Hey,

I have two keys to my 1987 Mercedes 300E, one can only be used for locking / unlocking the doors and the other one can be used for the ignition and the doors. This morning I put the wrong key in the ignition and turned it and now my key is stuck in the on position, the car is not on but it is on the position where the battery is on. I disconnected the battery because the key wont turn backwards for me to get it out, does someone know what i can do to get this key out?

any help is greatly appreciated...thanks- mark

Mark,
You dont want to know what you will likely have to do to get the key out...
Yep, not fun. Do a search on the forum for "ignition cylinder" or something similar. You will get lots of info on how the pull the cylinder and get the key out. Sometimes you get lucky and can do it with a simple wire tool. SOmetimes you have to cut the old lcok cylinder out, not cool. If I remember correctly, if the cylinder will go to the first position, you can use the wire tool to place into the two small holes in the key cylinder and the cylinder will come out. Do a search on this forum for the instructions, if that is the case, it will be an easy fix for you.

__________________
Christopher Henkel
1990 190E 2.6 - Arctic white SOLD
1986 190E-16v - Blauswartze
1993 300CE - SOLD
2003 W208 CLK 320 Cabriolet - Magma Red

Yep, I think you got lucky. If the key is jambed in position 1, that is where the key needs to be to remove the cylinder. Usually the problem is the key will go in but the cylinder will not go to position 1 or 2. If you are stuck in Position 1 than all you need to do is make the wire tool to release the spring clip inside to allow the cylinder to come out. You've got to have the key in pos 1. Then slide the coat hanger tool in (FAR!) to unlock the black cover ring. It can take a while to get it to release, you should be able to get the feel of it once you get the tool made and try it a few times. Coat hanger must be shaved at ends to point (point facing away from centerline, 70 deg angle). Good luck. OH, I would NOT reuse the cylinder even if you get the key out. GO order a new cylinder from your MB dealer, porbably about $120 total, but you get a new key with it and it will work in all your key openings. They can cut the new cylinder and key by using the car's VIN.

__________________
Christopher Henkel
1990 190E 2.6 - Arctic white SOLD
1986 190E-16v - Blauswartze
1993 300CE - SOLD
2003 W208 CLK 320 Cabriolet - Magma Red

I haven't pulled mine yet...but i got the the key and cylinder for 84 dollars from my dealer...

i have the part...just need to find the time to do the job....

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


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glad to hear the cylinder is less than I thought, i need to get one in my 16v, the key is just starting to catch and stick once in a while and I DO NOT want it to lock up on me. $84 is much better insurance than having it go bad and have to force it out. Not fun

__________________
Christopher Henkel
1990 190E 2.6 - Arctic white SOLD
1986 190E-16v - Blauswartze
1993 300CE - SOLD
2003 W208 CLK 320 Cabriolet - Magma Red

Make sure you ask the dealer for the MBCA discount.... My ignition had a 100 list price...and they discounted it 20%

I was also pleasantly surprised that it came with a key.

__________________
1989 300ce 129k
( facelifted front,updated tail lights, lowered suspension,bilstein sports, lorinser front spoiler, MOMO steering wheel, remus exhaust,stainless steel brake lines). (Gone)

1997 s320 154k (what a ride). Sold with 179k miles. Replaced with Hyundai Equus

1994 e320 Cabriolet 108k



1972 280se 4.5 153k Owned for 12 yrs, sorry I sold it


[/SIGPIC]

Mark: I just removed the lock: Made two tools from a white coat hanger. It's exactly 2mm diameter and filed a taper on the end. The taper is just an angle like, maybe 60 degrees, so that it can push something out-of-the-way. On the other end I bent a loop in the direction of the taper so that I would know which way the taper faced. With my key turned to the accessory position "1" I stuck both wires in the two holes until they bottomed out. I could feel them pushing things out of the way. They went in like an inch and one half. The entire lock came out with the plastic face plate attached. The lock cylinder is surrounded by a strong metal case. The black ring you see from the outside is part of that case. The case is necked down and can be removed only after you pull the lock cylinder out. It appears that, if you can insert the wires, you will release the cylinder. To pull it out, takes maybe 2 lbs of pull. easy to do, if the key still has a head.
I can send you some pics, if you give me your e-mail address. Don't use force yet!

My black cap / collar comes up and around the tumbler exposing only the chrome key entry of the tumbler, while the larger portion of the tumbler cannot fit through the black cap.

Maybe you mean that the collar separates from the tumbler off once both have been removed.

