Hi all,

This morning it was our first below freezing day in the New York City
area. This freeze followed rain and all the locks froze on our cars. Problem
is something must have snapped in the driver's side door lock of my son's
1988 190E. He said when he went to get in the lock it wouldn't work. It turns freely both ways and doesn't work. The lock does go up and down when the key is used on the passenger's side.

Any suggestions........ Is there any part I should get before taking the
panel off the door? Is the panel removal a difficult job. Any help would
be greatly appreciated again!

Bob Koziak
1990 300E 87K
1983 300D 114K
1988 190E 126K

 

Get some graphite for door locks at a auto supply shop or a lock shop, DO NOT USE WD40 or Silicon. If that doesn't work, are you locks central locking? and vacuum operated? You might have run out of vacuum or it is forzen?

 

Don't pull the door panel, and don't spray anything in the lock. If you look at the side of the door you'll see 2 plastic caps, a small one and a larger one if you have alarm. They are near the lock. Pop out the smaller one and there is an allen bolt behind it, I think it's a 5mm, maybe a 4mm. Loosen it, you don't have to take it all the way out. Insert the key into the lock and turn it while pulling slightly and it should come out. If you have alarm you will have to pop out the larger plasitic cover and unplug the connector behind it( the connector should come out with the plug).
On the lock either the shaft coupler has broke or the roll pin holding the coupler together. If the coupler broke you will probably have to order a new assembly, if the rollpin snapped you can probably get one at a hardware store. I hope this helps.

Joe