Cwagon

On the zip tie thing, that is when people don't want get caught with a locked in place ESL requiring column removal and hacksawing of the bolt.
They just zip tie the ESL somewhere out of the road near the column or onto the column itself.

Ok with your problem it sounds as if the original problem wasn't your ESL but your EIS (electronic ignition switch) .
This most likely explains why your ESL was in the unlocked position.

When mine started playing up it would lock the steering but sometimes if you tapped the column near the ESL it would inlock and start.
So I like you replaced the motor with an eBay one but it never sounded right, was kinda noisey and rough sounding.
I then bit the bullet and sent in the ESL, EIS and key as that is what the repair place wanted, Au$400 here in OZ.
Anyway the new setup is so quiet most of the time you don't even notice it lock or unlock

glhansenjr

Got it, makes sense. in hindsight, sometimes when I would turn the key the car wouldn't start and I thought it was just because the car was older. So I would take the key out put it back in and it would usually start, maybe it would take three times. But it would always start.

But you think it was the EIS?

Cwagon

My repair shop would only do the ESL with the EIS as they said too many times people would bring in only the ESL which they would repair and the people would say problem still there.
So they only repair them as a set using your key.

glhansenjr

Ah, makes sense cwagon.

I guess what I'm asking, is if I do the emulator I am assuming it will be the new pseudo ESL, and pair with the EIS. But what if the EIS is mechanically broken?

Cwagon

If your ESL is locking and unlocking then the problem is most likely your EIS.
I have read, maybe on this forum that the ESL emulator can also fail, but at least your steering isn't locked.
My car was 6 years old with 100,00klms when mine started playing up so I'm happy to use the proper ESL and do the same proper repair in 5-6 years time if needed.

knowbenz

This blows my mind. We have done hundreds of steering locks at this point, and only ONE EIS. There are so many shops out there that arent comfortable with diagnosis and end up replacing both just to be sure they cover everything.

knowbenz

Go read through the thread I started years ago on the ESL, yours failed in the unlocked position, you disconnected the power supply in a failed state so it isn't ever going to work unless you get that fatal error cleared out. We get 50/50 on ones that come in unlocked vs. locked

glhansenjr

Got it, knowbenz, makes sense.

Does the fatal error have to be cleared out by dealership with Star diagnostic? My OBD-II won't read now since car won't turn on.

knowbenz

No, can't clear it with star.

domwild

Since my unsuccessful attempt of changing the motor and then having to send the ESL plus EIS to Australian ECU Repair, I managed to start the car and drive it, but have the following errors:
No RH (driver's side) airbag
No ESP
No answering mobile calls
No run flat indication
So to carry on with the conversation, I will have to go to a stealership with a Sun diagnostic to clear all those errors.

Plus I managed to install the column 180 degrees off as I never marked the column and the rubber receptacle at the fire wall. Why did I have to pull out the entire column I hear you ask? The spline at the universal only went in 5mm rather easily, but then had to be hammered in and I could not see how you can hammer the spline in while the whole system is hanging against the plastic of the armature. Besides, the spline is steel and the universal is alu and the web is full of wailing, whining and the gnashing of teeth, where that approach failed.

As my original German ESL motor failed after 130,000km and 13 years, then the US$4 Chinese motor will fail much earlier and even if it then fails in the unlocked position, I will have to review Aussie MIKEYZ's description how to remove the ESL with the column in. All it needs is an extremely short M14 (?) hex socket, perhaps a turning wheel with that socket inside to turn the ESL bolt loose. But that is still a lot of work. As I still believe in Santa Klaus and a life of 500,000km for Mercs, I will maintain this beast until it falls apart.

karlt10

Curious about those who have had the ESL go bad/freeze-up. Do you tend to park with the wheels facing straight ahead, under no pressure? Or are you often on any type of incline that may cause the column to actually up against the lock when you turn the key?

domwild

Karlt10: The ESL simply locks up because the carbon brushes slowly wear down and hitting the column may just move the brushes a few times until starting is no longer possible. I know because I cut the dead ESL motor open. It has nothing to do with position or incline.

In my case at least it finally failed at home, but under a tree, which keeps dropping big branches, so for the repair I had to build a roof over my beloved Merc! Many owners are not that lucky and get stranded somewhere and have to be towed to a stealership, total cost for the repair: US$1800. The web is full of threats of class action and it is not surprising, that Mercs no longer lock the steering wheel as an anti-theft measure. I am also sure that local locksmiths use US$4 Chinese ESL motors like I did as Merc will not sell genuine German ESL motors, but only sell complete ESL units to dealers (AUS$700?) and not to you, claiming "anti-theft provisions". In other words, you are a thief!

karlt10

Well, but with some cars having it go bad at 50k miles vs some (of same year) never having it go bad, there has to be some variable involved.

glhansenjr

Went with an emulator for $300, local locksmith did it for me. Car started up immediately. ESI and Key were fine.

karlt10

Which emulator did you use?
What exactly is the locksmith doing? What did you ask when calling around?

