Replacement key from dealership
 

Hi all,

A few months ago (October maybe?) I replaced my ignition lock, and it came with a matched replacement key. I still have the factory original (it's now on my wife's key chain, and is somewhat worn).

Lately I had noticed it was a bit squishy when I turned it, and last night I reached into my pocket and came out with only the key body! There is no metal head on the noew keys from the dealership, just tabs on either side of the body that fit in to a slot on the plastic head. The plastic seam apparently separated, so the body fell out of the head.

Obviously, I am going to take it back to the dealership and demand a replacement, but my question is what should I tell them to ensure as little hassle as possible?

Has anyone else had this experience?

They will give you a new head or charge next to nothing for it is my guess. If you want to be anal about fill the head with JB weld?

This is a topic of much personal dismay to me. The plastic head on the key delivered with the car is molded in one piece. Replacement keys come with a plastic head that has two pieces, the body and a locking plug that fits into the top of the head.

You need a new replacement key head. They used to be available from the dealer for cheap. Now they cost more than the key. But they are still available from MB. The replacement ones don't last as long as the original set you got because they have, by necessity, more wiggle room inside them between the metal and plastic, so they immediately begin to wear out the sides where those metal tangs bear on the plastic when you turn the key.

If they were a buck or two it wouldn't be a big deal. But last time I checked they were on the order of $30. The metal key part is $10 or so. So, I have taken to using a tough epoxy like JB Weld to join the broken head and the key, let it set under some pressure, and then grind the excess JB Weld off with a Dremel. Not like new but it works. Jim

Exact same thing has happened to me. I filled the head with JB weld 3 days ago and so far, so good.

The key head is not integrated on the W123 keys. The W126 key is though :(

I got a replacement key a few months ago. I noticed some rust in some of the dips and valleys of it. Must be an inferior metal compared to the original?

I didnt notice anything with a loose head though, but now that I read this, I probably will :rolleyes:

The plastic head on the replacement key I got from MB broke within days of my getting it and after 3 attempts to JBweld it I tossed the plastic POS and made a wooden keeper out of a piece of red oak and JBwelded the key into a slot I machined into the wood. My daughter loves it, I even burned her initial into it with a stylized MB on the end

I have two new dealer keys and an ilco key from the locksmith made from a slightly used original (missing the plastic top). The ilco key fits better in the ignition and doors and is much firmer than the new keys, but I don't use it much because it's brass rather than steel. One of the new keys did show some rust after a run through the washing machine. They were 15 or so from the dealer, so at least they weren't the production that getting a new modern key would be.

Everything you purchase form a Dealer is guaranteed for 12months and 12,000mi.
Bring it back and get a new one.

Dave

This isn't on a Mercedes Vehicle but wanted to share it with as many people as possible.

One of my vehicles is a 98 Dodge Grand Caravan. For a couple of months the key was not turning in the ignition. A couple of weeks ago, I didn't think I was going to get it started again without having it towed. I searched the web for a possilbe fix and many others had similar problems on the same type vehicle. The temporary fix was to hit/tap the key with a rubber mallet while in the ignition. It worked but too unreliable to continue to operate this way.
Anyway, I called the dealer, they wanted $91.00 for a new ignition tumbler. Another $42.00 to recode it (match it to my existing keys) and $150.00 to install it. The parts guy happened to say the locksmith (larry's in Cinti.) can re code it but he didn't know how much it would cost. I called Larry's and he tells me yes, I can recode it for $20.00. So i'm thinking, cool I already saved myself $22.00. I continue to talk with him and it was brought up that he has them in stock, I ask how much and he says $37.00. I thinking, great I just saved another $50.00+. He then tells me it would be $37.00 for the tumbler and to recode it. So I call a local guy and ask him if he could put it in and what he would charge. He says $50.00. At this point I'm having a great day. I went from $300.00 to ~$90.00. So I went to the locksmith and picked up the tumbler. He is rekeying it for me and I say to him jokingly, All you have to do now is start installing them. He says, we do that. I say how much, he says $60.00 for everything. He had it installed in about 10 minutes. I went from $300.00 to $60.00.
Hopefully this will help someone. I don't think it is vehicle specific to get it fixed like I did.
Mike

Is there any reason why Lock Shop would not have Mercedes Key Blanks that are not solid Metal?
I bought several Key Blanks on Ebay that are Nickle Plated Brass no plastic on them. They have Embossed on them "For Mercedes" on one side and "MB41" on the other.
No makers name on them.

Later when I needed another trunk key for my Volvo I went to the Volvo dealer as none of the local places had them. The Volvo Dealer directed me to a lock shop down the street from them.
I ask them about Mercedes keys and they had them.

Of coures you need a good Key for them to copy from.

Solid Brass Key vs MB metal / plastic key
 

I too have an issue with the MB metal key stub / plastic head. The way I thought to get around the issue was to have the local lock smith make some all metal brass keys for me. They worked great and I didn't use the MB key. I thought case closed... but hold on...... Until I read on this forum that the filings from the brass key (which there are ultimately plenty of filings depositing themselves on the dashboard under the ignition switch) get in the lock mechanism and screw up your ignition lock to a point where it has to be replaced. The MB key is steel not brass and doesn't deposit filings into your ignition switch.

Since I didn't want to go through the pain of removing the ignition lock system to replace same, I chose to get a new plastic head. Now I have changed the way I grasp the key. Rather than turning it by the plastic end I grab it at the end of the head with the metal key stub wings. The plastic has lasted for quite a while this way.

Oh yeah another problem is that the ignition key is not the same as the door key and the only way to get a copy of the key is to get the dealer the VIN number, (and now you have to take your car to the dealer to do that) and the ignition lock so they can match up its part number for the appropriate key. When I only gave the dealer my VIN it resulted in a new door key and not a new ignition key. Evidently my car had a "new" ignition lock at some point in its life. So, I treat the one ignition key very carefully because I don't want to get a whole "new" ignition lock / key set.

You could always replace that plastic head with a nice wooden one like detailed here. That wood one's lasted me a year so far, and that's even with the too-thin side webs.

To the OP, who apparently resides in San Antonio - if you ever make it over to Houston, visit King Lock & Safe out on I-10 on the west side of town. I bought my replacement keys there for $5 each and they cut them for me...been using one of them for 2 years and they seem to be OK, they are dead ringers for the originals.

King has been since bought by safemasters. They use brass Ilco blanks.