E270 CDI will not Unlock after a short journey

[WirelessTosh]

Hi, can you help me I have a very annoying problem with my E270 (W211). It has been back to the dealers may times, I am now out of warranty and yet it is still occurring.
On journeys of less than a mile, eg going for the Sunday paper!.
Once the car is locked, you cannot unlock it via the key fob. Only way is to manually unlock it, alarm goes off and insert fob into the ignition. On longer journeys no problem. Last Sunday this occurred 3 time and on the last journey I decided to leave the car unlocked at home. Next morning key fob was un responsive, eg locking unlock not working until I inserted it into the ignition. On starting the car display indicate - battery protection mode activated....


Both my key fobs have the same problem and yes I have replaced the battery. I believe there must be a software bug causing this, and for some reason this is only evident after a short journey.

Any help or advice accepted

 

[Brian WH]

Hi, can you help me I have a very annoying problem with my E270 (W211). It has been back to the dealers may times, I am now out of warranty and yet it is still occurring.
On journeys of less than a mile, eg going for the Sunday paper!.
Once the car is locked, you cannot unlock it via the key fob. Only way is to manually unlock it, alarm goes off and insert fob into the ignition. On longer journeys no problem. Last Sunday this occurred 3 time and on the last journey I decided to leave the car unlocked at home. Next morning key fob was un responsive, eg locking unlock not working until I inserted it into the ignition. On starting the car display indicate - battery protection mode activated....


Both my key fobs have the same problem and yes I have replaced the battery. I believe there must be a software bug causing this, and for some reason this is only evident after a short journey.

Any help or advice accepted

Two points worth mentioning.

As the problem was evident and treated by the dealer before the warranty ended, then it should still be covered under warranty, or at least goodwill.

Have you had the cars battery checked? If not it is worth doing, as the short journey will not charge the battery sufficiently to bring it up far enough so that everything works OK, including the alarm system. On long journeys it is recovering OK, but obviously not holding a full charge when switched off at night. Get a new battery and everything should be fine again.

 

[Flash]

I know that there recall was a service recall on alternator/battery related issues on the W211s and a battery error would appear on the MFD - may be worth trying another garage but I would kick up a fuss with the Dealer you have been using and escalate the matter to be rectified FOC by escalating to DC (hard work though as DC UK Customer Services are awful!).

As Brian pointed out it could possibly be the battery itself.

 

[glojo]

Interesting problem. I can understand what Brian is saying but it is the opposite to what we have experienced.

The issue that Flash is describing is very noticeable. You get a very intimidating message in bold red type informing you there are problems with the SBC braking system and other electronic gizzmo's, but in reality it is a flat battery. It is a known problem and there are a number of service bulletins about it.

However...... When we experienced this issue the car unlocked via the remote, when the key was turned the horrible message was displayed but the battery was too flat to turn the engine over!

What is being described here is just the opposite. The battery has the power to start the engine, but the key fob is NOT working? Like Brian has already stated, this is an ongoing, unresolved issue. Have you owned the car from new and is it a UK car(not an import)?

I read somewhere that the engine needs about a ten minute run to replace the bucket full of volts that were used to start it, clearly a one mile run would not do this!! ONE MILE?? A good walk sir!

Good luck getting this issue resolved,
John

 

[Brian WH]

I read somewhere that the engine needs about a ten minute run to replace the bucket full of volts that were used to start it, clearly a one mile run would not do this!! ONE MILE?? A good walk sir!

Good luck getting this issue resolved,
John

I am sure you meant "amperes" Mate.

 

[television]

I am sure you meant "amperes" Mate.

You can give volts, but not amperes

Malcolm

 

[glojo]

You can give volts, but not amperes

Malcolm

Just ditched the bucket fool of volts and topped up with amperes?? (Is that a fizzy wine?)

Regards,
John

 

[fuzzer]

Hi, can you help me I have a very annoying problem with my E270 (W211). It has been back to the dealers may times, I am now out of warranty and yet it is still occurring.
On journeys of less than a mile, eg going for the Sunday paper!.
Once the car is locked, you cannot unlock it via the key fob. Only way is to manually unlock it, alarm goes off and insert fob into the ignition. On longer journeys no problem. Last Sunday this occurred 3 time and on the last journey I decided to leave the car unlocked at home. Next morning key fob was un responsive, eg locking unlock not working until I inserted it into the ignition. On starting the car display indicate - battery protection mode activated....


