The car is a 1989 300ce

I had my car in to a body shop for a minor paint touch-up on the passenger side rear wheelhousing.

When I received the car back I noticed the door lock vacum pump working for maybe 30 seconds when I unlocked the door. I've never heard it before. When I checked things out I found

1. The passenger door knob is slow to respond
2. The key in the passenger lock no longer locks or unlocks the door, or any of the other locks.
3. The passenger door still locks and unlocks from the other door/trunk but is slow to respond.
4. The knob on the passenger door can now be pushed down fairly easily although it still pops back up. The drivers door knob is still hard as a rock.
5. The pump now runs for approx. 30 seconds when I unlock or lock the drivers door or trunk.

I suspect one of the bodyshop guys forced the knob down and broke something in the actuator. Does this seem likely?

Thanks

Jorg

Hi there,

They may have melted the vacuum lines that run to the gas filler door lock. I'm assuming they did body work.

that is the first place I would advise to check. This seems to be close to the area they repaired. Is this correct?

Acky

Yes, that is the area that they worked on. Wouldn't the key still operate the passenger door though?

Jorg

I just checked and you are correct, they torched through the vac line to the filler cap. Fixed.

The key still doesn't operate the passenger door lock but I suppose that is unrelated. I'm not sure if I've ever used that lock in the 5 years that I've owned it so it was probably broke before.

Is there a linkage or something that connects the key/tumbler to the lock and prevents it from operating.

Thanks

Jorg

For the pass side door, remove the pass side floor mat and carpet and find the vac lines which may run in a black plastic protective channel.

Find the rubber Y distributor connector and following the lines, take the pass door lock line out of the circuit and plug the lines, then test the locks from drivers door or trunk. If the leak is in the pass door, everything BUT the pass door will work normally.

Acky

The door lock actuator sends a +12 volt or - ground signal to the vac pump when key turned to lock ---unlock.

not sure if yours is in the door handle lock or actuator though.


Acky

Thanks Acky,

While I had the vac pump disconnected for diagnosis of the vacuum loss I could still lock and unlock the drivers door with the key. Of course with the vac pump disconnected the central locking system didn't work. I'm assuming I should be able to operate the passenger lock with the key, strictly mechanically, even with the central locking disabled and no electrical, but my key just turns in the tumbler with apparently no physical connection to the lock. I'm thinking there must be some kind of link or rod that's broke or missing.

Jorg

If the car's ever been "Towed' (Even before your ownership)...
'Chances are a Tow Operator "Slim Jim-ed" the passenger door to open it.

OLD TRICK in hopes of not being noticed ...If the operator Screws up.

(98.5% of car owners NEVER use the key in the Passenger door)

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'84 300SD sold
124.128