Hi, my father's 1989 200D w124 has the steering locked, he can't turn the key. Does any one have any "quick" up their sleeves on how this could be fixed? Would prefer to just remove the whole locking mechanism, don't care about security, nobody'd steal it.
TIA
cp
security, nobody'd steal it.
Just realized something, if the steering lock mechanism is removed would this be a problem if the car gets towed? Or this is there an external way of locking the wheels so the car doesn't zig-zag across the road when towed?
TIA
cp
You have, of course, tried jiggling the wheel before turning the key? Sometimes the wheel is pressing hard against one side or the other of the lock. Then key can't be turned.
DAS
Sometimes the wheel is pressing hard against one side or the
Of course, I thought that was what is normally done, turn the wheel a bit and turn key, maybe that was a sign of impending failure.
cp
It is normally done, depending on how the steering wheel is locked. If the front wheels are straight then little/no effort is required.
I always think that one has to start from the beginning, including with the obvious "Have you plugged it in?" type of question.
Presumably your towing question relates to the situation where the vehicle is lifted from the rear. Of course it can be lifted from the front, or taken off the road altogether, or stays on all four wheels and you steer... :-)
Maybe someone else will chime in with another suggestion.
DAS
This is a quite well known phenomenon with these cars.
Ignition key and lock do not match together any more after years of use.
You should go to a lock shop where they can make a copy of the key. Copy is usually slightly different than the original and it might work at least some months.
It's also possible to remove the lock but it takes a working key to do this.
Reg: Harri
Never happened to me (W124 230E) in 120 000 miles and 6.5 years...
And I don't recollect my dad reporting this either in his W124 200D.
DAS
No, this isn't right. Towing guys don't want the wheel locked either. they will take care of holding the wheel where they want it( usually with a belt or rope) ...
When you see a car being towed that isn't tracking straight... This is a car with locked steering, and a tow truck driver that doesn't have the key...
Marty
200D from 1989 is not 6.5 years old car.
I had before W201 1988 and had this broblem with it. I know several others having it.
Reg: Harri
200D from 1989 is not 6.5 years old car.
I had before W201 1988 and had this problem with it. I know several others having it.
Reg: Harri
You said nothing about when the problem might arise.
I had a 230E from 1986 to 1993, putting on about 120 000 miles / 200 000 km.
My Dad had a 200D from about the mid-late eighties (can't remember when bought) to 2001, but not as many miles as I had.
Neither had a lock problem while we had them AFAIR.
DAS
Well. Not all of them have this problem.
My MB was 190E 2,6 1988 and I had it for some 13 years. The problem arise last year and I drove with this car some 500.000 km.
Reg: Harri
I did not find a similar case from The Great Web but there is somethin about this.
Reg: Harri
And an other with 190E and 300D
Reg: Harri
This is with C280
... with W201
We got it......
Problem solved! Jiggled the front wheels around until the key could be turned, yay!!
cp
Problem solved! Jiggled the front wheels around until the key could be turned, yay!! If the lock bit is stuck in the steering column and the steering wheel can't turn it, but the front wheels can turn the steering column.
Thanks anyways! cp
usually slightly different than the original and it
security, nobody'd steal it.
be a problem if the car gets towed? Or this is
the road when towed?
will take care of holding the wheel where they want
with locked steering, and a tow truck driver that
hmmmmm but when towing with the front of the car up on the tow truck, the back wheels are basically locked, so what is the difference?
Thanks, cp
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