HELP-Dead Battery - Blade key doesnt work - Locked out W208 CLK

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Joined
Mar 1, 2013
Messages
48
Location
Dublin, Ireland
Car
W140 300SE, W202
Hello,

After being away with work, the car has sat under snow & subjected to a cold climate for some time.
The battery is dead, (ive checked the keyfob) and the blade key doesnt work on the drivers door or the boot.

Ive read techniques on how to open the boot using the blade key, they arent working - all im doing is rotating the barrel.

Is there any other way, I can get into the car?

ie. can I lay on the ground, and reach up under the bonnet with some power & connect it somewhere, long enough to get power to allow me open the car?

The car is completely locked. I have no access.

Ive already recieved a quote from an autolocksmith - €100 callout, :wallbash:
id rather spend the €100 on a new battery if i could get in myself.

Thanks.
 
They couldnt quote me as it would have to come through a dealership. They also needed the VIN number etc..which i told them id glady share, only they are locked in the car.

So ive boiled the kettle, and im scratchn my head looking at pictures of W208 engine bays, seeing how to get my hand in..
Maybe i could try and override the bonnet release?
 
Last edited:
Enjoy the cuppa. Hopefully someone will be along soon with actual experience as I know this happens often.
 
Have you tried the key blade in the passenger door? It might have a rubber key cover over the lock itself.
 
No, the only "key" entry points are the drivers door and the boot. All thats on the passenger door is an infra-red for the remote.

Ive read loads of these problems..seems to be very common with mercedes as we all use the fob to get in and out. There is no real solution offered anyway
 
Ive read this:

"On your CLK you need to open the bonnet there are 2 options on how you can power it up but you will need a booster pack to do this.
First option is to attach a 12v power supply to body earth and then jack up the car and locate the main starter wire that is located on the bulkhead underneath the car on the left hand side. Connect to this and this will supply enough power to the battery to allow the boot to be opened"

Ok this seems to be my only option. My question is, what am I looking for (phyiscally) ive ggogled what its supposed to look like..when im laying down looking up.

Im used to seeing the engine from top down...but not the opposite..
 
I know you have to remove the under-tray and even then it's a devil to get at. Be extra careful not to short anything out and damage the starter!
 
Not familiar with this model. Is the battery in the boot?
If so power cable must be exposed underneath as it runs to the front. You could maybe poke a sharp object in like a pub dart to get a feed in after earthing other side, just a battery charger as a source should work. Tape over the hole after of course.
Or break grill to get to bonnet release, drill out one of the locks whatever is the cheapest option in part costs!

Good luck.
 
I would suggest you try again with the blade key - I've had a similar problem on other cars and the lock is very stiff after not being used for several years. Many tries locking and unlocking and some wd40 eventually sorted it.
 
Bah, I tried gettin under the car,its parked up againts the wall. so jacking it is proving a nightmare..

Ive called a professional :(

Im not going to willfully damage the car, so its best to part with me cash & get it done. Il post up the solution, the guy is on the way.
 
I would suggest you try again with the blade key - I've had a similar problem on other cars and the lock is very stiff after not being used for several years. Many tries locking and unlocking and some wd40 eventually sorted it.

Ive tried. Ive had to use a pliers as my fingers are numb in the cold.
The barrel is disengaging the clutching mechanism (safety - antitheft) and the whole barrel is spinning around with the key.

The key is of no use..I may aswell be using a screwdriver & ive pumped the locks full of WD40.
 
Ok, I waited all day and no locksmith called.
I finally rang him and got the usual, "ah sorry mate, it will be tomorrow morning"

Being the impatient, typical me...I went to the shed for the toolbox.
Lifted the car up with a jack, and using nothing more than my hand, and a torch to guide me, I reached underneath the car, and released the bonnet.

Here I was able to connect a powerpack to a terminal & the Neg to the engine lifting point.
I let it run long enought to open the boot using my key fob (remote).

From the boot, ive been able to get the battery out & presently its on charge in the shed.

Tomorrow morning, the €100 I saved by not calling a locksmith, is going straight into a new battery & the change (hopefully) into a few pints. :)

Happy Days

Thanks for all the advice.
 
Ive read this:

"On your CLK you need to open the bonnet there are 2 options on how you can power it up but you will need a booster pack to do this.
First option is to attach a 12v power supply to body earth and then jack up the car and locate the main starter wire that is located on the bulkhead underneath the car on the left hand side. Connect to this and this will supply enough power to the battery to allow the boot to be opened"

Ok this seems to be my only option. My question is, what am I looking for (phyiscally) ive ggogled what its supposed to look like..when im laying down looking up.

Im used to seeing the engine from top down...but not the opposite..

I was going to post exactly the same thing as you have just posted, you should see an insulated metal stud coming through the passenger footwell ita about a foot in from the outer sill, where floorpan the rises up, if you connect + of the battery here there will be some sort of cover over it, and the -ve on the chassis, leave connected for a short while then unlock with key fob.
 
Silver Arrow86 said:
Ok, I waited all day and no locksmith called.
I finally rang him and got the usual, "ah sorry mate, it will be tomorrow morning"

Being the impatient, typical me...I went to the shed for the toolbox.
Lifted the car up with a jack, and using nothing more than my hand, and a torch to guide me, I reached underneath the car, and released the bonnet.

Here I was able to connect a powerpack to a terminal & the Neg to the engine lifting point.
I let it run long enought to open the boot using my key fob (remote).

From the boot, ive been able to get the battery out & presently its on charge in the shed.

Tomorrow morning, the €100 I saved by not calling a locksmith, is going straight into a new battery & the change (hopefully) into a few pints. :)

Happy Days

Thanks for all the advice.

Well done but how did you get through the under tray on your w208?
 
Well done but how did you get through the under tray on your w208?

On the right hand side, where the spoiler joins the undside of the car,beside the front foglight, theres enough room to get a hand in (on my car anyway)

I wouldnt at all be surprised on a 11yr old car, all my trays / protective covers are still intact.
They seem to be, the area under the rad is covered up well.

Honest answer is, I dont know. It looks well covered.
 
be careful now the battery has been flat that you don't get an ABS/ESP fault on your dashboard its notorious for that.
 

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