dsentel

I am a new 1998 SL500 owner, researched quite a bit the problem with 'key sticking in ignition' but all I find is the problem with 'key not turning ignition'

I could assume it is the same issue and same solutions, but not sure since I have not found a single hit on being just stuck.

The interesting thing is that it always pops right out after a few minutes. It also works quite well for a while after I spray wd40 in the tumbler.

Was wondering if I should spray a higher viscosity grease in the tumbler?

MikeFairbanks

This might not help, but have you considered your foot on the brake? The car will refuse to release the key if your foot is on the brake. It took me a while to learn this one. Hope that's the answer, silly as it may seem, because it happens to a lot of us when we first own an SL.

I don't know if other MBs have the same issue, but the SLs have it for sure. You have to put the car in park and release your foot from the brake.

cliffyk

Try using Blaster PB-50 Multi-Purpose Lubricant.

It is also a dielectric and a much better lubricant than WD-40; which is not an especially good lubricant and was not designed to be one anyway--it was engineered to displace water/moisture, that's the "WD" part...

dsentel

FYI it seems Mike is correct, taking my foot off the brake releases the key. Perhaps it was a combination of the WD 40 and this process but so far it is working well!

Thanks for the recommendations!!

cliffyk

You have to take your foot off the brake (it's in the Owner's Manual)--yet another odd way the Germans do things. I have had several cars that were the opposite, you had to press on the brake to turn to the steering lock position...

Here's a link to the 1998 OM (4.5 MB PDF)...