Remote opening system failure.
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c180 kompressor 2002, SLK230 2002, C200K Elegance 2000.
Remote opening system failure.
Hi to all,
I have a W203 C200K Manufactured 2000, Elegance that I purchased in a slightly rough condition. There are a few issues I have found but the main ones are the remote RF system and the fuel Gauge, both just don't work. I have checked the fuse no 8 in the boot, and any other suggestion that I could find on the internet. In a last effort to cure the problem, I removed the antenna system from the rear window to test the operations. I have proven that the RF from the remote actually works and is of a signal level similar to the Rf remote in my SLK230. Both remotes are on 315MHz. I have the antenna system that has 2 sections on the rear window that does not include the amplifier in the small metal enclosure that I see is common apparently on the later models. I have tried to test the signal levels through the antenna system using my spectrum analyser but continue to find very low level signals coming from the antenna system. The mass of electronics in the antenna system has, I think 4 amplifiers 1 for cellular phone, one for the 315Mhz remote and the last one or two for the AM / FM radio. This includes some ICs and transistors and associated parts.
My questions are.
Is there any one that knows how these things actually work?
Is the security decoding done in the antenna or elsewhere on the car? ...Reason I ask is that I was going to replace the antenna system with one from a wrecker, but it seems that has already been done, I don't know for sure but the sticky stuff that holds it in in not original and the chap who sold me the car is un-contactable....if the decoding is done at the antenna then it can't work unless it is reprogrammed to suit.....please help My hair is getting thinner !!!!
Thanks
Kevin
I have a W203 C200K Manufactured 2000, Elegance that I purchased in a slightly rough condition. There are a few issues I have found but the main ones are the remote RF system and the fuel Gauge, both just don't work. I have checked the fuse no 8 in the boot, and any other suggestion that I could find on the internet. In a last effort to cure the problem, I removed the antenna system from the rear window to test the operations. I have proven that the RF from the remote actually works and is of a signal level similar to the Rf remote in my SLK230. Both remotes are on 315MHz. I have the antenna system that has 2 sections on the rear window that does not include the amplifier in the small metal enclosure that I see is common apparently on the later models. I have tried to test the signal levels through the antenna system using my spectrum analyser but continue to find very low level signals coming from the antenna system. The mass of electronics in the antenna system has, I think 4 amplifiers 1 for cellular phone, one for the 315Mhz remote and the last one or two for the AM / FM radio. This includes some ICs and transistors and associated parts.
My questions are.
Is there any one that knows how these things actually work?
Is the security decoding done in the antenna or elsewhere on the car? ...Reason I ask is that I was going to replace the antenna system with one from a wrecker, but it seems that has already been done, I don't know for sure but the sticky stuff that holds it in in not original and the chap who sold me the car is un-contactable....if the decoding is done at the antenna then it can't work unless it is reprogrammed to suit.....please help My hair is getting thinner !!!!
Thanks
Kevin
Last edited by kevinjames; Nov 24, 2017 at 05:04 PM. Reason: Spelling
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 4
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c180 kompressor 2002, SLK230 2002, C200K Elegance 2000.
Thanks for the response!
I have now confirmed that the Antenna is the correct part number for my car and it does actually receive the RF signal from the remote, signals just don't get to the front of the cars systems. Antenna was removed and powered up in workshop and the received signal was confirmed by the use of an oscilloscope, at the FSK decoder chip within the antenna system that sticks to the top of the back window.
The rear SAM however is not correct according to the MB software. My car vin no WDC2030452R002138. Build OCT 2000 Rear sam currently fitted to the car is 209 545 21 01, According to EPC Mercedes Benz software the correct part should be A 203 545 47 01, It does not give the HELLA part no.
Can any one offer an alternative MB part or unit as the actual described part seems to be hard to find.
have seen from the MB software that the W203 cars pre 06/2001 had a 4 wire fuel gauge connector and post 06/2001 had a 5 wire fitting with a connection to the sam of the link between the two tank sensors. My car does not have this link to the sam, so that may be the reason why the fuel gauge sits on E all the time.
Thanks
Kevin
I have now confirmed that the Antenna is the correct part number for my car and it does actually receive the RF signal from the remote, signals just don't get to the front of the cars systems. Antenna was removed and powered up in workshop and the received signal was confirmed by the use of an oscilloscope, at the FSK decoder chip within the antenna system that sticks to the top of the back window.
The rear SAM however is not correct according to the MB software. My car vin no WDC2030452R002138. Build OCT 2000 Rear sam currently fitted to the car is 209 545 21 01, According to EPC Mercedes Benz software the correct part should be A 203 545 47 01, It does not give the HELLA part no.
Can any one offer an alternative MB part or unit as the actual described part seems to be hard to find.
have seen from the MB software that the W203 cars pre 06/2001 had a 4 wire fuel gauge connector and post 06/2001 had a 5 wire fitting with a connection to the sam of the link between the two tank sensors. My car does not have this link to the sam, so that may be the reason why the fuel gauge sits on E all the time.
