Shiaf Sattar

Hie,

I own a C240 ( W203) 2001 Model-done around 92000km- i now need urgent advice/help as my car is not only failing to start even unlocking with remote is very hard

Normally around 7am when i go to work the car just doesn't open with remote-after trying and waiting for 20 min it finally does open and immediately also starts once key inserted-However, other days it just fails to open with remote then i have to use silver mechanical key which is attached on remote to open door then once i enter key into ignition no response- i have to turn it several times still nothing and then i wait seated in car for about 15 min when suddenly i hear that chi-chine noise that key recognized and car starts

I have had checked everything from fuse to spare key to relay but nothing working out- i have finally been told by my dealers here in MALAWI ( where i stay ) that my EIS needs replacing together with Green key( also called Programming Key ) and total cost a whooping $ 2000.

Can please somebody guide me to what the problem is and if indeed it's EIS do i also need to buy green key( as that on its own is $500 ) as without that its impossible and won't work-and also i find price absolutely prohibitive

please assist and advise asap

tommy

You have a 2001 C240 - you're lucky it doesn't self-combust.

Yep, sounds like EIS, and yes, it's expensive. I have no idea on the "green key"; I've never heard of that. Someone else might be able to provide info on that.

But really, what you need to do is think about the junk vs. fix question. At this point, the repairs will keep getting more expensive; might be a good time to re-think keeping the car, it's probably not worth much more than the cost of this repair.

race1

Hello there, I've seen complete key/ignition sets second hand from ebay UK dismantlers at reasonable prices. That's where I'm getting some spares for my c200, some as low as 10% of retail

edgarinho10

I thought EIS were vin number coded. Wonder what would happen if you were to try a different EIS in the current car....

samaritrey

Yeah they are vin coded and from my understanding won't work in another car even if you have star to use.

SunnyRayToronto

ECU are also VIN-coded (serial# coded),.... but since you can use a used ECU in your car if you switch the chip that holds the VIN# (serial#) (that's what those used ECU reseller does),..... then you should be able to use a used (previously married EIS) as long as you switch the chip that holds the VIN# (serial#),.... that way the used EIS will have the VIN# (serial#) holding chip from your old EIS,....

mleskovar

The only connection between remote unlock and lack of starting is the main battery or cables/connections. I'm guessing cables/connections since it works after waiting a while.

Shiaf Sattar

Hi,

Thank you all for advice-much appreciated.I tried my last time by having the switch repaired so i save on huge cost of buying new switch (costing $ 1500 ) but after working for few days it went dead again.

So i had no option but to pay the Dealers here in MALAWI where am based- and also i had to pay for a Green key also called as Programming key at a cost of $ 500- i was told categorically that switch won't function without buying the green key also. So Total i have coughed up a staggering $2000 yet what upsets me most is that apart from price being prohibitive, the car EIS has failed when the car has only done a mere 90000 KM

That is hard to understand with low mileage-Anyway, as one of my colleague told me it's just bad luck.