Check Those Keys!!!

[GregE240]

Well, my missus and I got back from Florida yesterday morning. i used a parking company called "Purple Parking" at Heathrow, and their "Meet and Greet" service where they meet you in your car at Departures, and drive the car to their car park for you. When you come back, you call them as soon as you land and they bring the car back to you.

So I phoned them from a payphone as soon as we got off, so we went outside to Departures. And waited. And waited. And waited. I went back in and called them to be given the dreaded news "Your car won't start". They sent out a car for us and we got to the depot. Basically, they could unlock the car, and the battery was fine, but as soon as you put the key in the ignition, you didn't hear the "clunk" of the steering lock, and the key wouldn't turn.

I have no breakdown cover. I know, I know. Well, its a Mercedes. They don't break down. Ever. So I phoned Mobilo-Life. "Ah, sorry sir, but due to the age of your car it is no longer covered by us, but we can send out an engineer at £180 and if he can't fix it, we will recover you home, but that will cost you more. But could we update your contact details so we can send you junk mail?"

So I called the RAC "Yes, you can join and we'll send someone out to you but we can't recover you". Eh? "Yes, as this is an emergency and your first call as you've just joined, we won't recover you today." Well, thats a fat lot of use.

In desperation, I called Andy Gayle. He immediately told me the keyfob was shot (cheap-ish) or the ignition barrel (not quite so cheap). I played around with the key a bit, inserted it in and......THUNK! Turned the key and the engine roared into life. Woo-har! We're going home love, chuck those bags in!

So I have a duff key, but my spare is fine. Which incidentally, was at home. My wife does not have a key for my car as she doesn't drive it much. So I'm off to the dealer, armed with my V5 to order two shiny new ones.

MORAL: check your keys tonight. Make sure both work, because you never know when you might need it. Oh, and if it fails, it won't be on the driveway, it'll be about 120 miles away from home.

All the best,
Greg

 

[R2D2]

Glad it had a happy ending. I changed batteries last service just to make sure!

 

[Flyer]

Greg, rather than replace both keys, couldn't you simply replace the batteries? Mine went in my original key (after 4 years!) and so I'm on my spare. Not replaced the batteries yet, but they are on my list to do

 

[R2D2]

Greg, rather than replace both keys, couldn't you simply replace the batteries? Mine went in my original key (after 4 years!) and so I'm on my spare. Not replaced the batteries yet, but they are on my list to do

Great minds, Eh?

 

[Alfie]

Well, my missus and I got back from Florida yesterday morning. i used a parking company called "Purple Parking" at Heathrow, and their "Meet and Greet" service where they meet you in your car at Departures, and drive the car to their car park for you. When you come back, you call them as soon as you land and they bring the car back to you.

So I phoned them from a payphone as soon as we got off, so we went outside to Departures. And waited. And waited. And waited. I went back in and called them to be given the dreaded news "Your car won't start". They sent out a car for us and we got to the depot. Basically, they could unlock the car, and the battery was fine, but as soon as you put the key in the ignition, you didn't hear the "clunk" of the steering lock, and the key wouldn't turn.

I have no breakdown cover. I know, I know. Well, its a Mercedes. They don't break down. Ever. So I phoned Mobilo-Life. "Ah, sorry sir, but due to the age of your car it is no longer covered by us, but we can send out an engineer at £180 and if he can't fix it, we will recover you home, but that will cost you more. But could we update your contact details so we can send you junk mail?"

So I called the RAC "Yes, you can join and we'll send someone out to you but we can't recover you". Eh? "Yes, as this is an emergency and your first call as you've just joined, we won't recover you today." Well, thats a fat lot of use.

In desperation, I called Andy Gayle. He immediately told me the keyfob was shot (cheap-ish) or the ignition barrel (not quite so cheap). I played around with the key a bit, inserted it in and......THUNK! Turned the key and the engine roared into life. Woo-har! We're going home love, chuck those bags in!

So I have a duff key, but my spare is fine. Which incidentally, was at home. My wife does not have a key for my car as she doesn't drive it much. So I'm off to the dealer, armed with my V5 to order two shiny new ones.

MORAL: check your keys tonight. Make sure both work, because you never know when you might need it. Oh, and if it fails, it won't be on the driveway, it'll be about 120 miles away from home.

All the best,
Greg

Similar thing happeend to me some years ago with my C180. Came out of the office, pressed the unlock button, heard the doors open but the indicators didnt flash. Thought it odd. Got in, inserted key. Nothing. Car as dead as a dodo. Tried locking/unlocking, walked home (1/2 mile, yes I know its very near and why did I drive etc etc) got spare key. Same thing. Ran Mercedes. They sent a bloke within 1/2 hour. Told me it was the alarm immobiliser failing due to a blown bulb in the rear view mirror! He removed the bulb, shorted the contacts, taped it up with insulation tape and off I went in my car!

