Feckin Key Fobs

[KillerHERTZ]

My Alarm has killed my Merc

Currently, I am sitting here awaiting the AA to come out and make my car work.

Got home, went to get in car and the keyfob had died, I swapped batteries and checked the lense in my phone camera and no beam was comming out.

Went round to the passenger door and removed the plastic cover and put the key in. all hell broke loose.

It now looks like a xmas tree flashing.

I cant start the engine, or stop it flashing. so I called the AA.

I cant use the spare cos the lense on that has gone also.

How much are flip key fobs from the stealership?

 

[fuzzer]

Expect the key fob to last about 20,000 miles. They cost about £60 and take ages to arrive. You need to give MB a DNA sample to prove its your car ( almost.) Passport , reg doc , drivers licence, household bills etc.

Best thing you can do it to break the key apart . from experence , its more than likely the button thats not working . Service 24 ( predessessor to mobilo) broke the key apart and left the PCB bare and then taped it up with black insulating tape. This allows access to the surface mounted Button.

Im just speaking from experence of the two keys we had to destroy in the 3 years we had our 95 N C180 CLASSIC. See what the AA guy says. ANything to get you mobile again.

in the end , we ended up having two keys on the fob because it took so long to get a replacement :S

Good luck

 

[pluggers]

A thought here! Before you fob died were both red and green lights flashing on your door handle and rear view mirror?That indicates fob batterys on the way out.
When you changed the fob batterys did you reprogram your fob?

 

[pluggers]

Forgot to mention this but another way to check your fob, is to look into the red part of the transmitter,Then push and hold the button for about 5 seconds or so, and a small light should come on inside it to say the batterys are ok.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Checked the fob with a digital camera (you can see the beam in one) and there was nothing.

It took 2 AA drivers 2 hours with no luck, tomorrow im taking it to my garage as they couldnt turn the immobiliser off, they had the passenger footwell open etc etc

 

[joe]

Just a thought on my (97) w202 I had a small black probe/key and a red one...the one time I had trouble with alarm I had to insert it into a small socket in the glovebox...this seemed to reset everything.
(I think that was the black key)..unsure what the red key did?

When I was selling the car I noticed these were missing (possibly hoovered up) and I had to get a replacement from the stealers £10.

Unsure if this information is of any help.

Joe

 

[simonl]

Originally posted by joe
Just a thought on my (97) w202 I had a small black probe/key and a red one...the one time I had trouble with alarm I had to insert it into a small socket in the glovebox...this seemed to reset everything.
(I think that was the black key)..unsure what the red key did?

When I was selling the car I noticed these were missing (possibly hoovered up) and I had to get a replacement from the stealers £10.

Unsure if this information is of any help.

Joe

i have this too. the black one is for us plebs to stop the xmas tree effect. the red one is to allow reprogramming of some sort. it's documented in the alarm manual. can't remember exactly what it says though.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

This morning the 3rd AA bloke came and towed it (I always thought auto's couldnt be towed?!?)

Took it to my helpful stealership, who told me there is a 1 week waiting list for booking it in.

The bloke said they maybe able to fit it in and have a look whats wrong.

So, I have already booked next week off, and now I dont have a car to use, fecking typical

 

[GrahamC230K]

Originally posted by KillerHERTZ
This morning the 3rd AA bloke came and towed it (I always thought auto's couldnt be towed?!?)

Not quoting a manual or anything, but I'm sure autos should only be towed for less than 10 or so miles max.

However, the AA told me no Mercs should be towed due to the diff even on the manuals, so mine has always been put on a lorry.

Hope you have not got more to worry about.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

It was only towed about 1-2miles and he did, for most of the journey keep it under 30

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Yesterday I called up my MB dealer (Robinsons of Cambridge) to see if anything had been done about my pride and joy.

Bloke answered and told me I need to speak to Brenda or someone. and she was busy with a customer.
He took my name/number and said she would call back asap.

After an hour I called them again, Brenda (or whoever) picked up telling me the service dept closes at 1pm. (it was 1.15pm).

So because some dork forgot I didnt get to speak to them.

Is it normal for MB dealers to take over 1week until you can book your motor in? I know they are busy, but what the hell do I do for the next week (ive booked it off Hol ages ago)

Im going to call them tomorrow and beg

 

[hash]

we had exacltly the same happen to our c200, recovered by the aa, called the dealer first, they said sure bring it in, car arrived monday pm they looked at it over a weel later, 5 mins later they confirmed what we knew keys were knacckered, they took a week, so off the road for over 2 weeks.

if they had said they could not look at it for that long we would have took it elsewhere, but if they had spent 5 mins looking at we could have the new keys a lot sooner.

and we have been using this dealer since 1974!!!

kenny

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Called them up today and the bloke said they will try and fit it in when they can...

I asked if I could come and get some CD's etc which I had left in the car.

Hour or so later I visited the dealer, who informed me that it was being seen to as we speak. I followed him through to the workshop and to my car... It was up on the fork thing!

4 hours later I still havent heard anything, he said if anything was required he would call 1st.



How long would a diagnostic normally take?

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Finally have it back outside my house!

It turned out to be the keys thats all.

So, after plugging into the computer, fixing the idleing revs type thing, labour, 2 new keyfobs and 2 new sets of batteries the total came to...













£247.24!!!

 

[fuzzer]

Originally posted by fuzzer
Expect the key fob to last about 20,000 miles.

Best thing you can do it to break the key apart . from experence , its more than likely the button thats not working . Service 24 ( predessessor to mobilo) broke the key apart and left the PCB bare and then taped it up with black insulating tape. This allows access to the surface mounted Button.

Im just speaking from experence of the two keys we had to destroy in the 3 years we had our 95 N C180 CLASSIC. See what the AA guy says. ANything to get you mobile again.

in the end , we ended up having two keys on the fob because it took so long to get a replacement :S

Good luck

I did happen to say that

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Originally posted by fuzzer
I did happen to say that

Yeah I know! according to the dealer the chips had fried was is no doubt bullshit.

Anyway I have 2 new keyfobs which have a great range now unlike the old ones

 

[fuzzer]

The part of the key that degrades is the black button with the star on it. Its the internal piece that hits a smaller surface mounted Microswitch on the PCB that fails. So by taking the key apart and taping it up you are pressing the button on the microswitch directly.

Basically everything is ok , but , when the button is pressed it doesnt do anything.

Good idea about the two keys I also keep a spare set of batteries in the car too . Just in case

Good to hear your car is back on the road anyway :bannana: