W124 - does it have built in immobiliser?

[fuseman]

I have a W124 1994 cabrio. Although there have been alarms on the vehicle in the past - none is currently functioning - I have had a remote C/L system fitted.

The guy I bought it off said that he thought there was an immobilser fitted as standard which was operated by a chip in the key. To me the key doesn't look as if it has a chip in it though. Does anyone know if he is right or not (it may be an issue when renewing insurance etc)?

Martin

 

[Ian B Walker]

I think you will find that there is an after market alarm / immobiliser fitted. Usually a Scorpion (brand name). The likelihood of it working is remote and the fore said company no longer trades. Best advice is to get a more modern alarm fitted.

 

[bolide]

If the car has RCL infrared locking with the detectors in the handles most of those cars had an immobiliser and some had an alarm too

There's a separate ATA Anti-Theft Alarm system on some cars which had a red LED in a switch blank on the dash. There aren't many cars around with it

Other than that none of the W124s had a factory-standard alarm or immobiliser

UK Dealers used to fit alarms and/or immobilisers and did so as standard round 1994/5. A typical Scorpion system had a red whooper under the bonnet, bonnet switch half way back on one side and movement detectors on the A pillars. I've seen lots of these

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[Dragon]

What the likely the immobiliser will fail and unable to start the car?

 

[Dec]

These are my keys, different car but same year, the round key is for turning off the alarm which may have been used to turn off your alarm if the last owner had one.

The flip out key on mine operated the immobiliser and C/L., the Scorpion fob also operates the C/L. and the alarm but not the immobiliser. If this is any help.

Dec

 

[Dragon]

These are my keys, different car but same year, the round key is for turning off the alarm which may have been used to turn off your alarm if the last owner had one.

The flip out key on mine operated the immobiliser and C/L., the Scorpion fob also operates the C/L. and the alarm but not the immobiliser. If this is any help.

Dec

The top thicker flip out key is the original for my 97 W202. The lower key together with the twist key is an aftermarket Scorpion alarm I fitted to my 92 W201. Don't understand how you got 2 set of keys. Probably the original alarm failed been replaced by the second alarm.

 

[franey]

I think you will find that there is an after market alarm / immobiliser fitted. Usually a Scorpion (brand name). The likelihood of it working is remote and the fore said company no longer trades. Best advice is to get a more modern alarm fitted.

I bought a new remote for the 300ce I had. It had a scorpion alarm fitted.
I had to get it directly from scorpion though.
I just checked Ian, seems that they do still supply new keys and have quite a range of them.
Go to http://www.scorpionauto.com/keyfobs.html

Not too expensive either, I think that the code number you need is inside the remote you already have, if you don't have it, there may be a number inside the control box or siren. Best check with them first, as I remember they were quite helpful on the phone.
For your info.

 

[Dragon]

What the story behind Scorpion now?

I got a skim, they went out of business, bought over by another company in Lancashire but can't get a replacement for my alarm/immobiliser but they are still trading selling fobs.

 

[grober]

I have a W124 1994 cabrio. Although there have been alarms on the vehicle in the past - none is currently functioning - I have had a remote C/L system fitted.

The guy I bought it off said that he thought there was an immobilser fitted as standard which was operated by a chip in the key. To me the key doesn't look as if it has a chip in it though. Does anyone know if he is right or not (it may be an issue when renewing insurance etc)?

Martin

I am puzzled by your sentence I have had a remote C/L system FITTED! Is this new unit an alarm or simply a remote central locking device? As has been said most of the aftermarket alarms fitted to W124s at the time had the facility usually via separate relay box to immobilise the car.-usually disables the ECU and fuel pump. The chip he is referring to is probably the one in the key fob which determines the code the remote sends to the car in order to disarm the alarm and /or operate the remote CL. Unless the old alarm immobiliser circuits have been integrated into the new alarm/remote cl which I doubt from what you have said you will not have an operational immobiliser. I think your installer was relying on the car having a built in immobiliser in the normal "from the factory" wiring. It doesn't. It just might have a "legacy" immobiliser from a previous piggy back install. One way to test this is to try to "steal" the car. lock up the car/alarm it with you still in the driver seat -then try to start it- the alarm will go off probably--- but if the car starts --you have your answer. Best to do this in some deserted spot to avoid annoying the neighbours.