Both my key fobs have the same problem and yes I have replaced the battery. I believe there must be a software bug causing this, and for some reason this is only evident after a short journey.

Any help or advice accepted

That sounds like an absolute nightmare and to be honest if the dealer isnt gonna fix it , fudge it and offload it onto another dealer pronto while its still semi working.

Ignore my advice at your pearl

 

[television]

Just some thought on batteries, they can go down in two ways.
1 A cell goes high resistance, the effect is when fully charged its OK if you can charge it (needs high Voltage) leave over night and one cell goes open circuit,this gives the effect of flat battery.

2 One cell or more goes parcial short circuit, so that the residul voltage is around 10-11 Volts or a bit higher. When a battery is in this state it cant be charged as it will pull down the alernator voltage to that of the battery, and no current will flow. Most of our car will show the message "consumers switched off"

Do take in mind that car alternators are not designed for charging flat batteries.

VRLA (glass mat) batteries are a different cup of tea. these are the ones used as an aux: battery for the cars that have two.
Do not try and charge with a automatic charger, you will destroy it. It must be charged with a fixed current trickle charger of around 2 amps. On cars like the R230's that do not get used much this can lead to problems. When I bought my car, it had not been used in the last 8 months, when I got it home the voltage was 11.45v on charge the max volage that I could put in was 11.75v. so I discharged and charged 6 times and now the vlotage is normal again at 12.5 volt and charges from the car at the correct 13.8 volts. it stood up over a week (car locked,less drain) and was still 12.5 volt. Special chargers can be bought for these around £40 they are chargers with a fixed charge, but alter the rate after certain times.
The standard replacent for all of these batteries is the Varta 70AH E39(short code £125)

With the start of winter and all of the battery problems we encounter I will try and do a list of all of our cars, most before 2002 have to be charged or jumped in a special way,ie jumped they must have heated rear window on and heated seats. many have very special instruction. Maybe the Mods will pin it up to the top of the page.

malcolm

 

[glojo]

With the start of winter and all of the battery problems we encounter I will try and do a list of all of our cars, most before 2002 have to be charged or jumped in a special way,ie jumped they must have heated rear window on and heated seats. many have very special instruction. Maybe the Mods will pin it up to the top of the page.

malcolm

Hi Malcolm,
This thread has got my interest, but the author has stated that the car can actually be started on the battery, but it simply will not unlock via the key fob?

When the battery was not strong enough to start our car it still unlocked via the key fob.

A point that might be worth considering is that the E-class has TWO batteries. Is it possible the central locking is operated by the smaller battery and that one MIGHT be faulty?

Regards,
John the curious

 

[television]

Hi Malcolm,
This thread has got my interest, but the author has stated that the car can actually be started on the battery, but it simply will not unlock via the key fob?

When the battery was not strong enough to start our car it still unlocked via the key fob.

A point that might be worth considering is that the E-class has TWO batteries. Is it possible the central locking is operated by the smaller battery and that one MIGHT be faulty?

Regards,
John the curious

Hi John,where two batteries are used the starter battery, a normal lead acid only drives the starter and nothing else, everything else including the SBC, Ignition and vacuam pump operate from the consumer battery. this is the case with my SL and without looking it up I believe it to be the same on this car from a thread that I became involved with last year. I think it is under the rear seat off side.

Problem here with this thread is that although the consumers switch off at 11.75 volt the ignition and vacuam pump will still run. When it gets to 10.5 volt the whole thing shuts down. I will study the thread in the morning and see if I can come up with something better.

RGD's MALCOLM

 

[glojo]

Both my key fobs have the same problem and yes I have replaced the battery. I believe there must be a software bug causing this, and for some reason this is only evident after a short journey.

Any help or advice accepted

Hi Tosh,
I have read through a large number of sevice bulletin and nothing jumps out at me that corresponds with your problem. The nearest thing I found was with the newest C-class?? (If that is the 203) Like others on this forum I feel the use of the vehicle MIGHT be contributing to the problem but then again it might not.

Here are a number of bulletins including the first one which is for the C-class (203), but mentions problems with central locking.

The rest are all much of a muchness, but I would appreciate it if members could refrain from making remarks about 'KNOWN MANUFACTURING FAULT!!'
as I simply will not respond to them.