Turned out I needed a whole new rear view mirror. Work was done later that week under warranty. Phew!

I just wonder if it is that easy to hot wire a C class? I hope not.

 

[Flyer]

Great minds, Eh?

He-he I think we're on the same wavelength today Greg

 

[GregE240]

But the batteries don't control the immobiliser - do they?

There was enough power in the key to open the doors, why not enough to start the car?

 

[Steve_Perry]

But the batteries don't control the immobiliser - do they?

There was enough power in the key to open the doors, why not enough to start the car?

You're correct Greg, the batteries power the IR and radio transmission. The immobilizer transponder chip is not powered, that's why the emergency key is skinny with no batteries, it's just the transponder chip only.

Glad you got it sorted in the end, phew!!

In my case I always carry both keys, well one on me and one in my work briefcase, as if the batteries fail on mine, the locks on my car have siezed, so I have no way of getting into the car with the mechanical key blade I've tried numerous times with copious amounts of lubricating oil to free them but as yet to no avail. No really a big problem as I always use the remote.

S.

 

[GregE240]

Thanks Steve, I thought that was the case.

Bit nervous at one stage though, 100 miles away from home with no key for your car. When I get the new smaller keys the missus is getting one, like it or not.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Last October this happend to me, within a week both sets of keys died, and it wasnt the batteries.

The AA had to tow me (an automatic ) to the stealers where it cost me £60 a key and £120 labour.

 

[Steve_Perry]

Thanks Steve, I thought that was the case.

No problemo

Bit nervous at one stage though, 100 miles away from home with no key for your car.

The only nervous moment that I've had which was similar to yours was having to drive 40 miles or so, after the reserve light came on, to the next petrol station.

When I get the new smaller keys the missus is getting one, like it or not.

She should like the new key, with the snazzy chrome star on the back they make great pose trinkets

S.

 

[Benzowner]

I have the same problem, one of my keys, new batteries installed, does absolutely nothing to the car any more, it doesn't lock, unlock, nothing. My spare, touch wood, is fine and my emergency key works fine. I must buy a new key soon cause the spare is bound to fail sooner or later

 

[Flyer]

Well, I apologise then Greg. I (mis)understood that new batteries would bring the key back to life. What on earth can go wrong with a key?

(Makes a mental note to get new batteries ASAP and test the old key).

So, did you enjoy Florida and were you out of the way of those pesky hurricanes?

 

[GregE240]

Well, I apologise then Greg. I (mis)understood that new batteries would bring the key back to life. What on earth can go wrong with a key?

(Makes a mental note to get new batteries ASAP and test the old key).

So, did you enjoy Florida and were you out of the way of those pesky hurricanes?

No apology needed Flyer

Beats me what could go wrong. Andy Gayle reckons a hard drop onto a concrete floor won't do it any good at all, but it lives mostly in a drawer or a trouser pocket, so I'm stumped.

Florida was great! We finally got our (2 bed) apartment furnished, and got an LCD tv for the second bedroom (already got one in the master). Saw a few friends and drove a Corvette (v fast).

Also saw an SL65 AMG, very mean looking beastie.

As it was a short trip, we flew business class with BA. Very impressed.

 

[fuzzer]

I saw my keys to my C240 disappear down a drain

 

[Steve_Perry]

I saw my keys to my C240 disappear down a drain

Oh that's why you sold the car

S.

 

[Satch]

I saw my keys to my C240 disappear down a drain

Ha! Years ago I dropped my only set of keys into a drain in darkest, wettest, Huddersfield. Misery! RAC bloke came along and produced a high tech solution: big magnet on the end of a length of string.

Got the keys back in 5 minutes.

 

[C240Sport97]

I always thought that the elcode key (no metal inserted into ignition) does NOT need power to start the car because it's a passive immobiliser. You pull out the thin emergency thing to unlock and then start as normal.

 

[jaymanek]

yeh as is said above, the actual starting does not need batter power, just to unlock the doors..

 

[GordonTarling]

Well, my missus and I got back from Florida yesterday morning. i used a parking company called "Purple Parking" at Heathrow, and their "Meet and Greet" service where they meet you in your car at Departures, and drive the car to their car park for you. When you come back, you call them as soon as you land and they bring the car back to you.

I drive past their car park on my way to work every day. Musta been your E class I saw turning out of there last week with smoke coming off the tyres. They got it started then!