1996 E230 red & green lights flashing non starter

[Jimsue20040]

Hi

New to the forum & this is my first post.

Just bought a 1996 E230 auto petrol saloon for a Top Gear style cheap car challenge.

Car was fine but neither of the remote fobs (single button) worked so to lock & unlock I had to put the key in the drivers door. This was fine until in my wisdom I thought I would try & fix the remote locking with new batterys. Put them in, synchd the key & the locking works fine but the car wont start & the green & red lights under the mirror flash alternatly.
I have tried the batterys in the spare key but still wont start.
I have tried the key in the door to lock/unlock but still wont start.

I have seen several posts about what may be wrong but not sure about what might apply to my E230.

Any help very much appreciated as the challenge is in 2 weeks.

Thanks

 

[d w124]

Hi and welcome to the forum.When playing the key you must have locked the car with it at some point activating the imobiliser.Keep trying it as it might make contact at some point

 

[Jimsue20040]

Thanks for the advice, do you mean to try locking & unlocking?
If yes then I have been doing that all afternoon!!

I forgot to add in my first post -
When I put batterys into the key/fob that I had been using to open/start the car the remote locking didnt work, so I put the batterys into the spare fob/key & the remote locking works but I can't remember if it has only failed to start since that point. I have since using the old key to just open & start the car manualy but still no joy.

I think I am right in saying that the transponder for the key is within the circuit board of the fob & that the actual metal key blade has no bearing on the locking/starting?

Thanks

 

[Jimsue20040]

Sorted it!!

Although the spare key locks & unlocks the car fine, it clearly doesnt start the car.
I just tried putting the 1st key back together & then going through the locking & unlocking process manually with that key & the car starts.
Try the key that the remote locking works on & the car wont start.

I used to work in the trade until 2003 & on the makes that I used to deal with (VW,AUDI & Vauxhall) I am sure that the transponder within the key only needed to be near the ignition barrel for the car to indentify it, not actually in the ignition. I tried putting the 1st key by the ignition this afternoon but no joy but cleary on the MB the transponder has to be in the actual ignition.

Thanks for you reply & now thats its working its Santa Pod in 1 weeks for the cheap car challenge.

 

[trapperjohn]

Hey, welcome good buddy.

Report back on the fun at the Pod please.