Bye for now,
John

 

[WirelessTosh]

Hi Thanks for your suggestions, I will follow up the second battery idea, seen it under the Air con cover.
Again this morning had same unlock issue except his time - car had been left over night and this morning just, opened the boot with the key fob, opened okay, closed and car auto locked. Came back 15 mins later, and same unlock problem, got into car via manual key.
Everything else worked okay, no errors.

Also have to say, and do not know if this is related, but recently had a service with a MB specialist, and they cannot reset the service indicator, (comes up with a German message) nor will their computer read all the cars data.
Had same issue last service and went back to MB - after 3 days returned with everything reset.
I believe this service reset issues and computer connection problem may be related to a 'day one' fundamental issues and impacting the unlocking. Strangely when the car was serviced by MB, every time I rang to seen when it was ready I received same reply 'delayed due to problem connection to the computer' Only now out of warranty and taking it to a Specialist am I seen this issues, to me MB experienced them but did not do anything
Issues only to be seen at every service time. I will write to MB to see what they say

 

[WirelessTosh]

Hi
Update on the locking issue. Being working with MB Grimsby (very helpful) They have upgraded some system software inc battery controller, still same locking problem. Late last week they replaced the EIS (Electronic ignition Module, so far this weekend the car has performed 100%. So this may be root cause of all problems..

 

[Branko]

I had a very similar problem with my 2003 E320CDi which I have owned for a year now.

The dealer initially (Dec 05) diagnosed a problem with the dash/instrument panel and that was changed and then they tweaked something in the boot and uploaded new software (which got rid of me being able to set the oil spec!).

That did not work (warranty luckily) and then Mobilo man thought it was a receiver in the internal rear view mirror (there's one there as well as one in the driver's door handle).

Recently (Aug 06) it had that done and then something to the aerial which is in the rear screen (is this the SAM?!). Now it seems fine!!

Great car although your CLS looks beautiful Brian!

 

[mushtaq]

I know this is an old thread, but my E220 CDI has started to have the same problem since it went in for a service, I think it's something they did but they can't tell me what the problem is, they said it might be the rear SAM and then maybe it could also be the EIS, all adds up to lot of money.

What annoys me is that I didn't have any problems until it went in for service, is there a connection?

 

[Diesel Benz]

Hi John,where two batteries are used the starter battery, a normal lead acid only drives the starter and nothing else, everything else including the SBC, Ignition and vacuam pump operate from the consumer battery. this is the case with my SL and without looking it up I believe it to be the same on this car from a thread that I became involved with last year. I think it is under the rear seat off side.

Problem here with this thread is that although the consumers switch off at 11.75 volt the ignition and vacuam pump will still run. When it gets to 10.5 volt the whole thing shuts down. I will study the thread in the morning and see if I can come up with something better.

RGD's MALCOLM

I believe there are different arrangements on different cars that have two batteries. You description above goes well for the W221, except that it does not need power for SBC because it does not have that. On the W221, at very cold weather, both batteries are used for starting the car (I assume the system would not do that if the consumer battery was flat). The consumer battery may run flat but one can still start the engine with the starter battery at the engine bay.

W211 (the car on this thread) has a tiny battery in the engine bay. It would not be sufficient for starting a diesel engine. From WIS, I interpret that the front battery is only for emergency purposes, "it cuts in for limp home mode". Somewhere else WIS claims that a stop indication appears on the cluster in this case, I guess it can still be seen limp home mode.

This would make no difference to the original problem though.

 

[Dieselman]

Update on the locking issue. Being working with MB Grimsby (very helpful) They have upgraded some system software inc battery controller, still same locking problem. Late last week they replaced the EIS (Electronic ignition Module, so far this weekend the car has performed 100%. So this may be root cause of all problems..

That may have been the problem as when the key is in the ignition the remote central locking is disabled.
maybe the EIS wasn't properly switching over to saying NO KEY.

 

[BlackC55]

That may have been the problem as when the key is in the ignition the remote central locking is disabled.
maybe the EIS wasn't properly switching over to saying NO KEY.

That can bee looked at by a Star.

The EIS is the oly control unit than can be read with the igniotion off!

 

[television]

That may have been the problem as when the key is in the ignition the remote central locking is disabled.
maybe the EIS wasn't properly switching over to saying NO KEY.

We will never know as the thread is 1 year old