Bad battery, EIS, or key?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
C240
Bad battery, EIS, or key?
Hey guys,
I've recently been having a number of issues with my 02' c240, sadly.. Yesterday morning I went to the gym and the car was running fine. Left the gym and it was totally fine. Had to go in for a meeting at work later that morning and I was unable to turn the key in the ignition. I had a cousin of mine who's a mechanic come over and he said it was the key. So I took his word for it and the car has been sitting since then and I planned on going to the dealer today once my dad had the time to take me. I've been reading here and there trying to really find out if it really is the key and not the EIS (hopefully not..) but I had this weird feeling that it might not be either of those. I went to check on the car and I noticed when I opened the door, the screen on the cluster is on as it should be, but after a few seconds the miles go away and it shows "------". I turned on the headlights walked up front and noticed they started flickering. So maybe it's the battery? The dome lights and reading lights will turn on fine, but once I turn on the headlights and fogs, they begin to dim and start flickering then eventually cut out as with the headlights. I will be having my cousin come over and check the voltage on the battery here in about an hour so hopefully it's just the battery? Should be the reason why the EIS isn't reading the key because it doesn't have power, correct? Also, recently if my car sat overnight it would have a hard time starting.
Hope you guys can help! thanks in advance!
I've recently been having a number of issues with my 02' c240, sadly.. Yesterday morning I went to the gym and the car was running fine. Left the gym and it was totally fine. Had to go in for a meeting at work later that morning and I was unable to turn the key in the ignition. I had a cousin of mine who's a mechanic come over and he said it was the key. So I took his word for it and the car has been sitting since then and I planned on going to the dealer today once my dad had the time to take me. I've been reading here and there trying to really find out if it really is the key and not the EIS (hopefully not..) but I had this weird feeling that it might not be either of those. I went to check on the car and I noticed when I opened the door, the screen on the cluster is on as it should be, but after a few seconds the miles go away and it shows "------". I turned on the headlights walked up front and noticed they started flickering. So maybe it's the battery? The dome lights and reading lights will turn on fine, but once I turn on the headlights and fogs, they begin to dim and start flickering then eventually cut out as with the headlights. I will be having my cousin come over and check the voltage on the battery here in about an hour so hopefully it's just the battery? Should be the reason why the EIS isn't reading the key because it doesn't have power, correct? Also, recently if my car sat overnight it would have a hard time starting.
Hope you guys can help! thanks in advance!
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 795
Likes: 189
From: San Diego, CA
2016 E350 Sport; Mom Wrecked the 2008 E350; sold the 2002 C320
Very strong possibility it's just the battery - take it to a parts store (autozone, pep boys, o'reilly, etc), they will check it for free
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
C240
Thanks Euro! I had my cousin check the voltage and it was only putting out 9. He took the battery home to charge it to see if it would start/let the key turn after it's been charged. I'm just wondering how I managed to turn on the car these past few weeks. Maybe this San Diego heat has been giving the battery enough power lol. Fingers crossed all things will go well. Maybe the battery could have been a culprit to the radio/d2b issue? Maybe I'm just wishing for too much lol. I just want the car to start and not have it be a replacement key or EIS..
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 795
Likes: 189
From: San Diego, CA
2016 E350 Sport; Mom Wrecked the 2008 E350; sold the 2002 C320
I can almost bet you that replacing the battery will fix all of your problems. Now the question is, whether it's the battery or the alternator.
If your cousin hasn't taken the battery yet, turn on the car and with the engine running, check the voltage again. If it's below 13.5 - 14 volts, then it's the alternator. It could also be both, although less likely.
If your cousin hasn't taken the battery yet, turn on the car and with the engine running, check the voltage again. If it's below 13.5 - 14 volts, then it's the alternator. It could also be both, although less likely.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
C240
I can almost bet you that replacing the battery will fix all of your problems. Now the question is, whether it's the battery or the alternator.
If your cousin hasn't taken the battery yet, turn on the car and with the engine running, check the voltage again. If it's below 13.5 - 14 volts, then it's the alternator. It could also be both, although less likely.
If your cousin hasn't taken the battery yet, turn on the car and with the engine running, check the voltage again. If it's below 13.5 - 14 volts, then it's the alternator. It could also be both, although less likely.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 795
Likes: 189
From: San Diego, CA
2016 E350 Sport; Mom Wrecked the 2008 E350; sold the 2002 C320
That's funny, that it went out that same day. My brother in law works for SDG&E and even they could not get a reasonable explanation that day as to what happened.
So the question for you is whether your battery has 9 volts because the cells went bad, or because the alternator is not charging it. As soon as you put it back in the car, I suggest you check the voltage with the engine running. It should give you roughly around 13.5 - 14 volts. Any less than that and I would declare it dead.
Where did you buy your replacement alternator? I bought my C320 about a month ago. I had only had it a week when I got the warning that is was not charging. The alternator looked almost new and sure enough, it was from Autozone - didn't surprise me at all, since I have had many issues with rebuilt alternators, starters and other electronic components from them. Any rebuilt electrical stuff from Autozone, Pep Boys, etc., is worthless - best to buy new. O'Reilly & Napa are a little better but I still don't trust them. In my case, my brother had been junk yard diving when I called him about my alternator. He found me one off a C240 that has been running just fine.