 

[Dec]

Don't understand how you got 2 set of keys. Probably the original alarm failed been replaced by the second alarm.

Not so Dragon, the original car would have only had the immobiliser, operated by the one button flip out key but most of the Mercedes dealers must have had some kind of deal with Scorpion Alarms where by all the cars around that time had there alarms fitted, hence the extra key fob, the alarm in my car has been there from new.

I just use the Scorpion fob for regular lock/unlocking, can’t be bothered with both systems.

Dec

 

[andy27168]

I can only talk about the C class W202 1997, (w124 was probably the same) the car came from the factory with remote locking using the single button remote fob. No alarm or immobiliser. Though I "believe" early 202's had just an immobiliser coded to the E.C.U. via a collar around the ignition switch
The Scorpion alarm and/or immobiliser was fitted by MB UK either at the dealers or by the importers (usually as soon as they got off the ship at the same time as they were inspected for shipping damage).
Though there were detailled fitting instructions given by MB/Scorpion standards of the installs varied greatly the immobilser could of been on the E.C.U. supply, fuel pump supply, or starter motor solenoid or a combination of all three.
The Scorpion alarm and/or immobiliser was fitted as a genuine part and as such do have MB pt. no.'s though where you would find these numbers I don,t know as they don,t appear on the EPC, well I can,t find them, and were designed to operate with the standard key fob.
I did at one time have the list of the alarm system pt. no.'s (can,t find them now). There were 7 systems MB's at that time could of been fitted with, varieing different levels of protection.

 

[kth286]

On the last generation 124 with the remote central locking and leds in door handle and boot, the immobiliser was a standard feature and operated by the standard flip out key.

The dealers then fitted an alarm by Laserline or Sciorpion that linked into the existing factory fitted immobilser, and on mine at least, operated with the same existing keykey (Laserline)

 

[Dragon]

On the last generation 124 with the remote central locking and leds in door handle and boot, the immobiliser was a standard feature and operated by the standard flip out key.

The dealers then fitted an alarm by Laserline or Sciorpion that linked into the existing factory fitted immobilser, and on mine at least, operated with the same existing keykey (Laserline)

When I bought my W202 in 1997 at Aberdeen, it still in the showroom without the Scorpion alarm and MB star. After I agreed to buy it they fitted the alarm and MB star. The flip keys are the only one I got plus those silly push keys(one red and two blacks to disable the alarm in case of malfunction) and a credit card size key. Merc seemed to be had made a mess with these keys and alarms.

 

[andy27168]

On mine the immobiliser is part of the alarm system.

 

[Howard]

Be aware that some of the older Scorpion alarms ( w124 era ) have a 'rolling code' system ... the fobs are not in production any more , and cannot be duplicated .

I tried for several months to reactivate the alarm system in my old w124 , but Scorpion couldn't help due to the older fobs not being available , and then contacting the specialist fob makers , they couldn't create a rolling code one that would work with a Scorpion.

The alarm could still be armed with the round key that fitted a slot in the glovebox but it gave you no time to get into the car and dearm it , the moment you opened the door , the alarm went off , leaving you scrambling across the seats , pulling all the crap out of the glovebox to disarm it.

Good luck

H

 

[Dragon]

On mine the immobiliser is part of the alarm system.

The immobiliser came already factory fitted, depending what do you mean by the immobiliser. Are you talking about the immobiliser the black box under the steering wheel? I treat this as the alarm box(Scorpion).

My understanding is the immobiliser came factory fitted and Merc dealer fitted the alarm box integrated with the immobiliser just before we drove away.

