Finally spent a little time on the 300E today. Since buying the car, the driver's door would lock, but not unlock. Today I switched the passenger's side lock with the driver's side. That went fine, and now I can lock/unlock from the driver's side.

My question. When I had the bad lock out, I tried the key and it behaved exactly as it did when in the door - it would lock but not unlock. This would seem to rule out a problem with the door. Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix this without springing for $250 for a new lock from MB?

Thanks.

Chuck

maybe there are corroded contacts, or it has just worn out.

But I'm not a tech. Have you checked the price through the partsshop/fastlane stores on this site?

Alon

ctaylor;
I have the exact _opposite_ problem you have... and I was just thinking the same thing this afternoon that you did, swap the passanger's lock for the drivers... i have trouble locking my driver's side door lock with all 3 of my keys - no problem unlocking though. My solution to both your problem and mine is this... leave the bad lock in the passenger side. I dunno about you but when I walk around my car to the passenger side I go 'round the back, which is a perfect opritunity to either lock/unlock the doors from the trunk lock.

Just a thought :)

Cheers for now
EADG
91 300E, with an "almost" broken lock

I hear you, but the bad lock is also missing the cover with the slot in it for the key, which looks terrible. You can buy a used lock complete for $50 or so. I was hoping that there was some clever trick that would avoid having to buy the expensive cylinder mechanism from MB.

The door locks have a hole in the bottom side that allows water to drip out (when water gets into the lock). If you exchange the locks from left to right and right to left, you end up with locks that have the hole on the top...water can get in, but cannot get out. This swapping solution, therefore, will only help for a couple of months (before both locks will suffer a problem).

You can take the lock apart and clean the inner parts (make sure that you do not mess the alignment up). After putting the clean parts back in the cleaned lock, you probably will see one or two parts that just stick out the cylinder; file these parts till they do not stick out any more and all will function well again.

Replacement locks cost about $50,- new in the netherlands. We can order new locks by chassis# for about $50,-!!! The new lock will fit the original car key.

greetingz,

W124 Door Lock Problem
 

For less than $100 you can put a remote keyless entry in. I haven't used the door locks ever since I put it in.