Wheel Key

david arthur

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Your Mercedes
2003 W211 E200
What a pantomime, a week last Saturday I decided to take my beloved E200K for a spin, it vary rarely gets used these days. Well we all know what state our roads are in these days, and sure enough I hadn't gone far when I hit a hole in the road.

Immediately I knew I had a flat, and with traffic racing by, I proceeded to change the tyre to my unused fourteen year old skinny tyre that had never been on the car. Ok so far so good, where is the wheel key? found it, the plastic covers that fit over the wheel bolts to hide the crap rusty Mercedes wheel bolts, where is the puller ? found it, Great.

The hole had ripped the side wall of the tyre, but not damaged the alloy wheel which was lucky.
Of to the tyre specialist for a new tyre, straight forward I thought, have you got the key for the wheel sir, could I find it no I ****** could not.

In all the panic what I did with it I don't know, been back to look for it three time still no luck oh well
ring Mercedes Nottingham, explain the problem, tell them its a 2003 year, bring it down we have the master keys. Get there no they haven't, that's an earlier car sir we don't have those, go back home and explain to a mate in the business what happened.

Rings me fifteen minutes later, go back to Mercedes Dave they have found the old keys, fantastic, sure enough I arrive back some twenty minutes later, the guy comes out with a case while I am in the waiting room, didn't know what was going on while I was drinking there coffee.

We have found the correct key sir it has to come from Germany £35.04 will you pay for it now, it will be here on Wednesday,
I made the mistake of taking my other car down and when I got home guess what ? that didn't fit either. Another twenty minute drive back to the stealers, the parts man came out with his master keys, which were knackered, none fitted, he went in to see if some of the lads had got any in there tool boxes and came out with a handful, none fitted.

Where do we go from here then I asked, you will have to go to a specialist wheel shop and have them drilled of, I can't do anything ells sorry. Another twenty minutes drive home, I get home to find my next door neighbour with the AA outside his house, split turbo pipe, I casually mentioned the problem with my locking wheel nuts, and did they have a special tool to remove them ? yes they did. To cut a long story short if I paid thirty nine pounds to join the AA he would take them of,
job done took five minutes, end of hassle. So remember folks after this very long ramble, if this happens to you, push the ****** car in the river and get a taxi.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
I've never had an issue getting a key from my dealer (MB Oxford).
 

A.J.

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UnMerc - 2020 VW Polo 2.0t GTi Plus, DSG. Flash Red, Traditional VW GTi Tartan seat trim.
I've never had an issue getting a key from my dealer (MB Oxford).
I did, first one wrong, second one correct. Two trips to Robinsons in Norwich, 120 miles total or the two trips. :rolleyes:
 

ajlsl600

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france
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clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
i had that drama with my a class, after a day of aggro, and trips to three dealers i found a socket splined like the inside of a propshaft sliding joint, think it was refered to as 18mm? ,cost me 25 euro, belted it on and slowly loosened the bolt. following which i dumped the lock bolts on all cars !! benz in cherbourg tried all their master keys ,none fitted,they helpfully suggested cutting the wheel off !!!!!!!
 
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david arthur

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Your Mercedes
2003 W211 E200
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Hi Guys, it was a palaver,

After the first visit to Mercedes Nottingham, when I was told they had none of the old style keys it was suggested I try Mercedes Derby but they had none of the old style keys either.
Then it was suggested Mercedes Loughborough, when I rang them they said they had only a part set. No point travelling all the way to Loughborough if they only had a part set, chances are the one I wanted was the one missing.

After talking to the guys at Mercedes Nottingham, they said alloys don't get nicked these days, mind made up, they will not be replaced.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
Neither my 210 or 129 have locking bolts. Just not worth the hassle when tyre fitters wreck them with rattle guns....
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
Neither my 210 or 129 have locking bolts. Just not worth the hassle when tyre fitters wreck them with rattle guns....
I really should remove the locking bolts on my 215. I keep meaning to.
 

umblecumbuz

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S204 and CLC 204 cdi, MX5, Kia Soul
How many cars do you see today up on blocks because the alloys have been stolen?
It used to be common, but who steals wheels anymore? With electrickery it's easier to take the whole car.

I junked my locking wheel bolts as soon as I bought my two current Mercs, by getting the MB dealer to remove them (in both cases the previous owner couldn't find the key). I already had new bolts, so they did it free.
 

Mic

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Your Mercedes
MB SL500(2003), MB SLK320(2001), Volvo V70 XC AWD(2001)
The keys are expensive but well worth having two, one in the car and one in the garage at home.

As LostKiwi MB Oxford sorted me out when I lost a key some time ago........probably left on a locking nut!!!***???

Another tip is to find what number your key is and record it in the back of your service book or wherever. This makes getting a replacement hassle free.

How do I know?.......car at Star Motor Service needing to remove a wheel(s)........key in my garage (Doh!).
Key number given to Ian who was able to order a replacement on the telephone.........cheaper than me doing a 60 miles round trip to deliver key in my garage.

