Senior Moodi

I bought a 04 CLK and am not sure if I have keyless go or not. I have the start button on the shift knob, but it doesn't work. Also, when I take the key out of the ignition, I keep getting a message that states "Please don't forget key".Also, I have 2 black squares on the door handle one is the IR and the other is like a button but nothing happens when I press the button or the back of the handle.
Also the car the remote doesnt unlock the car except if its veryyyy near to the reviever.
So does that mean that both this problems is cuz of the IR ? If not then what it is ?
p.s:The car only came with one key and this is my first merc which i bought from just a week.
Thank u in advance.

Senior Moodi

I have searched alot on internet but cant find an answer so plz help

Yidney

You have keyless go. It just does not work for some reason.

DanielFD

The IR sensor on the door handle is used mostly for closing/opening the windows using the key (holding lock/unlock). Your CLK uses the a radio antenna located on the top of the rear windscreen, looks like somethings wrong with that. I have a feeling that affects your car reading your key when its in the car, but i cant help you out with more then that, no experience with keyless go.

DanielFD

Also, just in case, its probably a good idea to check your key battery, might be something that simple.

Rudeney

I would change the batteries in the SmartKey.

__pierce

I had/have the same exact issue. The issue w/the secondary non keyless go key was indeed the battery within the key fob. Super easy to change, and the batteries are available at just about any Target, Walmart, etc. The battery (I believe) is a 2025 flat.

As for the "Don't forget your Key" alert when exiting the car, I'm in the same boat. I also have keyless go, but no smart key to utilize it / My car also came with one key and isn't the Keyless Go key fob.

I was thinking for awhile that the key has to be somewhere inside of the vehicle, in order for it to be alerting me every time I exit. I couldn't locate the key though and it does not start when the button is pressed..

DanielFD

Nomatter if the key is in the car or not u will always get that msg! No idea why mercedes designed the system that way.. If im not mistaken BMW give that same warning even when the key isnt in th car! Weird germans..

DanielFD

Id order the key from the stealership if i were you though! I wish i had keyless go..

Rudeney

Pierce: I'm not sure what you mean by "secondary non keyless go key". As delivered, the vehicle came with two SmartKeys and both are KeylessGo transceivers. If you order a new/replacement key through a dealer, they know it is for a vehicle with KeylessGo and it will also be a a KeylessGo transceiver. If you have two SmartKeys and one works for KeylessGo and the other does not, then you have a bad key.

gaazmon

I believe batteries are the usual suspects with these keys. My key eats through them like crazy for some reason but in my case im suspecting something wrong with the key itself

__pierce

Rodney,

Thanks for your tip! I never fully inspected the possibility that the "basic" looking key fob was actually keyless go. I pressed and held the brake*, hit the start button, and she fired right up.

Thanks again!

gaazmon

If I remember correctly, from 04 on, the keylessgo is built into the actual ignition key/remote. Before then (like on our 02 CL500), it was a separate credit card looking remote (so you'd actually have 4 keys with the car: 2 regular and 2 keylessgo).

DanielFD

actully i have a friend who has an 2005 S500 4matic hes still got that card gismo! I think i prefer it to the normal Mercedes Smart key.

Senior Moodi

Maybe.I noticed sth else weird. On the door side handle there is only the reviever no button as i mentioned above but on the passenger door there is.and i have the button on the gear knob which doesnt work cuz when i press it its moving up and down its like it is stuck.So i am confused do i have keyless go ?

Senior Moodi

The battries are new

Senior Moodi

Also does u have to insert the keyfob then turn it then press the button on the gearknob ?

DanielFD

That is weird. Since your car most definitely has keyless go because of the msg "dont forget key" i'm guessing your drivers door handle was replaced with a normal handle. I think most probably your problem is with your receiver in your rear windscreen, you should be looking into repairing that first because its probably related to reading how close your key is to the car.

Also did you try pressing on the brake then turning on the car using the button? And no your not supposed to insert a key anywhere, just press the brake and press the button.

If pressing down the brake then the button doesn't do anything, then we're back to seeing whats up with your radio receiver. Is your car's rear windscreen tinted? sometimes water can get into there from the tinting process and that will damage it.

Senior Moodi

How much will that cost ? Ya i did press the brake and then the button but there is sth wrong with the button.I think its probably sth within the wires beneath the gearknob.Also the key has new batteries and ut opens the car only if i am near to the receiever

DanielFD

well if it is the receiver in the rear windshield it was around 400$ last i checked, the stealership will tell you to replace the rear windscreen as well since they are connected, but that's not necessary 95% of the time. Could be a simple communication error though and there's no need to go changing parts. Find an independent shop with STAR, and knows how to use it, it should be easy to diagnose from there.

cetialpha5

The cheapest thing to do is to just change the batteries in the fob again. Those cheap knockoff batteries sometimes just don't have enough power. I think common problems on keyless go would be the wires being broken under the shifter if the button doesn't work. Also on the door handles, those buttons do wear out. Does the door open if you pull on the handle? There's a button under the handle that unlocks the door. Normally the handles go before the receiver, but the only way to really tell is to plug it into star diagnostic. You might also want to get another key because it's also possible that the key is bad, but you should call around to a few dealerships and see what their prices are, they all have to order them so it takes a few days to get another key. It's expensive though which is why you should always buy a car with two keys these days.

Senior Moodi

The dealership told me they need to 250$ just to diagnose and know whats the problem.I live in the middle east , have no idea what is STAR :p.

Senior Moodi

So the it will be fairly easy and cheap to repair the gearknob button ?.On my side there is no any button inside or out but the passenger side has the a black button and a button inside the handle they dont work , i kept the kwy so close and pressed both but theg doesnt open despite there is a red light flashing inside the car while i am doing this.The dealership wants about 250$ jusy to diagnoise whats wrong. The car came with 1 key only. I will make a spare one. I have no idea what is star , i am in the middle east.Honestly i have no idea why the key have to be very close so that it opens and why the keyless doesnt work from passenger side but i guess these are related right ? . Thanks in advance

cetialpha5

Star gets mentioned a lot in the forums, you can do a search for some of the older threads, but basically it's what the dealer uses to diagnose the car. Some people buy cheap knock offs, but even those aren't cheap, at least $350-$650 for a system, basically a laptop with cables and Mercedes' diagnostic software. $250 is a lot for diagnostic, but I guess that's middle east prices, in the US, the door handles are $175-$225 each online, but the dealers charge $300+.

The gearknob button is probably a broken wire, you can probably do a search and find some threads where people talk about opening up the shifter and finding the broken wire. You would have to order a spare key. Also what's the VIN of your car? If you run it through Mercedes's Epcnet, it should tell you if you have the keyless go feature.

Rudeney

Oh yeah, I forgot about that old style system. I know different models had different schedules for when the cards were phased out and integrated into the SmartKeys, but I know the W209 never had cards.

Is this a USA model? I know the MY2005s sold in the USA all had KeylessGo integrated into the SmartKey.