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?

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Current Mercedes
1979 maple yellow 240D 4-speed

Gone and fondly remembered:
1980 orient red 240D 4-speed

Gone and NOT fondly remembered:
1982 Chna Blue 300TD

Other car in the stable:
2013 VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI / 6-speed MT

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?

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

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

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Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

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

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Bob
'82 300D Petrol B-G Metallic

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

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91 350SD
14 F150 Eco
19 Fusion Hybrid
11 GT500

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

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93 300D 2.5 Turbo, Black/Palomino 273K
09 E350 Black/Black 41K

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

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1981 240D 143k 4 spd manual -SOLD

2004 VW Jetta TDI 5 speed 300k -still driven daily

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.

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1985 300D cali 190K

http://mercedes.thatchermathias.com/mw300d.jpg

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

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

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

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1999 E300 Turbodiesel
179,000 Miles

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.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

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.

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Pete Williams, President emeritus - MBCA-International Stars (Eastern Mich.) Now Wi. & Az.
1985 300D Manual 4 speed Green Hen's tooth
1979 MGB triple black Az car nice
1969 back 1/2 of MGB (Az home built trailer)
1991 Volvo 245 Wagon Nice AZ Restored Gold Brick
1983 Jeep CJ7 37,600 Miles Summer use only

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.

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'83 300DTurbo http://badges.fuelly.com/images/smallsig-us/318559.png

Broadband: more lies faster.

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.

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Charlie

---------------------------
'66 VW 1300 96K miles
'97 E300D 239K miles
'85 300D 203K miles (sold Sep 2012)

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

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91 350SD
14 F150 Eco
19 Fusion Hybrid
11 GT500