Thanks so much of the offer of the photos! email sent private, Mark

Do you see the small black clip on the lock? This is what must be depressed. There is just
one. So I didn't need two wires. The one is at about 11 o'clock. The black (hardened?)
cover slips in & out when the key is at the "1" position, but you must remove
the escutcheon cover first. It just pops out. It's plastic and has two hooks on the right
side and one on the left. It's covered on the left by the steering column cover.
The hardened collar slid in without any resistance with the key slot at the
"1" position. I inserted the lock cylinder first, then the collar then the
escutcheon plate. I must not have had the key in the lock because the collar will not fit
over the key. It went together very fast. In the "1" position the opening for
the wire tool is about at 2 o'clock. I'd try to achieve that position and try to insert
the wire tool. It has to go in about 1 and 1/4 inch. At about one inch you should feel a
resistance. That's the tab you have to depress to remove the lock cylinder. When the tab
is depressed, the cylinder should come out. Can you reach into the key opening with a snap
ring pliers? (That type of tool opens the jaws when you squeeze the handle). Leave the
wire tool in place when you pull.

Attached Thumbnails

   

My bad dreams are just like this.

COLLAR is the subject. My parts are similar but I think you can slide your tumbler through the opening of your collar.

My hardened collar holds my tumbler in. I know the clip(s) are pressed in, but the collar holds the tumbler in.

I know the collar holds in the tumbler, so when I'm told that the clip(s) will release the collar, then something is wrong. How can they each hold each other in?

Anyone?

Ken: Normally, when you are in "1" position the key is inserted. Now you insert the wire tool and that releases the lock because your wire tool depresses the latch. Now the lock comes out when you pull on the key. It comes out together with the collar. For the purpose of this exercise the escutchion plate has been removed. If the escutchion plate has not been removed it will come out too because it sits around the small diameter of the collar. Yes, I know, you don't have a key handle. What you have now in your hand is the lock and the collar. The collar is still around the lock. But because you can manipulate the lock, like turn it, you can remove the collar by pulling it off. You have to pull the key first, because the collar opening is smaller than the handle of the key. Now you have the naked lock in your hand. It looks to me, that it may not be a repairable part, but I did not take it apart. To assemble the stuff: Remember, the lock is still in the "1" position: You insert the lock cylinder into the location in the dash: There is a 1/4 inch keyway that indexes the lock cylinder. The key is not in the lock at this time. Then you insert the collar. Then you install the escutchion plate. Everything is in place now, the lock is still in the "1" position. Now you can insert the key and it works. That's how I remember it. I hope, I remember right.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=158328&page=2

Interesting?

Ideas about my hunch, is the ignition switch holding the tumbler in because I can't get the key 100% to position #1? But the tool goes in fine because the forward part of the tumbler with the holes spins freely.

?? Who is my hero? Ken / Mark

Ken, Just replaced mine this evening. I know the cylinder was at position 1 during removal last week because the wire tool went in fine and both tumbler and collar came right out. I don't know if position 1 was indicated on the collar while doing this because when it went back together the collar indicators are not aligned. It is however, in there the only way it would fit. I would check your position 1 by having the key in the run position, then CCW back one detent to where the radio stays on but ignition is off. This will be position 1 irregardless of what the marks on the collar say. I am of course assuming that you can actually turn the whole tumbler to the proper position and not just the front slot where the key fits. My front piece had broken off from the rest of the tumbler. As stated before, the tumbler and collar release together when proper shape/orientation (slash point) and diameter tool is inserted while the assembly is at position 1. I found putting it back took more time than removal.

__________________
Hanno
'79 6.9 Sold (after 27 years)
'83 280SL, 5 spd.
'94 E320 Sdn. 5 spd conversion
'02 E320 Sdn.(on loan to mom!)
'87 300E (5 spd. conversion) Sold
'05 E500 Wagon

Thanks much - I do have the plastic decoration panel off and the knee pad so that I have a good grip on the hardened collar. After much research, I have come to know one thing and have hunched another:

Realization: There are detends on each side beyond the one clip (near the base of the collar) that actually release the hardened cap. Important: The 300e is different than all others. Since finding this out (I would love a photo of it) and before finding this out, I have worked aggressively with the identical tool called for - with no help.

Hunch: Much of the tumbler is still between #1 & #2 position, so though I can get my tool in, because the forward portion of the tumbler is broken from the rest, I'm wondering if my cylinder and cap will not release because the switch housing for the tumbler is somehow keeping everything in place until I get the balance of the tumbler to completely to pos #1.

This is all specific to the w124 (my 300e).

I did eventually find a post where someone had the same struggles as I did, and it was the detends beyond the clip that were stuck.. I've worked too hard at this to think that is what I have - anyone with 1st hand experience able to prove my hunch right?

Thank again & again.

Ken (mark's dad)

Thanks Hanno - Ahh, so the front portion of your tumbler was separated also.

The big question for me then, are you certain that the rest of the tumbler needs to be in the #1 position? I can't get mine there, but the tool goes in fine.

Also, not sure if you have the exact same setup as my w124 300e, but I just heard back from someone that there are 2 holes that the tool has to go through after the first clip to release the detends for the removal of the collar.

Thanks Hanno for this - Ken / Mark