My key will not turn any further than position 1 on my 93 Mercedes 300SD. Any suggestions?
Yes, but you probably won’t like them. Search here, there are a bunch of thread including all kinds of tricks to get it loose (i.e., moving the steering wheel back and forth, vibrating the switch housing with a portable sander while turning the ket, etc):
http://www.mercedesshop.com/shopforum/forumdisplay.php?f=15
The bottom line is that you need to be able to turn the key to the second position to remove the switch without the use of power tools. If you do get it to turn, do not turn it back. Either follow the directions to remove the lock tumbler or get the car to a shop/dealer to have it removed. Having the lock drilled out is pretty expensive and time consuming, if you get it turned, don’t push your luck.
BTW, if you post on the other forum and call it an “ignition switch,” about 20 people will probably point out the fact that diesels do not have ignition systems. The same thing will happen if you refer to a “throttle,” “gas pedal,” “gas tank,” etc. on your diesel.
I second the advice of not turning it back if you finally do get it to turn. I had to get one drilled out unfortunately and as Craig said, it was expensive (and inconvenient, and required a tow). And my key didn’t act up until the day it got stuck.
So if not an “ignition switch” what do you call the thing that makes the diesel engine go?
LOL, I call it an ignition switch too, but there are a couple of real diesel geeks on the other forum who will give the “new guy” a hard time over stuff like that. Every-time someone says “throttle” it starts a 3 page debate over the correct name of that “fuel rack control device.” After they get done giving you grief, they’re pretty helpful.