Diesel RVs: Re: [diesel_mercedes] Trunk & Fuel Flap Locked Out

Tom Staggs,

Follow Nate's lead.

Your car is an SD. The vacuum pump for the doors, trunk and gas flap is IN THE TRUNK - it is NOT the vacuum pump on the engine.

The SD has an electric vacuum pump in the spare tire well, right side, rear. It is a triangle looking foam plastic thing (the foam plastic is just the shell it sits in. The doors, trunk and flap work off this pump, NOT the engine pump.

So lines going through the firewall are irrelevant.

GOOD NEWS! The fact that your trunk and flap are staying locked means that your system is holding vacuum.

BAD NEWS, it sounds as if you only have the "valet" key. The valet key will open the front doors and work the ignition. It should not open the glove compartment or the trunk.

If you look at your key, it should be a flat blank, with notches on the top and bottom. The "main" (non-valet) key looks exactly the same, except that it has a straight groove machined into each side of the key.

You can get a main key from any Benz dealer, although they will ask you for proof of registration and the VIN in order to make the key. Not expensive.

Tom, '81 300 SD, 370+++ miles.

In a message dated 1/30/2013 9:24:58 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, tomstaggs2@comcast.net writes:

Hey Nate,
Not panicing quite yet.
But this is my daily driver.
Wife has her car.

I and a friend both tried to turn the key in the lock either way and it will not turn. You see I have always locked my trunk with the vacuum system the only key I have is the ignition key I assume that is the only key needed.
I too took out the back seat bottom and found a tube and wire running to the front of the car on the drivers side near the door.
From what others discussed the vacuum might still be working and that is what is holding the spring loaded locks closed. I was wondering if instead of pulling it out from under the front seat I could go under the hood and disconnect the tube that is running back on the same side thru the firewall and suck on it. Will that work? this will keep the integrety of the vacuum system back thru the cabin to the trunk. BTW When I look at the tubes running thru the firewall they all seem to be clear/yellowing tubes not yellow green and black. Also the tube running under the back seat is black tube not yellow with green stripe.

Well not panicing yet but getting lower on fuel

Tom

-- In diesel_mercedes@yahoogroups.com, "Nate" wrote:
>
>
> Remove rear seat , find the yellow plastic tube with the _green_ stripe and pull it out from underneath the _FRONT_ seat , suck on it and the trunk and fuel flap will unlock .
>
> To open only the trunk , turn the key counter clockwise until it's at an angle and _hold_ it there as you push in the key & button , this unlocks vacuum locked trunks .
>
> Then you can *gently* pull the right black plastic trunk side panel inwards enough to slide your hand in , find the fuel flap lock rod and pull it rear wards to unlock the fuel filler flap .
>
> No need to panic .
>
> -Nate
>