My lovely bride and I decided to run a few errands yesterday, all went well. Until I decided to move my 560 back into the garage. I had all the windows down, sunroof open as it was a nice morning. Put my key in the ignition....I could not get it to turn. Steering wheel locked, key will not turn. I think "I'll get wifey's key and this will be resolved". Not so. Tumbler acts like it is getting a foreign key, will not turn at all.
Thunder is heard, clouds are boiling...dash to local hardware store to get a tarp as wife has loaned our 3 to her Girl Scout troop. Just get car covered when the heavens open and it proceeds to rain for the rest of the afternoon and night.
I'm thinking "This isn't so bad, I'll look up the procedure on my maintenance cd, order some parts...". I then searched for a few threads here on the forum and my stomach began to hurt....
I think having your ignition switch fail in the "0" position is the worst, all the removal steps call for it to be in "1" to remove tumbler and then cover.
I spent all day dismantling my dash to get to the back of the ignition, and to make a long, long story merely a long story, I was able to beat off the end switch and use a screwdriver to get power to close all windows and the sunroof.
I have ordered parts but I have one problem left. My steering lock is still locked, I have pressed the release button called for but haven't been able to disengage the lock. Wiggling, twisting, cursing, beating...and I did it to the lock as well. I could use some suggestions short of destroying the steering lock mechanism.
Thanks in advance,
Jet

I think that their is a bolt and nut thru a ring(terminology???) that surrounds the lock mechanism...I think you need to loosen it and the whole assembly when you depress the pin will slide out....I have seen this device on some of the Mercedes cars(126's) goodluck Jim

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James A. Harris

I've got the bolt out that snugs it in, the release pin seems to be stuck and good. I'm hoping a break will give me a new outlook on this, very frustrating as I tried graphite, vibration, new key, etc. I had one episode 2 days ago when it seemed I had to move the steering wheel a little more than usual to get the lock to release. I never let the steering wheel "rest" against the lock while starting, I always move it off first.
Jet

Do you have the key in the on position(all the way to the right)??? Jim

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James A. Harris

Key will not move out of the "0" position. Tomorrow I start with fresh resolve, a good nights sleep, and knowledge of the "list". How can I fail?
Jet

I had the same problem on my 560 sel, But I lost the key !!!
The only way I managed to get it off was to hacksaw through the tube section with the steering lock pin inside.
I undid the two 13mm bolts behind the clocks to drop down the steering collom, Then I sawed straight through the tube about 1-2 inches away from where it goes into the steering collom (Its not hardened so does'nt take long)
When u have cut through u will see the steering lock pin inside the outer tube.
Then u wobble the steering wheel left/right and flick out the remaining piece of steering lock pin with a small screwdriver.
A 3-4 inch pin will come out, But u have to wobble the steering wheel to release it to pull it out.
Then u can undo the little hex bolt and push the little locking pin underneath to get the remaining casing out!

Thanks, Muttley that's what I was wondering. I should receive the new lock assembly from fastlane in the next couple of days and I can judge how far away from the lock assembly to hacksaw. If anyone has ever had their ignition give them the slightest trouble, I would recommend changing it NOW.
Jet

You will probably need a tumbler and cover (black ring) also.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Steve,
Parts are on order from Fastlane. I saw a post on another thread that mentioned how he thought the steering wheel lock itself may have been the culprit. Yet another said he thought the alloy metal ring just inside the outer surface may have come loose, too bad by the time you get this mess out of your car it is usually destroyed beyond recognition.
Jet

Jet, If your ignition hasn't been giving you warning signs that this would happen, I'd reccommend taking some time and jiggling both keys in the ignition trying to get it to turn.

Most of the old cars I get with stuck ignitions, I can usually get to turn after working at them for 10-30 minutes. It just takes a lot of patience! Wiggle the wheel as well when jiggling the key. Its a much easier than spending a few hours (and less messier) than drilling or sawing it out.

On my 87 300D however it got stuck in the opposite position. I finally got the key to turn and got the car started, but I couldn't turn the key off. Pieces of the steering lock fell out from underneath. I could take the tumbler out, but couldn't get the lock to turn. I had replaced the tumbler a month before hoping to prevent this. I eventually got it out by breaking the exposed internal parts out (behind the tumbler) and then popping the lock.

hope this helps

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

i got 20 minutes in and zip? more patience??

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85 300sd 210k

I've never had this happen, but I read somewhere that a jigsaw will help "wiggle" the key.

Hold a running jigsaw on the key head (no blade!) and twist the key. Apparently the vibration from the jigsaw will cause the key to eventually turn in the tumbler.

For obvious reasons, once you get to Position 1, don't turn the key back to Position 0 again!!

If it were me, I'd lift the front tires 1/2" off thec ground with a jack. That would take the steering lock out of the equation as a potential problem. It will save you from having to wiggle the key AND move the steering wheel to get the key turned. . with the pressure released from the wheels/steering mechanism, perhaps you can turn the key more easily.

Just a thought... hope it helps!

Neal

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'83 300SD 335,000km (207k) mi SOLD
'87 560SL 163,000km (101k mi) SOLD
'86 300SDL 356,000km (220k mi) SOLD
'92 500SEL 250,000km (155k mi) SOLD
'90 300SL 140,000km (87k mi) SOLD
'01 S430 260,000km (161k mi) SOLD
'03 SL500 167,000km (104k mi) SOLD
'07 S550 4MATIC 235,000km (146k mi) SOLD
'07 GL320 CDI 4MATIC 348,000km (215k mi)
'13 GL350 BlueTec 4MATIC 170,000km (105k mi)
'14 SL550 72,000km (43k mi)