My steering wheel and ignition switch have always had an awkward relationship, but lately it's been getting worse. If the steering wheel locks, it sometimes takes a few minutes for me to jiggle loose the ignition and steering wheel before I can start the car.

How do I fix this before it gets worse? At best, it's sometimes inconvenient. At worst, it's going to stay stuck for good. What do you all recommend? I'm all ears.

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

Also, I've noticed that as a turn the wheel from side to side while it's locked, the ignition seems to move very slightly. . .not sure if this is a problem, but either the ignition assembly is causing the steering wheel to stay locked or the steering wheel is causing the ignition assembly to stay stuck.

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

Well the problem is not going to get any better.

I think you need to take advantage of the fact that you can still turn your Key Tumbler to the correct spot so that you can remove your Steering Colum Lock Assembly without having to drill it out.

Once you have the Steering Colum Lock out you can inspect the innards and see if anything is broken.

My steering Colum Lock thread
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/333785-steering-colum-lock-ignition-lock-housing-causes-ignition-switch-failure.html

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Recommendation: you need to change your ignition lock and tumbler (the part where the key goes in) as soon as possible. If you wait until the key will no longer turn, then this turns into a major job as the ignition lock pin will need to be drilled out. Let me know what your email address is and I will send you a good step by step procedure to change the ignition switch and tumbler. I would recommend you replace it with a genuine Mercedes switch and tumbler with a genuine Mercedes key but hang on when you hear the price (about $340). After market is about half but will not last as long.

PM Sent. Is there a cost effective way to maintain the one-key system for the car? Or am I going to be relegated to a separate ignition key?

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

PM Sent. Is there a cost effective way to maintain the one-key system for the car? Or am I going to be relegated to a separate ignition key?

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

Take your title in your name to the MB dealer and order a replacement; be sure the VIN on the title matches your car. The MB dealer can get a correctly keyed replacement tumbler and as I recall it comes with a new master key.

Good Luck.

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daw_two
Germantown, TN

Links:
Sold last car --- 05/2012 1984 300D Light Ivory, Red interior
Cluster Needles Paint
New Old Stock (NOS) parts

Past:
3/2008 1986 300SDL "Coda"
04/2010 1965 190D(c) "Ben"
& many more

I had the same problem for a while. A new key solved it for me. The old one was well worn when compared to the new one. Just something to consider.

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1984 300D w/ 370k mi. daily driver
1994 7.3 idi non-turbo 180k mi.

But I am assuming that will come at the cost of $300+, right?

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

Unfortunately, the key is new. I lost my old one a while ago, and had to order a new one. However, that did not fix the problem.

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

I replaced my tumbler a couple of months ago with a genuine MB part.
I had to show up at the parts department with my registration and valid ID
proving that it was in-fact my car.

The cost was $54 for the tumbler and 1 new key that matched all the locks
of my 84SD. They asked if I wanted a "Master Key" that would open every
thing on my car, or the valet key that opens the doors and starts the car
but won't open the glove box or trunk. I choose the Master key. He laughed and said every one else did too.

I had to pay in advance and wait 1 day before I came back to pick up the
new tumbler and key.

It took a bit of fiddling to get it installed, but it now works perfectly.

Before I ordered the new tumbler and key I tried just ordering a new key
to see if that would fix the problem, it didn't. Buying a new key required
all the same paper work, but the key by itself costs $17.

So now I have 2 brand new keys that work perfectly, and a new tumbler
that solved the problem.

Will

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Will W - 1984 300SD federal

Unless you simply want an new Key and Tumbler My recommendation is that you try to find out what is wrong first.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

You can also order from the Classic Center. They will accept a scanned/emailed copy of the registration or title, and your license (or you can fax it if you still have one of those around).

In the mean time I would pull the cylinder NOW while you have the opportunity. Once it stops turning then only destruction will remove it. Then use a short flat-blade screwdriver to start the car until the new cylinder arrives.

If you're short on funds then try a parts yard. Assuming the key is still in the lock grab it. I believe, but I am not 100% certain, that you can take that cylinder to your local locksmith and they can re-pin the tumbler to match your car's main key.

If you end up being able to do this, please let us know. My passenger door and tailgate cylinders on my 124 are messed up. New ones are $$$ and if it turns out you can grab replacements from the yard and have a locksmith repin for a few tens of dollars you will be a hero.

Actually I have a 123 ignition cylinder and key on my desk, you can have it for free. PM me. Pay it forward.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

I'm reviving this thread, as I still haven't dealt with this.

Here's my next question: Will replacing the lock cylinder cure the steering wheel locking problem? Or do I need to replace the entire ignition switch/steering wheel lock assembly?

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1982 240D - 292,000 miles and counting
Same family for 33 years
Newly rebuilt Monark injectors
Newly replaced clutch
New Bilstein shocks

I've done this job for this problem , oh, about 100 or so times. 99% of the time it's a worn ignition tumbler. If I were you I would put a new lock in with a new key before tearing into anything else. It's the cheapest and easiest thing t.o try first. It takes about 1 minute