I tried to lock the trunk with the mechanical key the other day and it wouldn't lock. You can open a centrally locked trunk it seems but you can't lock it for Valet purposes. Is this an option I was supposed to ask for? cause the manual (page 105) makes it seem like I may not have this option. My key will not turn clockwsie, only counter-clockwise. WHICH sucks cause I don't want the valet kids to get into my trunk.
Any thoughts?

 

The Valet key feature has been removed from US W211's.

The rumor has it that it's a (supposed) safety feature so that if someone gets locked in the trunk, they can open it from the inside. IMHO, this is pure BS. How may people who are going to lock you in the trunk even knows about the Valet feature? They still have it in Europe so you have to think that MBUSA's lawyers killed it.

BMW still has the feature. Oh BTW, BMW still has the equivalent of the EZ-Exit feature that was removed from W211's because Daimler-Chrysler couldn't get it to work.

 

This most definitely implies that, given the part number, you should be able to replace the current lock mechanism with the European equivalent. At what cost, I don't know.

Although this HAS been discussed before, follow this related link, I do not recall if anyone actually replaced the trunk lock mechanism on their w211.

If you decide to pursue that route, I'd be interested in the details.

GL.

 

The official M-B line, from previous threads on this subject, is that the mechanical trunk lock was incompatible with the federally-mandated inside trunk release (the green button), so the mechanical trunk lock had to go. This conveniently overlooks the fact that other manufacturers have retained the "valet lock" feature while adding an inside-trunk release, not to mention that my '03 has both. I have to think that MBUSA's cost accountants killed the "valet lock" feature.

 

Valet lock was removed from all 211 in MY04. During MY06it was returned. As of MY06, all USA 211s now have this feature. Apparently they figured out how to get this done-who knows?