W124 door locks

[3ps]

Hi,

My drivers side W124 door lock is stuck. I can't budge it a mm. They key works fine in the passenger door and the ignition.

I was wondering if it is possible to swop the lock over from the passenger door as that door would rarely be used?

Also, is it a complicated process?

Thanks.

 

[television]

Ouch, got to think about this as the door liner panel will have to come off, and not easy if the door is closed

 

[jpskiller]

if you can open door from inside, then take panel off and then it's quite easily to change locks, but if its the barrel then you need to use the key to remove that..

 

[wireman]

If your lock barrel (drivers) is jammed due to wear it will be impossible to extract by the normal method and cutting the link between the lock barrel and the latch is the only way Iv'e found to extract them.
Swapping the innards of the locks is on the cards once they are extracted, but if you only have one working lock barrel how will you get in when that one goes tatty?

You will need a new lock barrel assy from MB, in my opinion its not worth the hassle of attempting to mend the old ones.

 

[meanie]

Did it just suddenly give up the ghost?
If not,it's worth trying with the spare,as sometimes the combined wear on the barrel & key is just enough to stop it working.
A top tip for lock maintenance (for future reference)is don't use oil based lube-instead use dry powder graphite.The C.K number is;6283A.Muck & crap will not adhere to this type of lube,& so is much less likely to cause an obstruction to the smooth operation of the lock.

 

[3ps]

to clarify, if I use the passenger door then the central locking will lift the button on the drivers door and it opens as per normal. It's just that the key won't turn in it!

If I ordered a new lock/barrel I guess a) it would have a different key? and b) it is simple enough to fit?

 

[television]

No, you buy the barrel for your car and it will be the correct one for your key, they are easy to fit

 

[3ps]

righto that sounds like the best solution then! thanks!

it's been annoying my wife (her car) and she's been annoying me so I'd better sort it out......

 

[television]

righto that sounds like the best solution then! thanks!

it's been annoying my wife (her car) and she's been annoying me so I'd better sort it out......

When you get it (ordered) I should be able to give you a "how to"

 

[wireman]

Order a new key as well.

 

[3ps]

I won't be getting "it" until I get "it" ordered so I will be doing that ASAP. Thanks!

I will order 1 new lock and 2 new keys I guess.

 

[Barrie P]

Try squirting WD40 into the key hole then gently rotate the key back and forth. That should fix your problem.

 

[television]

I won't be getting "it" until I get "it" ordered so I will be doing that ASAP. Thanks!

I will order 1 new lock and 2 new keys I guess.

The lock will come to match the lock that you have already, thats unless you want another key

 

[White230CE]

1. My ignition key does not fit into either door lock. I'm guessing that the previous owner changed the ignition, as it is unlikely that he would have changed both door locks?

If I want the key to work in the doors and the ignition (reason below!), which should I change? Barrels on both door locks, or the ignition? And what might it cost?

2. I have to lock the car using the remote alarm fob. That was fine until today, when it bleeped but the locks did not pop up. Thereafter, no reaction at all when pressing the alarm fob. I'm now locked out of the car.

I do have a flat battery, and I'm guessing that it is now so flat that it won't even pop the locks. Would that be right Malcolm? If so, it's lucky I left the bonnet ajar, so I can get in and charge up the battery. If not, any ideas?

Thanks

 

[television]

I low voltage battery does not help, and could put the alarm / locking out of sinc, give it a charge and post back please

 

[White230CE]

Thanks Malcolm.

Reporting back: Put a spare battery in and, whew, all working again. No need to attempt syncing alarms this early in my automotive education.

So, back to the main problem: Ignition key fits ignition and, as I've now checked, the boot lock. It does not fit either door. So, contrary to my initial assumption, it looks as if both doors were replaced at some time.

If I want the ignition key to operate the door locks, what should I change, how do I do it, and how much might it cost?

Many thanks.

Ray

 

[television]

Then you buy the new door barrels, but saying this how do we all know what was changed, as the ign and boot lock give more problems than the doors

 

[Number_Cruncher]

>>use dry powder graphite

Not on car locks - use grease.

Huf, the manufacturer of locks on MB cars developed a special grease in conjunction with Fuchs, specifically for the job.

 

[Dec]

If I want the ignition key to operate the door locks, what should I change, how do I do it, and how much might it cost?

Before you replace locks it might be wise to take the view that both door locks may just be seized.
With “all the time use” of the key fobs it is now a rare event that the key is ever used in door locks.

You could first try flooding the lock keyhole with WD40 or some other penetrating oil, next get a ladies hairpin/grip and open it out and insert one end into the lock and work it up and down and in and out, this will help free the levers inside the lock barrel (if seized) and allow you to insert the key.

The hairpin can easily be maneuvered all the way inside the lock barrel because it is about a quarter the size of the key in terms of its width and thickness.

It may take several attempts of flooding the lock over several hours to allow the oil to penetrate properly so don’t expect immediate results.

If this course of action fails, then it may confirm your original theory, that you have the wrong key for the lock but that begs the question- why didn’t the last owner give you the keys for the new door locks.


Dec

 

[Number_Cruncher]

As per Dec's post, it's OK to use WD40 or penetrating oil to free a stuck lock, or to flush hardened grease out of a neglected lock, as long as you then go on to grease the lock.

The reason for grease being the specified lubricant is that it fills the gaps between tumblers, preventing contamination from jamming the mechanism, leaving no space for water to freeze, and owing to the thickness of the grease, it is resistant to wash out during vehicle cleaning.