So the question for you is whether your battery has 9 volts because the cells went bad, or because the alternator is not charging it. As soon as you put it back in the car, I suggest you check the voltage with the engine running. It should give you roughly around 13.5 - 14 volts. Any less than that and I would declare it dead.
Where did you buy your replacement alternator? I bought my C320 about a month ago. I had only had it a week when I got the warning that is was not charging. The alternator looked almost new and sure enough, it was from Autozone - didn't surprise me at all, since I have had many issues with rebuilt alternators, starters and other electronic components from them. Any rebuilt electrical stuff from Autozone, Pep Boys, etc., is worthless - best to buy new. O'Reilly & Napa are a little better but I still don't trust them. In my case, my brother had been junk yard diving when I called him about my alternator. He found me one off a C240 that has been running just fine.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 56
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
C240
That's funny, that it went out that same day. My brother in law works for SDG&E and even they could not get a reasonable explanation that day as to what happened.
So the question for you is whether your battery has 9 volts because the cells went bad, or because the alternator is not charging it. As soon as you put it back in the car, I suggest you check the voltage with the engine running. It should give you roughly around 13.5 - 14 volts. Any less than that and I would declare it dead.
Where did you buy your replacement alternator? I bought my C320 about a month ago. I had only had it a week when I got the warning that is was not charging. The alternator looked almost new and sure enough, it was from Autozone - didn't surprise me at all, since I have had many issues with rebuilt alternators, starters and other electronic components from them. Any rebuilt electrical stuff from Autozone, Pep Boys, etc., is worthless - best to buy new. O'Reilly & Napa are a little better but I still don't trust them. In my case, my brother had been junk yard diving when I called him about my alternator. He found me one off a C240 that has been running just fine.
So the question for you is whether your battery has 9 volts because the cells went bad, or because the alternator is not charging it. As soon as you put it back in the car, I suggest you check the voltage with the engine running. It should give you roughly around 13.5 - 14 volts. Any less than that and I would declare it dead.
Where did you buy your replacement alternator? I bought my C320 about a month ago. I had only had it a week when I got the warning that is was not charging. The alternator looked almost new and sure enough, it was from Autozone - didn't surprise me at all, since I have had many issues with rebuilt alternators, starters and other electronic components from them. Any rebuilt electrical stuff from Autozone, Pep Boys, etc., is worthless - best to buy new. O'Reilly & Napa are a little better but I still don't trust them. In my case, my brother had been junk yard diving when I called him about my alternator. He found me one off a C240 that has been running just fine.
Update -- got the battery charged up and the car started right up. I forgot to have the battery voltage checked when running, but he did say the alternator is fine. Hopefully the battery just went completely bad because he said the battery is probably really cheap since he's never seen the brand before. Someone must've really cheaped out on a new battery (my dad.. Filipinos..). I'm just wondering what could have really drained the battery that bad to have it only be putting out 9 volts. Either I left something on, but it would have had to be something big. Maybe the battery just called it quits?.. Hopefully the car fires up fine tomorrow so I can go out and buy a new battery and also check out a car I'm trying to pick up. Do you guys have any good recommendations to where I should buy a battery? My cousin told me to just get it from the dealer but I wonder how much that'll cost.
Last edited by FreshVibes; Sep 5, 2015 at 12:14 AM.
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My cousin had the alternator ordered when he was workin at AJUSA in Mira Mesa at the time. I'm not too sure where he ordered it from though. Hopefully the battery fixes the issue. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
Update -- got the battery charged up and the car started right up. I forgot to have the battery voltage checked when running, but he did say the alternator is fine. Hopefully the battery just went completely bad because he said the battery is probably really cheap since he's never seen the brand before. Someone must've really cheaped out on a new battery (my dad.. Filipinos..). I'm just wondering what could have really drained the battery that bad to have it only be putting out 9 volts. Either I left something on, but it would have had to be something big. Maybe the battery just called it quits?.. Hopefully the car fires up fine tomorrow so I can go out and buy a new battery and also check out a car I'm trying to pick up. Do you guys have any good recommendations to where I should buy a battery? My cousin told me to just get it from the dealer but I wonder how much that'll cost.
Update -- got the battery charged up and the car started right up. I forgot to have the battery voltage checked when running, but he did say the alternator is fine. Hopefully the battery just went completely bad because he said the battery is probably really cheap since he's never seen the brand before. Someone must've really cheaped out on a new battery (my dad.. Filipinos..). I'm just wondering what could have really drained the battery that bad to have it only be putting out 9 volts. Either I left something on, but it would have had to be something big. Maybe the battery just called it quits?.. Hopefully the car fires up fine tomorrow so I can go out and buy a new battery and also check out a car I'm trying to pick up. Do you guys have any good recommendations to where I should buy a battery? My cousin told me to just get it from the dealer but I wonder how much that'll cost.
Last edited by Jay11; Mar 10, 2018 at 07:59 AM.
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I did check fob battery key at O’Reilly’s and it was fine but dashboard still says key not recognized replace battery; it opens door and usually enables car to start but sometimes i need to unlock doors while in car to start; any others having this issue and know a cheap fix? Dealer says get new key fob for $200-nope!
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Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 77
Likes: 1
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2003 Benz C240
With you on the nope.
I remember being advised to factory reset but my issue solved before I had to do that. Someone else with more experience can advise further if this would be helpful.
I remember being advised to factory reset but my issue solved before I had to do that. Someone else with more experience can advise further if this would be helpful.
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