Damn.

Haven't posted for years, posted a month ago extolling how reliable the car has been - even mentioned that I hadn't done the sticky key mod and BAM - locked up 215 miles from home - double damn.

Lock failed over in eastern Washington - temps 90+ car in the middle of a parking lot, not going to repair in the field so had AAA tow her home.

FYI - I think you can unlock the Bruce Jenner (Transmission) without getting the key to turn, but not the wheel - asked AAA to make sure they sent a flat bed WITH DOLLIES so they wouldn't have to drag it on the bed with a winch. Yeah, good luck with that - that is exactly what they did, drug it on the bed after soaking the deck & tires with WD40 - can't even believe they do that, but it worked.

So following the PDF on the sticky key fix, got er done in about 1 hr - with a beer break and one flung wrench that had to go find.

Of note: didn't have to touch the tumblers, just ground the pin down with a dremel and engraving bit, not really as bad as anticipated, took about 10 minutes of grinding. Pulled the whole assembly out, removed the spring and pawl under the hatch and re-installed. Never messed with the tumblers or put the key in the ignition at all through the whole process (except a quick check to make sure it would turn after removing the suspect parts)

All good - no stick, no dash lights, back on the road.

Cost of fix: $50 on over mileage charges for the tow (AAA Premier was good for 200 of the 215 miles) and $100 for a one way car rental from Pasco to Seattle - better than $$$$$ at the dealer.

SC

 

I don't know what more we can to to warn people to FIX IT TODAY while it is EASY.
I heard about the sticky key in the fall of 09 and modded my car.

In the fall of 2010, I drove my new Graphite home from Arizona and was going to do the mod, but kinda waited as it was sending me no warning signs of locking up. Three weeks into ownership, I was at a gas station and....... $90 tow home and about an hour and I was good. Drove the car over 70,000 miles after that without an issue. THE FIX WORKS.

 

Our ignition switch started to get "sticky" in spring/2010, @ 50k miles. Took it to stealer late July. Had to wait till mid Sept. for part. Replaced (finally) under extended warranty; $100 deductible.


I think I read here somewhere that Daimler revised the parts at sometime, because this problem was so common. Maybe that's why the long backorder.
Question: does anyone know this to be true? Our invoice lists "housing-ignition switch" #68001655AA and "cyl lock" #5101710AA. Any suggestions on where to check? Maybe current dealer parts listing? Hope to never have that problem again. I've never felt comfortable at opening dashboard parts.
Many thanks for any comments.

 

All 07-08 cars have the very same parts in them EXCEPT that those later years do not have the wedge and spring in them. So, I'd certainly think any replacement parts would be without the offending items as well.

 

Thank you very much. I think I can put that concern behind me now. Coincidently, when this was replaced was when my IT savvy wife introduced me to this Forum! Way to go Mrs.!

 

Not so, when I fixed this for Rpaczan, he brought along a new in box lock assembly.
It did have the plunger and spring in it.

 

That makes no sense. But then.... considering the pedigree of our cars.........