Someone please tell me where is the immobiliser?

 

[andy27168]

I have a Scorpion alarm immobiliser, the immobiliser was an integral part of the alarm, I know this to be true as I can bypass my immobiliser from the Alarm control unit which is fitted in the passenger footwell.
Does your immobiliser have a button fob to bypass immobiliser from the glove box I think even this is a Scorpion immobiliser.
Dealers would upgrade the systems as an option, and were available as a complete accsessory kit available to buy later.
Scorpion alarm/ and or immobilisers were only fitted once they were in the uk
According to my insurance company the system that was fitted to my C230K is Thatcham approved and was an attempt to lower the insurance premium.

 

[Dragon]

I have a Scorpion alarm immobiliser, the immobiliser was an integral part of the alarm, I know this to be true as I can bypass my immobiliser from the Alarm control unit which is fitted in the passenger footwell.
Does your immobiliser have a button fob to bypass immobiliser from the glove box I think even this is a Scorpion immobiliser.
Dealers would upgrade the systems as an option, and were available as a complete accsessory kit available to buy later.
Scorpion alarm/ and or immobilisers were only fitted once they were in the uk
According to my insurance company the system that was fitted to my C230K is Thatcham approved and was an attempt to lower the insurance premium.

Yes it got the button fob. What you are saying is that black box is the alarm/immobiliser. The silly fob doesn't do anything to disable it. It meant to silence it if the alarm goes off by pushing it in. What happen if I will to disconnect the two plugs to the black box? Will I still be able to start the car?

I fitted an aftermarket Scorpion alarm/immobiliser to a W201 and I remember it got a key to turn on the alarm or disable it. This is missing in my W202 that Merc dealer fitted alarm/immobiliser.

 

[fuseman]

I am puzzled by your sentence I have had a remote C/L system FITTED! Is this new unit an alarm or simply a remote central locking device? As has been said most of the aftermarket alarms fitted to W124s at the time had the facility usually via separate relay box to immobilise the car.-usually disables the ECU and fuel pump. The chip he is referring to is probably the one in the key fob which determines the code the remote sends to the car in order to disarm the alarm and /or operate the remote CL. Unless the old alarm immobiliser circuits have been integrated into the new alarm/remote cl which I doubt from what you have said you will not have an operational immobiliser. I think your installer was relying on the car having a built in immobiliser in the normal "from the factory" wiring. It doesn't. It just might have a "legacy" immobiliser from a previous piggy back install. One way to test this is to try to "steal" the car. lock up the car/alarm it with you still in the driver seat -then try to start it- the alarm will go off probably--- but if the car starts --you have your answer. Best to do this in some deserted spot to avoid annoying the neighbours.

I got two fairly ordinary keys with the car which opened the doors (C/L) manually and started the car in the normal way. What I got added was just remote fob to open the doors without a key. What I don't know if if the keys themselves have an immobilser chip in them or not (I suspect not). There is no push-in key stub which I have seen on other MBs of a similar vintage. Thus I suspect I have no immobiliser working and that the car could be started without a key by someone who knew how to do it. I was just wondering what to say to my insurance company if they ask me if it has an immobiliser.

 

[grober]

I got two fairly ordinary keys with the car which opened the doors (C/L) manually and started the car in the normal way. What I got added was just remote fob to open the doors without a key. What I don't know if if the keys themselves have an immobilser chip in them or not (I suspect not). There is no push-in key stub which I have seen on other MBs of a similar vintage. Thus I suspect I have no immobiliser working and that the car could be started without a key by someone who knew how to do it. I was just wondering what to say to my insurance company if they ask me if it has an immobiliser.

I think I see now. You are taking about a key with a chip which when inserted in the ignition is "recognised" by the ignition system. Almost certainly not in that vintage of car. Any immobiliser will be an aftermarket relay add on unit which will be triggered via any aftermarket alarm. This older type of system won't have "key recognition" technology.