C-Class (W203) 2001-2007, C160, C180, C200, C220, C230, C240, C270, C280, C300, C320, C230K, C350, Coupe

key broke and fixed!!!

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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 07:18 PM
  #1  
contact148's Avatar
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From: Canada
2003 c240 4matic wagon
key broke and fixed!!!

well after 7 years my orig key finally died it would not lock the car it would open and start but not lock

1st i thought it was my wife being stupid but i tried it and no

so i opened it up and found the lock button on the circut board had broken off (pointing to location in pic button is in top of pic)



so i figured id try and solder it back on i couldent really break it any more!

and it worked!!




and here are all the key pieces

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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 08:01 PM
  #2  
Xhale707's Avatar
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From: North San diego
C320 2002
Uh oh you just gave me an idea... Time to buy a new key on ebay and switch the insides out
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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 09:33 PM
  #3  
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From: VA
THE C350
Originally Posted by Xhale707
Uh oh you just gave me an idea... Time to buy a new key on ebay and switch the insides out
you do realize you have to solder the memory chip off the old one and on to the new key without screwing up any of the pins right If so have fun it does work hope you have mad soldering skills
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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 09:42 PM
  #4  
Xhale707's Avatar
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From: North San diego
C320 2002
Originally Posted by samaritrey
you do realize you have to solder the memory chip off the old one and on to the new key without screwing up any of the pins right If so have fun it does work hope you have mad soldering skills

Why would you have to do any soldering. The internal board could easily be swapped out and replaced with your other key. It has been done before on here by someone. Why do you think ppl still pay 40 dollars on ebay for the new keys. When they can't even be programmed.?
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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 09:59 PM
  #5  
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From: VA
THE C350
Originally Posted by Xhale707
Why would you have to do any soldering. The internal board could easily be swapped out and replaced with your other key. It has been done before on here by someone. Why do you think ppl still pay 40 dollars on ebay for the new keys. When they can't even be programmed.?
oh you mean new old key ok sorry i thought you meant buy the new style key and put the old bored in to it.
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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 10:13 PM
  #6  
Xhale707's Avatar
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From: North San diego
C320 2002
Originally Posted by contact148


Was just looking at this picture.. You don't have a trunk because you have a wagon.. But you don't have a panic button either? First time ive seen a key like that
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Old Oct 24, 2010 | 10:50 PM
  #7  
04mbc230's Avatar
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2006 C230 Sedan
wait.. doesn't his internal has all the functions. I counted 4. Which is the same as our sedans.

Perhaps if he get the plastic casing as our and it would work?
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Old Oct 25, 2010 | 12:37 AM
  #8  
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From: centennial, CO
2003 c240
Originally Posted by Xhale707
Uh oh you just gave me an idea... Time to buy a new key on ebay and switch the insides out
That's what i did. someone left their mercedes key at a friends dry cleaner and never came back for it so i took it and gutted it out and replaced it with mine. works great but the chip will no longer stay locked inside since you have to break the lock to get it out. No matter though, since it's only opened occasionally for battery replacement.
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Old Oct 25, 2010 | 01:05 AM
  #9  
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From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, eh!
2003 C230 Sports Coupe, Paprika Metallic Red, Auto, Pano, Leather
Originally Posted by Xhale707
Was just looking at this picture.. You don't have a trunk because you have a wagon.. But you don't have a panic button either? First time ive seen a key like that
Actually, if Contact148 replace his 2-button plastic key cover with a 3 or 4 button plastic key cover which has a trunk button, contact148 should be able to remotely unlock his trunk on his wagon!

To test, Contact148 should use key without plastic key cover and press trunk button,... if it unlocks his trunk then replacing his 2-button plastic key cover with a 3-4 button one will give him remote trunk unlock functionality.

Likely ditto for panic function, if he has factory alarm.
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Old Oct 25, 2010 | 03:07 AM
  #10  
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The trunk button works on ALL cars. Been using a 4-button (Panic, Lock, Unlock, Trunk) key casing for the last few years on my coupe.

My Panic button doesn't work though as I don't have the factory alarm. Alarm doesn't come standard on Canadian vehicles. The Trunk button does work, but it's rather useless as the coupe hatch is too heavy to lift under its own power. That'd be pimp though.
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Old Oct 25, 2010 | 07:50 AM
  #11  
contact148's Avatar
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From: Canada
2003 c240 4matic wagon
well just tried it and the trunk button does NOT work

i took it out of the case and held it together door unlock worked but NO trunk popping
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Old Oct 26, 2010 | 12:03 AM
  #12  
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From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada, eh!
2003 C230 Sports Coupe, Paprika Metallic Red, Auto, Pano, Leather
From my experience,... the trunk button has to be press and hold (until trunk unlock),... and done close to the trunk .
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Old May 25, 2015 | 04:37 AM
  #13  
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From: Norway
Mercedes Benz W166 ML250 CDI
Originally Posted by contact148
well after 7 years my orig key finally died it would not lock the car it would open and start but not lock

1st i thought it was my wife being stupid but i tried it and no

so i opened it up and found the lock button on the circut board had broken off (pointing to location in pic button is in top of pic)



so i figured id try and solder it back on i couldent really break it any more!

and it worked!!




and here are all the key pieces

Great tip!
Same happened to me, and you probably saved me av few hundred bucks.
Thanks!

AnonymBruker
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Old May 25, 2015 | 01:29 PM
  #14  
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From: South Africa
2004 C270CDI
Fixed my key too

I dropped my key yesterday and this afternoon I noticed the car did not recognize my key when I tried to start it. It still unlocked the doors but the steering lock would not disengage, and the ignition did not come on. After several attempts inserting the key I could start the car, but the gauges and rev counter did not work. The headlights also turned on, even though it was daylight.
I took the key apart, and found that a coil had broken loose and was making intermittent contact, which allowed me to drive the car home. The wire that came loose is so fine, I had to use a jewellers loupe to see where it had broken loose. (Could also have been my failing eyesight)
I soldered the wire, with quite a bit of effort and being very careful not to burn the coil itself, and it now works again.


Soldered on the bottom corner




Observe the meticulously placed drop of solder in the lower right corner below the coil
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Old Aug 5, 2015 | 02:58 AM
  #15  
leonrsa's Avatar
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From: South Africa
2004 C270CDI
Dropped and broke the key again. Upon careful scrutiny it was discovered that the point where I last soldered the coil has no electrical connection. It is purely mechanical, to hold the coil in position.
I wonder if someone can reply to this question...Is the positioning of the coil in the fob so critical that when it moves 1 or 2 mm out of position it will fail?
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