Thanks
Kevin
Last edited by kevinjames; Dec 21, 2017 at 05:16 AM. Reason: typo
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2017
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c180 kompressor 2002, SLK230 2002, C200K Elegance 2000.
Ok, Thank you to all the nice folks for all the information provided.
I can see that the questions I asked must have been too hard. I really thought that there would be folks on here that would have been able to at least point me in the right direction. The folks on the BMW forums were a lot more helpful when I asked regarding some problems I had with my BMW.
I have now answered most of my questions, but still don't have the car going. The "new" rear sam arrived and was installed and the fuel gauge worked but the fuel pump would not, so the engine would not run. A lot of the functions that the rear sam controls are working with either sam unit fitted,
It seems that to get it all working as it should, the rear sam must be programmed by Star to the info/data held in the Mercedes Benz Vin number info file within their systems.
I can see that the questions I asked must have been too hard. I really thought that there would be folks on here that would have been able to at least point me in the right direction. The folks on the BMW forums were a lot more helpful when I asked regarding some problems I had with my BMW.I have now answered most of my questions, but still don't have the car going. The "new" rear sam arrived and was installed and the fuel gauge worked but the fuel pump would not, so the engine would not run. A lot of the functions that the rear sam controls are working with either sam unit fitted,
It seems that to get it all working as it should, the rear sam must be programmed by Star to the info/data held in the Mercedes Benz Vin number info file within their systems.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,494
Likes: 131
From: Cape town
not a merc
Only saw your posts now, You got the antenna working I guess and the decoding is done by the ignition switch EIS, The SAM can be coded for either fuel sender version STD or MAPPS.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2017
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c180 kompressor 2002, SLK230 2002, C200K Elegance 2000.
Thank you Russell,
The SAM I ordered was from a 2001 C200K RHD elegance With M111 engine and auto trans, the SAM I received was from a 2001 LHD Classic with C270 CDI 125KW auto. I particularly ordered the one that came from an almost identical car to mine....but this nice bloke knows it all and has told me that it had the right part number so will work!!!!!!
I transferred the missing fuses and relays from the old one to the new one then fitted it, all work was done with the battery disconnected. Reconnected the Neg terminal. used my icarsoft scanner and deleted all the "funny" codes that you get when reconnecting the battery. Checked the tail and stop lights, then started the engine, it started and ran for a few seconds then would not fire, still cranking over just not firing.. With ignition on, the fuel pump is not getting power. All normal things like stop/tail/reversing lights and the fuel gauge worked. Boot release only works from the drivers door, not from the boot switch. So I put the old unit back in and the car at least starts and runs, so it proved to me that the problems with the remote RF section and the fuel gauge were found but not fixed by the last chap who owned the car, or whoever changed the rear SAM from its original unit.
With the old SAM the error for the fuel Gauge is B10A0 Component B4/2 Right side of tank fuel sensor short or open circuit. with the new SAM this error is not there as the fuel gauge works.....not accurately but it does work.
This has all happened due to the last bloke who had the car did a "few" suspect repairs to the car and it seems that a trip to an MB service center or an independant service center for some coding to the SAM is next.
Thanks
Kevin
The SAM I ordered was from a 2001 C200K RHD elegance With M111 engine and auto trans, the SAM I received was from a 2001 LHD Classic with C270 CDI 125KW auto. I particularly ordered the one that came from an almost identical car to mine....but this nice bloke knows it all and has told me that it had the right part number so will work!!!!!!
I transferred the missing fuses and relays from the old one to the new one then fitted it, all work was done with the battery disconnected. Reconnected the Neg terminal. used my icarsoft scanner and deleted all the "funny" codes that you get when reconnecting the battery. Checked the tail and stop lights, then started the engine, it started and ran for a few seconds then would not fire, still cranking over just not firing.. With ignition on, the fuel pump is not getting power. All normal things like stop/tail/reversing lights and the fuel gauge worked. Boot release only works from the drivers door, not from the boot switch. So I put the old unit back in and the car at least starts and runs, so it proved to me that the problems with the remote RF section and the fuel gauge were found but not fixed by the last chap who owned the car, or whoever changed the rear SAM from its original unit.
With the old SAM the error for the fuel Gauge is B10A0 Component B4/2 Right side of tank fuel sensor short or open circuit. with the new SAM this error is not there as the fuel gauge works.....not accurately but it does work.
This has all happened due to the last bloke who had the car did a "few" suspect repairs to the car and it seems that a trip to an MB service center or an independant service center for some coding to the SAM is next.
Thanks
Kevin
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,494
Likes: 131
From: Cape town
not a merc
Coding will not help the fuel pump issue, unless there is a difference between diesel and petrol versions, but I have never come across this, I actually don't think the Sam electronics has anything to do with fuel pump control it just houses the relay and fuse, maybe check the pins on the new sam if they fitted.
