I really hope you only need the one key for all your locks. If the ignition was changed, you are in a bit of a pickle.

The ignition tumblers are NLA. My 74 450sl was acting up at the ignition, having been gummed up with brass and graphite over the years. The tumbler has been superseded five times and ends up NLA, not made, ever again. Classic Center can not get it, Germany does not have them. It took six months to learn this, as the dealer, classic center and MBUSA all got on the trail. As long as the car is younger than 1984, you can order a tumbler from Germany or classic center. Before then, you are out of luck.

I was able to get one last turn of the key to start the car and drove straight to a reputable locksmith. He removed the tumbler, cut a reference key, cleaned and rebuilt the tumbler then put it back and made sure the new keys worked all doors and locks. All for $40. The classic center tumbler (special order, twice) was $80, but since it was never going to come, I was able to get the charges reversed on my CC.

The only way to get the ignition lock out if you do not have a working key, is for it to be drilled out. That destroys your lock. Then you need a new tumbler. Catch 22. SO, for my own mental health, I have a spare tumbler on my parts shelf. It is a pull from a early w123 and was rebuilt to fit my keys. If you can find an ignition lock from any benz between 1968 and 1983, you will be able to have that installed.

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clay

2002 s430 - Victor, a Stately & well tailored chap
1974 450sl - Frosch - Two tone green
1986 SDL - Polei

retired models-
1976 300D - Blei Vanst - it looks silvery
1972 220D - Gump - She was green, simple and ran
1995 E300D - Gave her life to save me against a Dame in a SUV
POS 1987 SDL - Beware Nigerian Scammers

Wow that's got me worried..I think I may start looking on ebay to see if someone sellong one they removed from a car..thanks for all your info...my key should be at dealer on thursday...fingers crossed

Ok got key from dealer, the key works everything except ignition, which apparently someone has changed at some point or another.. My next question is this..would it be easier to swap out entire column for another one that is complete with key or would it be easier to putz around with the one I have to try to break the lock out? What is involved with removing steering column? I read that to do the steering coupler the gear box needs to be lowered a little bit, does that hold true when replacing column as well?

just take the tumbler out and see if a locksmith can re key, if not just get a keyed tumbler with a Key. Then you would have a trunk and ignition key , not so bad

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Ron
2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace

I would love to just take out the tumbler..but from what I can understand I have to drill it out if I don't have the key to turn to position 2

Don't give up on it yet. Do the wiggle, wiggle, shake, shake deal a few more times. Rock the steering wheel back and forth and up and down. Jack up the driver's side wheel and do the shimmy, shimmy, wiggle bop. You might get lucky. New keys can be finicky in old tumblers.

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“Whatever story you're telling, it will be more interesting if, at the end you add, "and then everything burst into flames.”
― Brian P. Cleary, You Oughta Know By Now

I wish I could do the shimmy shimmy coco puff..lol..but the key I got from dealer only opens doors and trunk..at some point someone changed out the ignition cylinder before I owned car...

If I've read this correctly, the ignition was replaced, and then the only key to the ignition was lost. I think locksmiths and drilling are the only remaining options.

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Past mb: '73 450sl, '81 280slc stick, '71 250, '72 250c, '70 250c, '79 280sl, '73 450sl, parted: '75 240d stick, '69 280s, '73 450slc, '72 450sl,

Thank you all for your help..ok so I went to my ostorage locker to look for a scanner for my friends car..and low and behold I found my spare key in a box that was labeled as tools..have no idea why it was in there and I would have never every checked that box if my friends check engine light hadn't come on..but I want to thank you all for all your help..I really appreciate it..I'm glad this nightmare had a good ending..I will make 10 copies of this darn key..lol

My two cents: Go to a good locksmith and get a quote to match it to your new key instead. It may be cheaper (and less of a hassle) than getting more copies of the bad key, or at least worth the hassle savings since you'll have 1 key and it'd be VIN coded as the right one.

__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k

Well the thing is the key isnt bad.I just lost the set off my key chain..the spare works fine..I don't think k they will be able to make my door key work for this lock..my door key is the key that is kind of squared off and the way they cut it almost looks like they use a dremel..the ignition key currently installed is just a regular benz key MB18 is the key blank number..I post some pics later if I get a chance to show you what I mean

All Mercedes cars to my knowledge use the same keys for the door and the ignition (perhaps that is different for early cars, but all the 111s, 108s, etc I've ever seen always use one key). If your tumbler is suspect (say a locksmith in the past hacked a Ford or GM 80s style in place due to hard-to-find or expensive MB tumblers) you may want to find a proper 107 tumbler and have it matched to your door keys. A 107 will have the same ignition and door lock keys. Some vehicles did have a valet key that only would open the driver's door and start the engine - no trunk or glovebox access. I am unsure if the 107 had that.

__________________
Current:
2021 Charger Scat Pack Widebody "Sinabee"
2018 Durango R/T

Previous:
1972 280SE 4.5
2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited "Hefe", 1992 Jeep Cherokee Laredo "Jeepy", 2006 Charger R/T "Hemi"
1999 Chrysler 300M - RIP @ 221k

Make a map / measurement of the key cuts for the door and ignition keys. You might be able to shuffle pins to get the door key to work in the ignition.

I've done this on a few cars so I had one key that would work 3 cars. Sometimes there are not enough of the correct height pins so some must be left out. In theory this reduces security by making the lock easier to pick but I don't think anyone is going to pick a lock these days resorting to breakage / tow away.

As for the valet key, look at the side cuts. From what I've seen, the valet key is missing a side cut preventing the insertion of the key into trunk / glove box even though the top cuts are the same as a owner key.

Forgot to add this. If you pull the ignition cylinder, there might be a key code # stamped on the cylinder.

If the ignition cylinder is in good shape and you've got copies of its key, I'd recommend just leaving it alone. Old Mercedes, including my '68 Fintail, came from the factory with three keys (ignition, doors, glove-box). At least you've only got two!