MB-BOB

Batteries somehow got jostled in my Smart Key, enough to provide intermittent problems getting the car to lock/unlock with the Smart Key (until I removed and reinserted the batteries, the LED on the key stopped working.) Everything is fine, now, but I had a 5-minute adventure trying to lock the car the other day...

Smart Key doesn't work, so I mentally discuss Chinese fire drill to press the locks on all four doors. (Look around parking lot to see if any of my co-workers in their Toyos will laugh.)

But no, I can open the driver's door and press the central locking button instead. Ooops, it worked to close three doors, but not the open Driver's door. Hmmmm.

No prob, I'll just push the lock knob down and slam the door. No, wait, I can't push the knob down at all. (I didn't want to force it). OK, what now? I could close the door and I'll bet the knob can be pushed. But the window is closed and I won't be able to reach inside to do that. (Brief moment wondering why the knob is there at all.)

Gee, should I leave my new MB unlocked? (Tick, toc..) NO!

Well, time to close the door, remove that metal key from the Smart Key, insert in the door lock tumbler and turn. Viola! It works! Too bad, though, that the itty-bitty nub on the end of that metal key prangs the nice finish on the door handle while turning it.

Bad Form all around. Especially when you return to the car and confront the alarm siren. (One ocassion when you wished the alarm were quieter.)

awiner

One of the first things I did when I took delivery of my car was to pop the metal "Oh Sh*t" key of the smart key and give it a try. I was very careful to observe how close the betal comes to the finish of the car. In my case, the key cleared the finish, but by a very small margin. I used a sanding wheel to take a little material off of the radius of the metal key, then used a wire brush wheel to shine it back up.

Case in point -- Everyone try your metal key not only to see if it rubs, but to make sure it works. I know someone's that DIDNT !

Buellwinkle

Although I don't have the luxury of rear doors in my coupe, when I had 4 door MBs I would lock the front by opening the rear door, pressing the front door locked and then pressing the rear lock down and closing that door. You say why do this! Because back in the '80s they didn't have keyless entries and you still couldn't lock the front doors while they were open.

mbtech208

Sigh, another 203 with bad SmartKeys. This is far and away the biggest problem I have seen yet with the new C-class. The batteries weren't "jostled", Bob. The keys themselves are pieces of crap. Take your car in to the dealer, have them order updated SmartKeys for you. When the keys come in, make sure you bring ALL of your keys with you so the dealer can turn them in for warranty. If the dealer orders you 2 new keys and you only bring one old key in, the dealer can only give you one updated key.

MarkL

MB-Bob, I had some intermittent problems with my smartkey about 7 weeks after I took delivery. I opened the battery compartment, and was surprised at the weak-looking mechanism that holds the batteries in place. I too fooled around w/ the batteries, since the LED did not always work. I ended up replacing the batteries (after I called TeleAid and they suggested letting the dealer do it) and I haven't had a problem since. I'm not sure what the other problems mbtech208 was referring to, but they seem to work fine for me. My car was delivered in August 2001, so maybe I already received the updated keys.

BTW, have you tried re-syncing that back window that wasn't working w/ the one-touch close?

SoCal240/6

Since your car is an '01, you should call your dealer to see what generation key you have. The '01 keys were defective, and are being replaced by dealers. At some point in the '01 run, updated keys started being used. You may have the defective keys.

My key started having intermittent problems like yours. The key eventually died. I started using the spare, which worked for a while, but it eventually died, too.

Had them replaced with updated, everything has been fine.

Won't cost you anything to get updated.

(Also, I understand the problem is something more than a battery problem, supposedly the new key is somehow redesigned).

Richard

Whats the part number of your fixed keys ? Something like
A 203 XXX XXXX

I think you'll find it in the battery compartment [I have a MY00 CLK so different keys]

Maybee we can work out if they changed the part number, ie a definitive list of part # that are dodgy !

R

MB-BOB

My sedan is an Apr. 01 production model. I believe I read in another post that the updated key has an "e" stamped near the I/R window. Mine doesn't.

The keys are on my list to be replaced. I have the "easy entry" feature programmed on my memory seats, with both steering wheel and seat retraction options, but only the steering wheel functions. Worked fine for a couple weeks, then quit. I think (but don't know) that this might be a key issue, too.

MarkL, I can resync the RR window for a while, then it loses sync again, and no more auto close. The sunroof auto tilt close also does not work, so I wonder if a single circuit board controls both pieces of glass. Another item on the list.

The lock/unlock problem is a hard trigger for returning the car and my 'list' to the dealer for warranty service. Every thing else on my list has been minor.