Remote locking not working via RF
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
2006 C280 4MATIC
Remote locking not working via RF
I've read through all the posts that I can find on this issue using the search function and haven't managed to fix my problem. I just bought my daughter a 2006 C280 sedan that has a few issues. The guy we bought it from had been doing short term renting of the vehicle and one of the renters had lost the original keys when they were out of the area. They were responsible for getting a new key ordered from MB, so it has the new style fob (yes, it seems like a bs story, but I have seen the pictures of the 2 original keys cable tied together being used in the car from a year ago when the guy was renting the car out and there's no advantage to the seller to buy a $300 key if they weren't really lost). The key will start the car, the IR feature of the key fob works as long as the key is held close enough to the IR receiver in the driver's door handle, but the keys do not work via the RF receiver. I was told by all of the MB dealers that I called that if the keys will start the car that the programming is completed and they should open the car and that there is something wrong with "a control unit or something".
When we first got the car, the radio reception was terrible, so it made sense that the RF antenna amp was likely the issue, so I checked all the related fuses and discovered that fuse 8 was missing. After replacing it, my radio reception is spectacular, but the keys still won't open the car via RF. I have wiggled all the connections and made sure that they were stuck to the rear window. Is it possible that the antenna amp can work for the radio but not for the keys, or is there another component or controller somewhere in the car that I should be checking?
When we first got the car, the radio reception was terrible, so it made sense that the RF antenna amp was likely the issue, so I checked all the related fuses and discovered that fuse 8 was missing. After replacing it, my radio reception is spectacular, but the keys still won't open the car via RF. I have wiggled all the connections and made sure that they were stuck to the rear window. Is it possible that the antenna amp can work for the radio but not for the keys, or is there another component or controller somewhere in the car that I should be checking?
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 300
Likes: 16
From: Northwest Arkansas
2016 C450
I've read through all the posts that I can find on this issue using the search function and haven't managed to fix my problem. I just bought my daughter a 2006 C280 sedan that has a few issues. The guy we bought it from had been doing short term renting of the vehicle and one of the renters had lost the original keys when they were out of the area. They were responsible for getting a new key ordered from MB, so it has the new style fob (yes, it seems like a bs story, but I have seen the pictures of the 2 original keys cable tied together being used in the car from a year ago when the guy was renting the car out and there's no advantage to the seller to buy a $300 key if they weren't really lost). The key will start the car, the IR feature of the key fob works as long as the key is held close enough to the IR receiver in the driver's door handle, but the keys do not work via the RF receiver. I was told by all of the MB dealers that I called that if the keys will start the car that the programming is completed and they should open the car and that there is something wrong with "a control unit or something".
When we first got the car, the radio reception was terrible, so it made sense that the RF antenna amp was likely the issue, so I checked all the related fuses and discovered that fuse 8 was missing. After replacing it, my radio reception is spectacular, but the keys still won't open the car via RF. I have wiggled all the connections and made sure that they were stuck to the rear window. Is it possible that the antenna amp can work for the radio but not for the keys, or is there another component or controller somewhere in the car that I should be checking?
When we first got the car, the radio reception was terrible, so it made sense that the RF antenna amp was likely the issue, so I checked all the related fuses and discovered that fuse 8 was missing. After replacing it, my radio reception is spectacular, but the keys still won't open the car via RF. I have wiggled all the connections and made sure that they were stuck to the rear window. Is it possible that the antenna amp can work for the radio but not for the keys, or is there another component or controller somewhere in the car that I should be checking?
I would recommend replacing the amplifier. They're cheap enough used.
