:( Please help---- EIS or KEY

[ozzy_c180]

Re: C180 1999

Hi,

I am struggling to establish if my key is faulty or my EIS... My car doors do not open with the key neither does the car start ie when key inserted i dont hear the clicking noise and the steering lock does not come off.

How do I establish what is faulty... Is there a way of checking the key before i pay £200 for a new one. (I do not have a spare). This was the best car i have ever had before this problem started... Please help.



Many Thanks

 

[Diesel Benz]

Re: C180 1999

Hi,

I am struggling to establish if my key is faulty or my EIS... My car doors do not open with the key neither does the car start ie when key inserted i dont hear the clicking noise and the steering lock does not come off.

How do I establish what is faulty... Is there a way of checking the key before i pay £200 for a new one. (I do not have a spare). This was the best car i have ever had before this problem started... Please help.

Many Thanks

You should pay for a new key irrespectively if the current one is OK or can be fixed.

Does this car have an IR key, you could check if it emits IR signal when a button is pressed. Easiest to figure out with a digital camera, even a cell phone camera.

You could try to open the key and check that all solder joints are OK, mainly for the big components like the coil and the switches.

 

[ozzy_c180]

Hi,

I have tried the thing with the camera.. a light does flash when the buttons are pressed, does this mean the key is working

 

[Dieselman]

Not necessarily. The door opening is performed by RF, the comfort closing by IR and the ignition switch works by passive IR.

It's strange that botht eh door opening an dignition switch have packed in together, they are completely seperate items.

I wonder if there is a general CAN or power fault.

 

[Diesel Benz]

Not necessarily. The door opening is performed by RF, the comfort closing by IR and the ignition switch works by passive IR.

It's strange that botht eh door opening an dignition switch have packed in together, they are completely seperate items.

I wonder if there is a general CAN or power fault.

Doors should open with IR too, like if the RF receiver/antenna was broken. But in order to try this, one should aim at the door IR receiver with the key.

Would have been useful to test if windows open/close with the IR key.

But it is odd if both stopped working at the same time, key in EIS and remote door locking while the key still emits IR signals. Unless the key coil has lost contact and that would be used as the antenna for the remote, I don't think I've seen a description of the key antenna implementation.

 

[ozzy_c180]

since i bought the car i had to go very close to the door sensor to open the central locking, then initially the doors would still open with central locking but when the key was inserted in the ignition steering lock would come off but it wouldnt start.... but it would after a couple of attempts.Now it does nothing steering lock does not even release.... Can it be a fuse or main battery... also is there any1 who can fix the key

 

[zerocool]

had a 230 model sl with this problem a while ago,and it was a faulty EIS
but I had 2 keys to try and they both didnt work,so you cheapest option is to get a key first

 

[ozzy_c180]

This is wierd, I decided to put jump leads on the battery and suprisingly the steering lock came off. I have taken the battery to the garage and they have advised me it is very low on power. lets hope charging works.....

 

[stevesey]

Sorted then - being puzzling over this one. Two more less separate systems failing? Car battery - of course. The odd thing is that the times before when it was borderline, the battery still started the car fine. I'd guess the electronics were upset by the low voltage, but the battery could still push enough amps to turn the engine over.

 

[eGuru]

Hi Ozzy, did you manage to sort the problem?
For a couple of weeks now I have had problem unlocking/starting car.
Nothing happens when I use remote to unlock car, leave it for 5 or 10 minutes try again and car unlocks.
Insert key in ignition and nothing, leave it for a few minutes and the car comes to life.
This has started since we have had the cold damp mornings.
Any one else have this problem?

 

[Diesel Benz]

For a couple of weeks now I have had problem unlocking/starting car.
Nothing happens when I use remote to unlock car, leave it for 5 or 10 minutes try again and car unlocks.
Insert key in ignition and nothing, leave it for a few minutes and the car comes to life.
This has started since we have had the cold damp mornings.
Any one else have this problem?

There seem to be multiple different cars here, I assume this is a W220 or W221? I assume you have tried both keys.

I have not had any issues like this but I was reading another forum where a W203 did not start on cold mornings. The doors would not unlock from the remote key and when doors were opened with the mechanical key, EIS would not recognise the key. It was the EIS. The car did start if a hot air blower was used at the interior for a while.

 

[eGuru]

There seem to be multiple different cars here, I assume this is a W220 or W221? I assume you have tried both keys.

I have not had any issues like this but I was reading another forum where a W203 did not start on cold mornings. The doors would not unlock from the remote key and when doors were opened with the mechanical key, EIS would not recognise the key. It was the EIS. The car did start if a hot air blower was used at the interior for a while.

Hi DB, yes it is a W220, 2002. I have tried both keys. That is what I was dreading! I was hoping it would be something simpler.

 

[eGuru]

Update

Diesel Benz, you were right. Replaced faulty EIS and everything working fine now.
Thanks for your help.