R230 Sl350 20014 - remotes (RF) not working

[G7Wagen]

You should read the manual (very carefully) - there is a section somewhere about synchronising keys. I can't remember the conditions under which you are advised to do this, but obviously if it's in the manual it's not necessarily something terminal.

From memory, it involves putting the key in the ignition at position 2 & pressing two buttons simultaneously (I think lock & unlock), but that might be slightly skewed.

For the sake of a frustrating half hour trying to find the bloody section, it's worth a try !!

I'll see if I can find the bit as I've been there before

ps - this might all be for keyless models only - not sure

to reset the keys to factory setting hold lock and unlock down together for 6 seconds until the little red led flashes twice on the key.

R230 03-

 

[hedgehogsdad]

I love this forum!!!

Bought my 2003 SL in the summer from a dealer who was very upfront about the non-working keyless-go. Apparently it had been to MB in the Grimsby area and it needed the dash out to fix it - £2,000.

I've just stumbled on this post and seen that there is a fuse which controls the amplifier - fuse 27. Checked mine, and it had blown. Replaced it and the keyless-go, and the button on the gear knob both work.

Can't tell you how pleased I am!!

Thanks so much

 

[G7Wagen]

I love this forum!!!

Bought my 2003 SL in the summer from a dealer who was very upfront about the non-working keyless-go. Apparently it had been to MB in the Grimsby area and it needed the dash out to fix it - £2,000.

I've just stumbled on this post and seen that there is a fuse which controls the amplifier - fuse 27. Checked mine, and it had blown. Replaced it and the keyless-go, and the button on the gear knob both work.

Can't tell you how pleased I am!!

Thanks so much

Great news well done!!.... Just for future reference.. do you have a pic of the location of this fuse... a lot of people refer to a fuse location by number but I cannot find a schematic of fuse locations in reference to numbers... anyone?

 

[hedgehogsdad]

Great news well done!!.... Just for future reference.. do you have a pic of the location of this fuse... a lot of people refer to a fuse location by number but I cannot find a schematic of fuse locations in reference to numbers... anyone?

I'll try to take one later. It's in the rear storage bin, behind the driver. Last fuse on the right as you look at them.

Good luck

 

[G7Wagen]

Positive Update on my 2003 SL55 AMG Keyless transmitter keys that were not working.
I have owned this wonderful car since July 2021 and have a proud thump in my chest whenever i drive her....
I have had one issue... the dreaded boot leak.
I was unaware of this issue until it happened to me... and the car was left out in a downpour for 2 days.
When I got home I found the boot floor soaking wet as well as the boot divider.. I removed them dried them for 2 days indoors and left a small dehumidifier in the boot to dry out everything else..
All was well for a few weeks when a small issue with the soft close boot stopped working suddenly.
Drive 150 miles home and the boot would not unlock with the button or the transmitter keyfob.
Checked the battery and it was suffering a severe current drain.
So I disconnected it.. and put it on charge for a week or more...
I removed the PSE pump as I suspected it had got a faulty pump impeller.. ordered a new impeller
and refitted the pump.. it was still not working and dragging the current down fast.. so I removed it and ordered a new PSE unit at a cost of £870. New batteries were fitted in both keys.
I reconnected the pump and all the pneumatic functions worked again.. and no power drain. (She never blew a fuse though)
The infrared key still worked to lock and unlock... but the keyless doors/boot and remote transmitter were not doing anything.
I suspected the worst, that perhaps the keyless unit had got water in or gone bad.. no blown fuses though.

Last night I was digging into WIS (Mercedes Workshop Manual) and found a section on R230 up to 2006 MY keyless go, and how to 'program new keys' as well as resetting existing ones!!
Too good to be true?
NO! it has worked! Keyless go key recognised, doors pop unlocked, the remote transmitters are also working!! everything is working again!!
I have attached the section from the manual...
But this is what I did which is slightly different.
1. Unlock car with inferred key
2. sit in car with both keyless keys door shut
3. press start button on gear-nob and hold down for 3 or more seconds
4. key not recognised come up on dash.
5. insert key into ignition
6. press and hold button on gear-nob for 3 seconds.. a few dash warning lights light up
7. remove key from ignition
8. open and close drivers door
9. press central locking button on dash to lock then unlock car
10. press button on top of gear-nob but don't put your foot on brake pedal
11. dash illuminates to first engine starting position.
12. press button again on gear-nob to switch off. (key is still not in ignition so starter is now recognising keyless key)
13. get out and press locking button on key (all doors now lock remotely with transmitter)
14. grab door handle and door keyless-ly unlocks
15. lock with remote transmitter and try boot
16. boot unlocks keyless-ly
17. shout yippee! (optional!)
18. Lock doors with button on outside of door handle
19. tried it several times- was no fluke! its all working again.

Hope this assists someone
I was ready to give in and take the car to my Indy.. to fix.
I assumed the keyless go unit in the boot was bad. (it wasn't)

I can only assume that the long period of having the battery out along with
replacing the PSE unit had made the car forget its keys and it needed resynchronising with the keys and car.

The manual extract also shows you how to program a 'new' key to the system.
I also included here some useful additional WIS on Keyless systems.

Hope this helps someone else too.

John