[sennaboy3]

Hello,

I have been reading this site since February 2010 when I lucked into an '81 300SD as a patchwork vehicle. I have since fallen in love with the car & wouldn't think of driving anything else (funny how fate smiles on you sometimes)

Last night I went to start the vehicle but the key would not insert. This is the 1st time I have had any issues; never had a jammed key; no problems starting the vehicle; removing the key, etc.

Upon inspection with a flashlight, it looks like something is in the ignition, that something being part of the internal ignition, not a foreign object. I tried to poke around with a paperclip with no luck. The silver ring surrounding the insertion area is loose & can be moved. I thought maybe this had been misalligned so I tried to line it up to original position; no luck either.

My question is, can I buy a new IGNITION LOCK & TUMBLER W/ KEYS and this will solve my problem?

Is this something I can do myself? Also, without being able to get the key in, how do I remove the ignition lock & tumbler?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Kajtek1]

You might find some advise on W126 forum and also W123 as well as other models from this era have the same ignition locks.
Replacing the tumbler is technically easy job, but Mercedes has ingenious wheel blockade that with lock tampering goes into permanent mode and cost small fortune to replace.
I would consider the job "extreme DIU skills required".