8 and 10, on this side of the lock cylinder.
  5. Inspect for correct loading of the tumblers (10) by inserting the key into cylinder (9). All of the tumblers should be flush with the outside diameter of the lock cylinder.
  6. Turn the cylinder (9) so that the side with three tumbler spring wells faces up.
    7. Fig 3: Exploded View Of Door Lock Cylinder & Components
    GM550196Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  7. Insert the tumbler springs (5) into the three spring wells.
    8. Fig 4: Identifying Key Cutting Depths
    GM337412Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  8. Install the tumbler for key cut position 5 into the slot nearest the front of the lock cylinder (1).
  9. Install the two remaining tumblers for key cut positions 7 and 9 on this side of the lock cylinder.
    10. Fig 5: Exploded View Of Door Lock Cylinder & Components
    GM550196Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  10. Inspect for correct loading of the tumblers (10) by inserting the key into cylinder (9). All of the tumblers should be flush with the outside diameter of the lock cylinder.
  11. Lightly lubricate the tumbler (10) surfaces using the provided lubrication.
  12. Hold the case assembly (11) with the pre-staked detent spring retainer facing downward.
    13. CAUTION: Wear safety glasses in order to avoid eye damage.
  13. Insert one detent spring (3) and one detent ball (4) into the hole located to the rear and inside of the case assembly (11).
  14. Insert the key into the lock cylinder.
  15. Ensure the detent spring (3) and ball (4) are held in place until the cylinder is fully installed. Install the cylinder into the case assembly (11). The detent ball (4) will line up with the V-shaped groove on the rear of the cylinder.
  16. Carefully remove the key, keeping the lock cylinder (9) inserted into the case assembly (11).
  17. Insert one shutter spring (8) into each hole located on the front of the cylinder (9).
  18. Install the shutter assembly (7) into the recessed area in the front of the cylinder (9). Ensure the ends of the pin on the shutter assembly (7) are positioned in the pin cavities located on the front face of the cylinder (9).
  19. Install the lock cylinder cap (6) by aligning the two notches in the cap with the drain hole located on the bottom of the case assembly (11) and the corresponding feature on the top of the case assembly (11).

    Press the cap into place with light hand pressure.

  20. Install the appropriate lever (2).
  21. Install the retaining ring (12).
  22. Snap the appropriate rod retainer (1) into the hole in the lever (2).


The front side door lock cylinder uses seven of the ten key cut positions, 4-10. The tumbler positions are staggered from side to side with four on one side and three on the other. The right and left side door lock are identical except for the lever (2) and rod retainer (1). The right lever is color-coded, yellow and stamped with the letter R and the left lever is color coded olive drab and stamped with the letter L. The right rod retainer is color coded yellow and the left rod retainer is color coded green. This determine on which side of the vehicle the lock cylinder will be installed.

  1. Hold the uncoded cylinder assembly (1) so the side with four tumbler spring wells is facing upward.
    Fig 1: Exploded View Of Door Lock Cylinder & Components
    GM550196Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
    IMPORTANT: The front side door lock cylinder tumblers (10) are not self retaining and must be held in place if the key is not fully inserted into the lock cylinder, or the tumbler retainer (3) is properly staked into the cylinder.
  2. Insert one tumbler spring (5) into the four tumbler spring wells.
    3. Fig 2: Identifying Key Cutting Depths
    GM337412Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  3. The first tumbler to be loaded will be key cut position, number 4. Determine the cut depth at this position and install the corresponding tumbler (1) into the tumbler slot nearest the front of the lock cylinder Assembly the end where the key is inserted.
  4. Install the three remaining tumblers on this side of the lock cylinder, key cut positions 6, 8 and 10.
    5. Fig 3: Exploded View Of Door Lock Cylinder & Components
    GM550196Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  5. Inspect for correct loading of the tumblers (10) by inserting the key into cylinder (9). The tumblers (10) should be flush with the outside diameter of the cylinder (9).
  6. Turn the cylinder (9) so that the side with the three tumbler spring wells is facing upward and then remove the key. The tumbler (10) are not self-retaining and must be held in place.
  7. Insert the tumbler springs (5) into the three tumbler spring wells.
    8. Fig 4: Identifying Key Cutting Depths
    GM337412Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  8. The first tumbler to be loaded will be key cut position number 5. Determine the cut depth and install the tumbler (1) into the tumbler slot nearest to the front of the cylinder.
    9. Fig 5: Exploded View Of Door Lock Cylinder & Components
    GM550196Courtesy of GENERAL MOTORS CORP.
  9. Install the two remaining tumblers (10), into the tumbler slots located at key cut positions 5, 7 and 9.
  10. Inspect for correct loading of the tumblers (10) by inserting the key into cylinder (9). The sidebar (10) should be flush with the outside diameter of the cylinder (9).
  11. Lightly lubricate the tumbler (10) surfaces using the provided lubrication.
  12. Hold the case assembly (11) with the pre-staked detent spring retainer facing downward.
  13. First insert one detent spring (3) then one detent ball (4) into the detent spring hole located to the rear and inside of the cylinder case assembly (11). The detent spring (3) and the detent ball (4) are not self-retaining and must be held in place until the coded cylinder is installed into the case assembly.
  14. With the matching key fully inserted into the coded cylinder install the coded cylinder into the case assembly (11). Insure the detent spring (3) and detent ball (4) are held in place until the coded cylinder is fully installed. The detent (4) should line with the v-shaped groove on the rear of the cylinder which will prevent the detent spring and detent fall from falling out of the case assembly.
  15. Remove the matching key being careful to keep the coded cylinder (9) fully inserted into the case assembly (11).
  16. Insert one shutter spring (8) each into the two shutter spring holes located on the front face of the cylinder (9).
  17. Install the shutter assembly (7) into the recessed area in the front face of the cylinder (9). Ensure that the ends of the pin on the shutter assembly (7) are positioned in the pin cavities located on the front face of the cylinder (9).
  18. Install the lock cylinder cap (6) by aligning the two notches in the cap with the drain hole located on the bottom of the case assembly (11) and the corresponding feature located on the top of the case assembly. Snap the cap (6) into place with light hand pressure. Insure the cap is securely retained on the case assembly and that the shutter springs (8) push the shutter assembly (7) up against the inside surface of the cap.
  19. Install the appropriate lever (12) in the groove at the end of the cylinder (9) to secure the lever (2) to the cylinder.
  20. Install the retaining ring (12) in the groove at the end of the cylinder (9) to secure the lever (2) to the cylinder.
  21. Snap the appropriate rod retainer (1) right or left into the hole in the lever (2).
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