jan ken po

Thought I had seen this one posted but couldn't find it. Found similar problems but not exactly this one.

Occasionally, will turn the key and nothing happens. Radio comes on, lights work, etc, but no start. Turn it back to off and back on and works fine. Th as happened off & on prolly for the past 5 months. Well the other day, it took my wife 4 times b4 it cranked...so you know I got an earful.

Anyone else have this, and if so, service code from dealer when they fixed it? I've been slack about taking it in, because I know the dealer will just spit back a "could not replicate problem." I'd like to be able to tell them exactly what to look for.

Boom vang

I've experienced this everynow and then. I reported it to the dealer and of course they could not find a problem

jan ken po

See thats exactly what I'm trying to avoid. A wasted trip to the dealer.

shanetoast

my dealer told me there was a re-call on the ignition switch or something. I just never went back to get it fixed.

FrankW

it's the ignition switch not reading the code from the key properly. happened 2-3 times on mine. i just sat there for 10-15min like a dumbass before it would start.

jan ken po

Soooo is this a problem that dealer can be fixed or bad battery on the key?

FrankW

i haven't bother going to the dealership with this since no error code is recorded. I'll talk to my service advisor soon tho.

Moviela

The part you stick the key into mounted in the dash is called the Electronic Ignition System, or EIS for short. It stores the unique identifier for the keys that are allowed to start the car.

The battery in the key can be dead, but it will still start the car. The EIS has an induction coil that sends power to the key when it is inserted in the hole. It is a two part transformer, the primary is in the EIS, and the secondary is in the Key.

The EIS then asks the key "who are you?" and the key responds with the string pattern both agreed upon when they last met. The key sends the data through the infrared port on the key. The key also receives the next data from the EIS through the infrared port. When the EIS senses that it is one of the keys allowed to start the car, it sends an "Alles Gut" signal to the front SAM that then goes to work.

I would try cleaning the window on the key, and the one in the dash. A little Windex on a soft cloth works well.

It is a very hard system to troubleshoot because the EIS connects to everything from the wipers to the speed control and many devices in between.

yellowrama

I am not aware that there is a recall, but it's good to know, because my car does it 6 or 7 times since I brought it 2 1/2 years ago. It's quite annoying, but I usually take the key out, insert it back in and the car starts just fine.

Shaneabbas

That is exactly what my car used to do, and I used to sit there for ages until it starts. Now since last week its gone dead and wont even lock or unlock.
I have a s320 2003

any advice?>