It would be interesting to know why this is happening. I thought that if you could turn the key to the left, you would be able to push the button in and unlock the trunk, regardless of the position of vacuum lock.

Are you using a master (square) key and not the valet (round) one?

__________________
Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe