The driver side door lock broke on my 98 jetta door want open

Hi. you will need to replace the door handle lock insert.

Does the lock/unlock work by pressing the button on the inside? If it is just the drivers side door, It may be the motor for the lock on that side.

you have a fuse relay box located drivers side lower dash.

The key lock on the driver's side door is mechanically linked to a switch that turns the alarm on and off. You don't need a remote. Locking the door with the key turns the alarm on. Unlocking turns it off. I think the remote actually works through the same switch by mechanically locking or unlocking the door.

I've had a problem with mine intermittently setting off a false alarm as soon as the alarm is armed, which is about a minute after locking the door. It seems to be a problem with a switch in the trunk lid, because opening and closing the trunk is the only thing which relates to the problem appearing or not.

So my workaround, if the alarm is screwing up and I'm in a hurry, is to get out and walk around to the passenger side, open the door, press the dashboard door lock control to lock the doors, then close the door. That locks the doors without turning on the alarm system. To get back in I just use the remote or the door key.

Maybe someone was a bit to energetic opening the fuel door

weak battery. also could have failing door latch

On my jetta, if you don't lock the doors with the remote then all doors lock except the drivers door. try this
1. closing all doors walk around to the passenger door.
2.open the door, using the button on the passenger door, lock the doors.

I had this happen to me on my jetta and found you could lock all the doors if you did'nt use the drivers door or you locked using the remote. They did this to keep the driver from locking the keys in the car. I hope this worked for you

mechanism in door needs repairing ,microswitches or a connection is playing up

Our '97 Jetta locking is similar. One back door does not go down with the driver's door key double turn. We push it down manually before locking the rest with the key. I believe electrical lock actuator is gone on that door. Down the repair list. I have had door panels off on the car fixing electric window regulator. There is quite an expensive plastic sheet glued on to inside of door for sound proofing. Real hard not to tear. I bought new one from the dealer. Also little plastic clips around the door panel perimeter were brittle and about 50% broke, but not so expensive.

Same problem on 98 Jetta at about 9 yrs of age.  Wiring harness was an expensive job.  Dealer replaced all wires going to doors so that alarm isn't mistakenly triggered by opening doors.  Dealer offered to remove alarm for a few hundred dollars, but couldn't assure us that the key fob would still open the door locks.  Who wants to give up power locks? My hunch is that wire in driver's door breaks with flexing over 9 years.  Could consider replacing short stretches of wire in hinge of drivers door if you're handy with a soldering iron.