Hey everybody, I traded my friend cars for one night. I let him borrow my 2003 VW Golf TDI in exchange for borrowing his 83 300SD. It drove great, i loved it, everything worked wonderfully. I took some of my friends for a ride down to the mercedes dealers and you will never guess what happened. I was convincing my VW loving friends how great mercedes were, and I told him that he should test drive it, so I handed him the key to drive it home. Just then, he put the key in turned it to the glow plug cycle notch. He tried to turn it to the start sequence and it wouldn't go any further than the glow plug notch. I tried it a few times, no dice. We asked a couple mercedes salesmen if they could help... techs went home for the night. No help, so I got made fun of the entire night, eating crow for saying how reliable MB's are and having this happen. Stupid, I know, but ironic nonetheless. What the heck happened? Is this a normal problem????

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lifelong burner of the midnight oil

Dumb question: is the car in park?

yep, of course, I don't think that is stupid, i triple checked that myself. I put it even in neutral and tried to start it, also didn't work. I don't know what is wrong.

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lifelong burner of the midnight oil

Ah sounds like the trusty ignition lock failure. Try moving the steering wheel back and forth while trying to move the key. Tell your friend to order a new ignition lock tumbler matched to the VIN of his car along with an IGN. lock assy. I have had this part fail in all my MB cars.

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1983 Mercedes 300SD
1987 Mercedes 300SDL
2001 VW Passat 2.8 AWD
2007 OM642 Jeep WK 4x4

wow so this is common? how much would this cost about? if you know from the top of your head an estimate that would be great, and i will go to the dealer tomorrow and see if that will work. Thank you!!!

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lifelong burner of the midnight oil

New tumbler will run aroun US$75 based on the last one I purchased. Easy, 10 minute job to replace as long as you can still turn the key.

I'm not entirely convinced that that is your problem though. Did you try turning the key back off and then try again? Will it always go from glo position and back to off without any issues? If it does then I don't believe it is the tumbler but based on mileage it may be time to change it anyway.

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Jim

This is normal. Certain Mercedes do not like certain people. (re: code IH8U) When this happens the car refuses to be started by the person it sees as an antagonist. Tell your laughing friends they are unworthy of driving a Mercedes until they prove their appreciation for and apologize to the vehicle. Maybe, just maybe then the automobile will allow itself to be started and driven.

Mine used to not turn from position 1. I could gently slide the key toward me and try again and it would work. Something about the tumblers and indents on the key not being perfectly aligned. I sprayed with WD-40 and all is smooth now. I don't know if it would work for the car in question since you're at position 2, but maybe worth try.

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Nello Tare

1982 300D (266,001 mi.) looking and running great

Previously owned:
1976 450 SLC
1983 300D
1976 300D
also
1982 Jaguar XJ6 (loved, but gone)

i had a similar experience.very embarrasing!even happened in front of good friends who i happened to be bragging to just a few minutes earlier.take a large set of vice grips and clamp on the key.with this extra leverage carefully twist back and forth.this action should get you going and more importantly allow the tumbler to be r/r.i was amazed that mbz was able to get a matching tumbler for my 24yr old 300sd

Bad bad bad bad. Use a graphite spray. WD-40 actually displaces all oil and grease and replaces it with itself. And it doesn't last long. NEver use WD-40 in locks. It'll eventually freeze up in a way you would not believe.

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'84 300CD Turbo 132k (Anthracite Grey) - WVO - My daily driver - Recently named coo-coo-coupe by my daughter.
'84 300D Turbo 240k (Anthracite Grey) - Garage Queen
'83 300D Turbo 220k (Orient Red) - WVO - Wifes daily driver

I'm not a certified mechanic, but I did stay at a HolidayInn Express last night.

Mine will sometimes do this. If I flip the key over then it works. Must be a slight difference between the two sides of the key. It will only work one way in my drivers door too. Not at all in the passenger side though. Works both ways in the trunk.

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1959 Gravely LI, 1963 Gravely L8, 1973 Gravely C12
1982 380SL
1978 450 SEL 6.9 euro restoration at 63% and climbing
1987 300 D
2005 CDI European Delivery
2006 CDI Handed down to daughter
2007 GL CDI. Wifes

It sounds like a mechanical problem within the tumbler.

There is a mechanism that allows only one 'start' cycle. The key has several Positions: Pos 0 (Off) Pos I (Accessories on) Pos II (Run/Pre-Glow) Pos III (Starter) The key returns by spring from Pos III to Pos II when released.

Diesel starting procedure involves a pause at Pos II for pre-glow, gassers do not need a pause.

From Pos II the key is turned to Pos III to start, but once the key is released, it cannot be turned from Pos II to Pos III again until the key is turned all the way back to Off, resetting the lockout. This prevents embarassing starter grinding on an already-running engine. Been there, done that!

This is common practice with German vehicles, your Golf may be similar My Audi had the same feature.

I don't know the inner workings of the tumbler, but it sounds like the reset didn't happen. Perhaps not turning the key all the way back, perhaps a sticking mechanism, perhaps a broken spring...

Proper lubrication might work, with careful wiggling to reset the lockout, or else replacing the tumbler as has been suggested.

Best Regards,
Jim

well, I got my car back and drove him to the dealer. It turns out it was the assembly, we tried everything, even turning the wheel, flipping over the key, everything you can imagine we probably tried it. He ended up just hotwiring the starter *i'm guessing?* and it started without problems. Yes the glowplug light did come on and all other lights, but the Position 3 could not be reached no matter what happened. Thank you guys very much for all the help you have given, although this was extremely embarassing for a closet mercedes fanatic to try to convince VW guys that mercedes are superior while being picked up in a VW from an inoperable MB

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lifelong burner of the midnight oil

Find a 22 year old VW that someone still cares about (good luck) and then compare them side by side.

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63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

VWs at least old VWs do the same thing

That’s offensive to a lot of us on this forum. If you look at the sigs you’ll notice
Quiet a few of use are VW heads as well.
Benzes and VWs share component manufactures
My transmission is original and so are the CV joints
I know that the PO taught 3 of his kids to drive with this car
No I don’t know the mileage it’s got a VDO speedo that was dead “That I fixed”
I got the car in 94

Ok rant finished