Jammed steering lock
The ignition barrel on this 2000 Mercedesbenz SLK200 had been playing up and the owner needed to jiggle the key to get it free from the lock and when attempting to start the engine. This was a warning sign that should have been heeded, because if we had seen the Mercedes early enough we could easily have fitted a new ignition barrel at a cost of just £36.
Unfortunately, by the time the car came to us, the key was stuck fast in the ignition barrel and the steering lock was jammed. As a result, we would not only have to replace the ignition barrel, but also the steering lock for a further £110 plus the extra labour involved. Then, of course, there was the inconvenience of getting the car recovered to our workshop with the steering locked!
The ignition barrel can only be changed if the key blade is in place and the ignition is in the ‘On’ position. At this point, the locking mechanism in the barrel can be released. But with the lock jammed, we needed to cut off the steering lock to rectify the problem.