Mic
 
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david arthur

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Your Mercedes
2003 W211 E200
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As others have said, they are not worth the hassle, it is so easy to lose the key especially when you are greased up to the eyeballs and cars racing by you when you are stuck at the side of the road on yellow lines. And as I said, depending on the age of your car your dealer may not have a set.

Apparently they are not put on by the factory but by the dealers, having bought my car new from B & K Thomas which was the main Mercedes dealer in Nottingham, nowhere on any of my paperwork is the key code printed. My fault I should have done it myself, not that I knew there was a code on the key, having never needed it before. Lesson learnt
 

EmilysDad

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ML350
The very similar locking keys of my Vauxhalls had the code on a card inside the box under the shaped insert.
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
As others have said, they are not worth the hassle, it is so easy to lose the key especially when you are greased up to the eyeballs and cars racing by you when you are stuck at the side of the road on yellow lines. And as I said, depending on the age of your car your dealer may not have a set.

Apparently they are not put on by the factory but by the dealers, having bought my car new from B & K Thomas which was the main Mercedes dealer in Nottingham, nowhere on any of my paperwork is the key code printed. My fault I should have done it myself, not that I knew there was a code on the key, having never needed it before. Lesson learnt

Yes correct, the plant just whacks on the standard bolts and gets the car off the line.

When my (then new) 212 was delivered, it had locking bolts in all the wheels and a lock with 4 x standard bolts, plus the locking key, in the centre console.
 

ajlsl600

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clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
at home now can advise that a18mm /11.16 E22 double depth socket ,belted on with a lump hammer does the job .but as said bolts dumped after last event. mb bolts shite anyway about the ONLY bolts seen on mine with any rust . also after abuse socket not scrap as can disc cut the damaged first 10mm off the socket , just in case one EVER has use of socket for what it was designed foe !!!
 

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
Hi Guys, it was a palaver,

After the first visit to Mercedes Nottingham, when I was told they had none of the old style keys it was suggested I try Mercedes Derby but they had none of the old style keys either.
Then it was suggested Mercedes Loughborough, when I rang them they said they had only a part set. No point travelling all the way to Loughborough if they only had a part set, chances are the one I wanted was the one missing.

After talking to the guys at Mercedes Nottingham, they said alloys don't get nicked these days, mind made up, they will not be replaced.

Interesting that they said wheels dont get nicked any more.
MB Beaconsfield suggested just going with normal bolts. He said they couldnt remember the last time someone had their wheels nicked. He put it down to the vast number of combinations of J size and ET .. and wheel size.

When I bought this car the wheel locking nut key was shagged, and 3 bolt key ends didnt look too clever.

Got a specialist with a funny socket with a sort of serrated inside.
He banged it on ( quite hard) and undid all 4 ... to allow me to replace the set.
Took him about 40 mins. Most of that time was carefully replaceing the new ones by hand.
Cost £60 .. so £15 a wheel.
He said, never use rattle guns on the keys they just cant take it!
 

JBell

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Torquey
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C350 CDi Estate (GAD Edition)
I really should remove the locking bolts on my 215. I keep meaning to.

I took mine off as they are crap anyway, my friend that owns a wheel shop has all the gear to remove any lock bolt with ease
 

Arzaam

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Pakistan
Your Mercedes
W203 2002 c180
bad luck, although my Mercedes doesn't have locking wheel bolts my other German car has them and I keep the locking keys in a leather pouch in a compartment in the back made for it so that I don't loose it, with the pouch I never loose it or drop it accidentally. hope you find a solution to this soon.
 
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david arthur

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Nottingham
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2003 W211 E200
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Interesting that they said wheels dont get nicked any more.
MB Beaconsfield suggested just going with normal bolts. He said they couldnt remember the last time someone had their wheels nicked. He put it down to the vast number of combinations of J size and ET .. and wheel size.

When I bought this car the wheel locking nut key was shagged, and 3 bolt key ends didnt look too clever.

Got a specialist with a funny socket with a sort of serrated inside.
He banged it on ( quite hard) and undid all 4 ... to allow me to replace the set.
Took him about 40 mins. Most of that time was carefully replaceing the new ones by hand.
Cost £60 .. so £15 a wheel.
He said, never use rattle guns on the keys they just cant take it!
So my £39.00 AA joining fee wasn't so bad took all four bolts of in five mins wheel bolts totally unmarked, if I ever found my key they could be used again.
 

LostKiwi

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'93 500SL-32, '01 W210 Estate E240 (RIP), 02 R230 SL500, 04 Smart Roadster Coupe, 11 R350CDi
So my £39.00 AA joining fee wasn't so bad took all four bolts of in five mins wheel bolts totally unmarked, if I ever found my key they could be used again.
Kind of makes you wonder how much point there is to them doesn't it...?
 

Submariner1

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CL500 2009 5.5
Kind of makes you wonder how much point there is to them doesn't it...?
Yep, that was their other point.
Anyone who really wants your set of nice wheels ... has the claw type removers, plus they wont be too fussy about how hard they whack them on ... slamming into the hub too hard with a lump hammer might damage it.

And the anti-car jack feature does turn the alarm on!
 

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