Key doesn't go in the rear door lock

What might be the reason my key only goes half way into the rear cargo door lock? It won't go in far enough to engage so I am unable to unlock/lock the door.

Thanks.
 

BrennWagon

He’s just this guy, you know?
It’s possible that the lock pins are stuck. Try some graphite lock fluid. There could also be something stuck in it, like part of a key. I’ve never had a need to take these cylinders apart but depending on how it’s assembled it’s possible that you could push an obstruction out from the back side. Good luck, take pictures if you do a disassembly
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
(a) some "helpful" person wedged something into it
(b) (unlikely) one of the "leafs" (tumblers) of the lock broke
(c) see (a)

You can open the door from the inside (i hope), and remove the lock cylinder.
Any half-decent locksmith can repair/replace/retumble the lock ... although if it's just something wedged into it, you can do it.

You could *start* (before even opening the door) by manually spinning a small long screw into the key hole and try to extract whatever is in there.

Did it ever work? (i'm assuming "yes"). The "helpful" individual might be a mud-dauber wasp.
--dick
 

Aggie

2010 Roadtrek SS Ideal
A would be vandal damaged my lock so key won’t go in. Mine is 2010, I believe newer models don’t have a back door key lock, lock / unlock with front electric control.
 

220629

Well-known member
If the truck has remote locks and the key cylinders go unused for too long things can seize. That happened on my purchased used 2006. It took some time soaking [added: 2 weeks +] with WD40 applied using the red straw to free things up. Using soaking and waiting I never needed to disassemble anything.

Graphite containing lock lubes.
When corrosion is the problem, my experience is that WD40 or similar is much more effective.

Vandalism/break-in.
You can use a thin rod or stiff wire to probe the cylinder from the outside to see if the depth is blocked. If there isn't any blockage I would recommend trying some soakings with WD40 before taking things apart.

:2cents: vic
 
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Deleted member 50714

Guest
Squirt some of this in the key hole. And, as Vic mentioned, try to determine if a key is broken inside or other blockage.
 

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Thanks for the responses. Lubing didn't work. There's clearly a problem with the lock. I detached the lock from the door (see photo). I don't know how to "push on the other side" to get something out or how to open it up and see the tumbler. I broke the little screw on top there which is why it is apart like it is. Do I need a new lock?
 

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autostaretx

Erratic Member
I'm sorry to say that i can only laugh at the service manual's helpful discussion of the process:

LockCylJoke.png

It probably was the screw from the rear, or a C-clip pushed in from the side (is that a slot i see among the spring?)

--dick
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
It appears that you can't "unclip" the cylinder to take it out without the key inserted. Am I correct?
That's true about the ignition switch, i don't know about the door handles.

You *could* take the key and handle to a locksmith ... they have the fiddly tools and experience.

--dick
story: when we were buying our Sprinter, it hadn't completed "dealer prep" when we bought it off the lot. In the ash tray were *extra door lock cylinders*. When we returned to pick it up a week later, the cylinders were gone, and asking for them didn't find them. Drat.
 

rogerball0

UK Spec 2002 LWB 311 CDI
Just took all my handles and armalplates out last weekend. From memory you undo the coarse threaded T27/30 torx screw in the doors trailing edge push the handle away from you whilst still in the door then pull forward and the whole assembly comes out. The only time i needed to remove the screw on the back of the handle was on the sliding door unit as the door lock is different to the other doors.

I too have a lumpy rear door lock where you need to jiggle the key about in the cylinder to get it to unlock. I have soaked with WD40 and lithium grease but still isn't very smooth - i might have it back out at some point & replace the unit.

If you can, try and slide a tooth pick into the barrel and see how far it goes in then compoare with the key as to whether theres a foreign object in the barrel. I had terrible trouble when i first purchased my T1N when it was two years old in 2004 with each lock being really stiff to unlock. I made a point of dousing each barrel with lube on a weekly basis until they all worked themselves smooth.
 
My problem is disassembling the lock to reveal the cylinder. There is a clip of some kind to dislodge it but on YouTube the gal dislodges it with a screwdriver with the key all the way in the cylinder...which obviously I can't do.
 

Nautamaran

2004 140” HRC 2500 (Crewed)
Most (all?) lock cylinders require the key to be inserted before removal is possible, though some have an external provision for alignment of the pins/leaves such as a groove or hole that a tool can be inserted into as the pins/leaves are picked into position. I’ve used thin shim stock into gap from the back of the cylinder to hold picked pins...

Since your key won’t slide in, you will need to solve that mystery before proceeding. I expect you’ve got a stuck leaf? They can often be jiggled free using a flat blade, such as a nail file or the metal strip from the edge of a windshield wiper blade. I’ve never tried on the MB cylinders...

-dave
 
OK . since you have the lock/handle assm. in hand, now is the time for a locksmith . Since lubricating the cyl didn't break the wafers free.Take to where a pro can clean it , clear the jam .Should be less then $20
 
I took the lock to the locksmith, Serrupro. They told me today that they can't get the cylinder out without breaking the rest of the lock.

Dodge wouldn't put in a cylinder that couldn't be taken out. So what's the deal? :thinking:
 

Cheyenne

UK 2004 T1N 313CDi
I took the lock to the locksmith, Serrupro. They told me today that they can't get the cylinder out without breaking the rest of the lock.

Dodge wouldn't put in a cylinder that couldn't be taken out. So what's the deal? :thinking:
The cylinder would have been removable BUT you appear to have something like a broken key in yours so hence it now cannot be removed.

Best option seems to be to source a replacement new or used handle and retumbler to match your key.

Keith.
 

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