Please Help! Key won't turn in ignition or lock car
11-30-2010, 09:09 PM
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Mercedes C180 (1998)
Please Help! Key won't turn in ignition or lock car
Hi everyone, I'm in need of some desperate help!
I have a 1998 W202 C180, I walked out to my car today and unlocked it using the fob as usual, jumped in and pushed the key into the ignition and turned it to position 1 and waited a few seconds as I usually do, when I turned the key to start the car nothing happened. I turned the key back to position 0 and it would not even turn to position 1 anymore. I pulled the key out and tried locking and unlocking the doors, presuming the battery might have failed in the key (car battery is perfectly fine, is new and has been tested), the LED still flashed red on the Key fob but I replaced the batteries and still I have the same problem!
I called up RAC (breakdown assistance) and they came down and noticed a lot of water build up under the bonnet due to leaves blockage and noticed corrosion on a couple of fuse & relays.. the only suggestion they provided was replacing the key, ignition module ecu & steering lock as it might have been water damaged.
Can anyone offer any opinions on their advice or on what the issue could be, would getting someone to hook up a fault code tester be a good first step? I was initally thinking it was something as simple as the key running out of juice and needing resyncing/reprogramming as even the central locking & alarm won't set and the boot release button doesn't work. I've had to lock the doors & boot using the mechnical key.
I have a 1998 W202 C180, I walked out to my car today and unlocked it using the fob as usual, jumped in and pushed the key into the ignition and turned it to position 1 and waited a few seconds as I usually do, when I turned the key to start the car nothing happened. I turned the key back to position 0 and it would not even turn to position 1 anymore. I pulled the key out and tried locking and unlocking the doors, presuming the battery might have failed in the key (car battery is perfectly fine, is new and has been tested), the LED still flashed red on the Key fob but I replaced the batteries and still I have the same problem!
I called up RAC (breakdown assistance) and they came down and noticed a lot of water build up under the bonnet due to leaves blockage and noticed corrosion on a couple of fuse & relays.. the only suggestion they provided was replacing the key, ignition module ecu & steering lock as it might have been water damaged.
Can anyone offer any opinions on their advice or on what the issue could be, would getting someone to hook up a fault code tester be a good first step? I was initally thinking it was something as simple as the key running out of juice and needing resyncing/reprogramming as even the central locking & alarm won't set and the boot release button doesn't work. I've had to lock the doors & boot using the mechnical key.
Last edited by c180_dils; 11-30-2010 at 09:11 PM.
12-01-2010, 10:51 PM
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Mercedes C180 (1998)
bump.. can anyone help, I've tried searching the forum and google but haven't found anything useful, does the fact the key no longer activates the central locking/alarm mean that it's a car electronics issue or a key issue?
12-08-2010, 02:18 AM
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1998 C280 Sport many mods, 1991 SL500 many mods, 1999 ML430 in progress, 1991 GTR (parted)
I had the same problem on my 1998 C280 about 2 years ago. From what I remember they replaced the key. Don't remember if they changed anything else, or what the explanation was. Just glad to have it running again.
12-08-2010, 02:20 AM
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1998 C280 Sport many mods, 1991 SL500 many mods, 1999 ML430 in progress, 1991 GTR (parted)
Sorry about my bad memory. On the plus side, the new key was the newer style SMART key, not the orig black plastic one =P
