1982 W123 300CD Ignition Key Will No Turn

[Chief Haidia]

Had no problems, for the past year. Today, key goes in, just like normal. Key will not turn. Wheels, are straight, transmission in park. Key just will not turn. I wiggled, the key both ways, while I wiggled steering wheel. Still will not turn.

Key is cut from original, and still looks new. Less then year old. I used dry graphite lubricant, and still not turn. Also used electrical spray cleaner, and still will not turn.

Now what?

[SD Blue]

Quite a few others have run across the problem, as have I. If you have some way to apply a vibration to the housing and/or key that seems to work the best, however small it may be. I believe vibrating the knurled part of a drill chuck against it would work.

On mine, I went back the next day and it turned right away. I guess whatever was sticking inside the ignition switch finally released.

Whatever you do, DON'T TURN IT OFF to position I, once it releases. You will need the switch in position II to remove the tumbler.

[compress ignite]

1. Have NEW Ignition Tumbler (From Mercedes Classic Center in California)
In HAND!
(Tom Hansen will order you a new one with your chassis VIN
number and security info)
2. ANY kind of vibration device will increase your chances of moving the
switch to the necessary position.

Good Luck!

The web is full of videos of the procedures.

[chasinthesun]

If you cant get it to turn their are alternatives to tumbler removal ,the work involved is not easy though.I had to drill the hardened metal spring loaded stop pin from its location .This is what locks your steering wheel when key is off position ,its a pin and is accessable ,though not easy to drill out ,thus giving you access for removal of the tumbler.My pin still locks the wheel ,I ground just enough FOR remove and left enough material to still be functional.

[Chief Haidia]

I just finished using a back hand held vibrator, for about 10 minutes, still does not turn !!
I am thinking of using WD-40, just for a final try.

Any other suggestions ??

[Alec300SD]

Vigorously rocking the steering wheel cw then ccw while simultaneously trying in the key occasionally works (until it doesn't).

If you are on an incline and the emergency brake was not engaged before putting the transmission in park, this can cause binding of the steering lock.
If that is the case, have a buddy or two push the car uphill an few inches as you shift the car into neutral, and then set the emergency brake.
This may unbind the steering wheel lock and allow you to operate the ignition key (fingers crossed).

That being said, I did have to drill away most of the steering column locking button on my 83 W126 300SD while it was on the street...beyond the time the parking sign permitted.

Hopefully, you won't need to resort to the drillout procedure.

[Diesel911]

Originally Posted by Chief Haidia

I just finished using a back hand held vibrator, for about 10 minutes, still does not turn !!
I am thinking of using WD-40, just for a final try.

Any other suggestions ??

(find some threads) Read up on what posiution the key needs to be in before you fool with it so that if it comes loose you can go directly to removing the Tumbler.
Note that it is a good idea to have a storng flashlight because when you rotate the Key and Tumbler you first view a roolpin through that hole on the outside and the rollpin looks like the inside hole but it is not. You need to go past that to the real hole so you can insert a large paper clip wire into the correct hole so you can pull out the tumbler.

There is no guarenteed method of getting the key out or getting it to turn to the position you need to get it to to remove the lock tumbler. You just try the various methods till you give up on them and move on to drilling out the Pin that holds in the Steering Colum Lock.

When My Key got stuck I fooled with it on and off fotr 2 days (no vibration just jiggleing the key all kinds of directions) and the last time it gave way and turned for me.

In my particular case and a few others it turned out that the innards of the Steering Colum Lock were broken inside but more often it appears to be the tumbler itself.

On mine you cannot get the Ignition Switch at the bottom of the steering colum lock off unless it is in the same postion as the one you need to remove the lock tumbler as there is some metal parts inside that prevent you from pulling it off even after the screws are out.

I don't know have far back but on the older models the Ignition Switch is not locked in like that.

I have never noticed in the threads but if the key is still stuck is there room to pull the steering colum lock out if the pin is drilled. Anyone please answer.

[Chief Haidia]

Came across this, will it work- comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVOLcNGzc5k

[Mxfrank]

Cutting the collar is always a very last resort. But you don't want to do that if you don't have to. Let's take a look at what the cylinder looks like:

http://www.coolcatcorp.com/Mercedes/benz005.jpg

Notice that there are wafers in the core that stick out into the cylinder. This is what causes it to lock. When you insert the key, the wafers are drawn into the core, so that they don't strike the cylinder:

http://www.coolcatcorp.com/Mercedes/benz007.jpg

What's happened is that either your key or maybe some of the wafers have become worn, so that the core can't disengage.

If you can't get the cylinder to turn, you will have to take the atomic route and cut away the collar, so you want to do everything you can to get it to release. And the way you do it is to rock the key up and down in the slot as you try to turn. It may take you a minute or an hour, but eventually you will get lucky and the cylinder will move. What you're trying to do is to worry the wafers into release position. If this works, then turn it to the first position and use a release tool to release the cylinder. Whatever you do, don't turn it back to the off position.

[Chief Haidia]

thanks for your comments. I will work on after lunch. I like your photo shots, explains a lot.

[Junkman]

I just went through removal. A large paper clip will release the collar when the key is in the accessory position. You will note that the radio turns on.The hole is slightly above the slot that the paper clip goes into. Simply inserting the paper clip won't completely release the tab that raises up to hold the tumbler in. Push up on the end of the paper clip that is closest to you. This will push down on the other end and hold the locking tab (for want of a better word) down.

I had to remove the trim around the lock on a 126. The FSM shows this trim held in with screws 1 each in the corners (11:00 & 7:00). Mine was held in with spring clips that wouldn't easily come out. The posts broke but the piece needed to be replaced anyway. The gauge pod has to come out to access the trim.

[martureo]

Drill down the pin holding the steering lock/key assembly in the steering shaft. Then you can remove the assembly and figure out what is the cause, either the tumblers or the steering lock.

[ROLLGUY]

Believe it or not, I have found it easier to remove the entire column from the car if drilling the pin is necessary. It is a little tricky, but once the column is out and on the workbench, it is easier to deal with drilling, grinding, or whatever it takes. As far as the electrical plug on the back, sometimes you will get lucky, and it will pull right out. Other times the plastic inside will break, but this will need to happen even if you drill out the pin with the column still in the car. Worst case is the electrical part of the ignition switch will need to be replaced. Pulling the column also reduces the risk of ruining the dash trying to drill the pin. This has been my experience, yours may vary.....Rich

[SD Blue]

I've read that one of the banes for causing the switch to stick is too much junk, ie..weight, on the key chain. In case you haven't tried it, use the key solo and with a little bit of up and down motion.