hmn1

I just noticed today that for regular lock and unlock, I have to aim the SmartKey at the door handle, in order for it to work.

I don't recall this is the case before. I recall just having to be close to the car, and the lock/unlock would work. Now even if I stand at the trunk, trying to unlock, it would not unlock, I walk to the door, and closely aim the key at the door handle for it to work. I don't think this happened before.

Any of you guys have this problem? I tried both keys, so I don't think it's the key.

CHARLIEBROWN

i would talk to your sevice rep because it is probably something simple to fix or swap. i can stand aprox. about 25-35 yards away from my car when there is a fresh battery in the remote... and if i hold it next to my body... it is fullproof.
maybe once or twice, it failed but it has been rare.
you say you don't think its the key... ask them to try to look at it and troubleshoot the problem.


charlie brown

jpb5151

My key works from a couple hundred feet away for unlocking / locking. It's only the remote window / sunroof open that that car's picky with. Yes, please bug your MB service rep.

CHARLIEBROWN

what is the deal with the roof opening and closing? i have had that to workfor me like 3 times...
can someone post the instructs on how to operate that because i know that it does work but the sequence in the instruction manual is not working to well.



charlie

Matt230K

The only time I had this problem was when I had my windows tinted and the water they use shorted out the antenna amplifiers in the rear window. I could only lock and unlock by pointing at the IR receiver in the door handle. You should go to the dealer to have it checked out.

hmn1

Matt230K,
I guess that's it!!!!!!!! I just had my windows tinted today. And when I got home, I had that happened to me. So I'm pretty sure I have the same problem you had.

My question is will the dealer be willing to fix it on warranty? Or will they say it's not their fault and will charge me for the service? I don't know if I can get the tint shop to pay for the fix.

tsberkey

Something that I am discovering in reading posts here, Edmunds, etc.:

Mercedes does not do a great job explaining the operation of the smart key. Fortunately, my salesman did, or I would have been confused too. The lock/unlock should work for several hundred feet, as it is RF. However, because the auto-window feature goes up as well as down, it becomes a safety issue, so regulations require MB to make this infra-red, which only works for a few feet, and uninterupted at that. The obvious concern is they don't want a person (i.e., a small child) to be caught in your window as it goes up because you used this feature from a location where you could not see your car.

With regard to the original post for this thread, you should indeed take this in for service as it is not performing as it should.

Matt230K

Do you have a poor radio reception too? That was another symptom. You may have a problem. The only reason I was able to get the dealer to fix it is because I work there. And because I warned the tint shop and they apparently called the dealer, and the dealer told them it was fine to get it wet. So in my opinion, it was the dealer's fault, in my case.

Hopefully they will cover it for you, because it might not be cheap. The antenna amplifiers are between the metal window frame and the glass, at the top of the window. They are hard to replace without damaging something. So they replaced the rear window. They ordered the window and I took it to the tint shop and had it tinted before they put it in the car. It might be possible to replace them without doing the window, but apparently it's very difficult to get them out and squeeze new ones back in there, and the job is not as good as when you do the whole window.

I wish you luck in getting it taken care of. If they do put in a new window, make sure to get it tinted first, or else have it re-tinted with the hatch down. Tell them to put the seats down and get inside the car and tint it with the hatch down, so the water doesn't flow into the antenna amplifiers.

Good luck!!

hmn1

Matt230K,

I just checked my radio, both AM & FM seem to be fine. Still very good reception. Just the problem with the lock/unlock. It's probably the same problem as you have. That's too bad, 'cause this tint place is recommended by the dealer. They take their cars here to tint. I'm surprised the tint place don't do a better job at this. Sure hope I don't have to pay for the repair.

moomeh

someone has dirty wheels

gmabm

IR? I thought our keys operate by radio frequencies??

Matt230K

They do normally, but if that isn't working, you can still lock/unlock the car by using the IR.

Matt230K

If I remember correctly, there were two different pieces at the top of the window. I wonder if one of them is for radio and the other is for the key. If so, you might have only lost one of them, while I lost both. Either way, the fix is the same.

DL_AMG

I had the same problem...unable to luck and unlock the car with Smart Key. What I did is put the key back into the ignion (without start the car), remove it and try to luck again, and it worked for that time...but when unlock, that's a different story (use the metal key and alarm sounds and TeleAid Call in 3 mins...)

I took my car to dealer and the SA said it's know problem on the Smart key. I don't know what they did but I got a different key when I got the car back. (I used to have Gray color metal key release buttom but now is Red.) The new Smart key can remote my car from at least 100 fts or more and always luck and unlock with first try.(I had set the alarm to Chrips so I can hear the sound of lock/unlock while walking away/approaching my car.) I only replaced one key, since I only brought 1 key that time.

It's a known problem. Just call your dealer and ask for the fix.

tsberkey

Hey, what can I say??? I took the car out to get some nice pics and out of nowhere, it starts raining like crazy!!! I'll take some better ones when the weather gets nice.

Tim

PS-- You only live an hour away-- be nice!!!

hmn1

Matt230K,

Somehow, after 3 days, my remote started to work again. Just checked it today, and found out it's working again. That's kinda odd. It must be due to the tint and water leaking like you said, 'cause it happened right after the tint. But if it was short circuited, then it should be broken completely, not start to work again. Strange. Don't understand why but I sure am happy. Don't have to deal with the service advisor or replace the thing like you had to. Thanks for the comments.

Matt230K

Well, that's good. I guess it's possible that they stopped working when they got wet, but didn't actually short out. Then when things dried out, they started working again. Weird.

SUNILP

I had a similar problem on my 03 c320. It would stop responding to the key. The alarm would not disarm. I would have to manually open the door and quickly stick the key in the ignition to shut off the alarm. Apparnatlly, some module was replaced and also the keys replaced. No prob after that. Touch wood!