I'm looking at doing a preemptive swap myself. Assume you had to pull the ignition as well?

glhansenjr

Hi @karlt10

Good questions.

The emulator used is what looked like some cheap thing from China. The locksmith provided it himself. I don't think it matters much where you get it from.

The locksmith takes your key, electronic ignition switch (EIS, the thing you put your key into), and plugs them into his computer. He has software that allows him to reprogram the key/EIS/new emulator so they're all talking to each other. I used a mobile locksmith, so he showed up in his van, worked on the parts in front of my house, and was done in 15 minutes.

When calling around, I Googled "local locksmiths" and just started calling, asking, "I have a 2009 C63, do you do emulators for the electronic steering lock?". About 2/3 of the guys didn't know what I was talking about, so I said thanks anyways and kept calling. The guys who know what it is, know what it is and can quote you a price on the spot. Normal price around here, Bay Area, CA, was $350. I found somebody who would do it for $300 because business has been slow.

Yes, pull the EIS (ignition) out as wel. Simple job. You can YouTube it and find videos of guys doing it in C250, C300, it's all the same. Two flathead screwdrivers and you spin the plastic piece counter clockwise, or buy the EIS Tool on Amazon for $10-20. Once you unscrew that piece, push hard and it unsnaps and pushes back. It's 2 or 3 wires connected to the back of it, with the simple harnesses that you just depress a tab.

aznmode

Can you give me their contact info? I wonder if he can program a new key fob.

glhansenjr

Yep.

He told me keys 2015 and newer must be done at dealership, though.

Here is his contact:
Sean
408-886-9444
goldenkey-locksmith.com

aznmode

I have a 2010 so I guess I'm out of luck. But ill keep his info for future reference. Thank you!

glhansenjr

@aznmode no no, you should be fine. He did mine and I have a 2009.

Only 2015 and NEWER go to dealership. Anything older he can do.

aznmode

Sorry I misread your post. Thanks for correcting me.

twenty-twenty

I consider myself half lucky - just got the ESL failure when I took my GLK to the dealer... it failed while parked outside the dealership, waiting for an unrelated repair. It was the coldest day of this winter to date, so that may have played a role in the ESL failing at that exact time, but it probably saved me from possibly being stranded at some random place in the middle of winter.

Fortunately, the lock failed in the open position and the dealer was very helpful when I told them I've read up on the issue and choose to opt for the cheaper DIY repair. They removed the ESL and gave it to me (they said that I am welcome to fix it myself but they wouldn't do it themselves since it's considered to be part of the car's security system and they are not allowed to mess with it). It seems to be in the unlocked position, so I am hoping that the repair will be simple and solve the problem. New motor ordered and received, I will replace it tonight, then return the fixed ESL to the dealership and hope for the best when they reinstall it... But I wanted to have a plan B just in case, so I have a few questions:

1. In case this doesn't work (i.e. the NEC chip locked itself) is there anyone in the Netherlands (or nearby, with fast shipping) I could buy an emulator from and get it programmed if I end up needing one? The nearest one I could find so far is in the UK and with Brexit and customs, etc. the back and forth shipping would add too much time to this.

2. I haven't seen the inside of the ESL yet, but in case the fix by just replacing the motor works, I wondered if the pin/lip or whatever it's called, the part that does the actual locking could be removed to reduce the strain on the motor, and basically, castrate the ESL and turn it into an emulator? I don't care about not having the steering lock, having a possible second failure and the resulting waste of time and money, etc. later down the road is a bigger concern for me.

3. When opening the ESL, is there any way to tell if it failed in the unlocked or half-unlocked position (which would be more likely to take down the NEC chip with it from what I've read on this thread)?

UPDATE: I replaced the motor, dealer reinstalled the ESL, and everything works - the failed motor was the only thing wrong with it.

Imuzme

Hey guys, great thread. I'm resurrecting it from the dead it seems. I have a 2011 W204. Borrowed time on the ESL I know. I want to do the emulator. Question I have is and I'm hoping someone know the definitive answer. Can the EMULATOR be programmed with the factory MERCEDES software/system (at the dealership)?? Been searching the interwebs and cant find an answer. It seems everyone who has done it, has had it done with the aftermarket programmer.. I have a "hook up" with a Merz tech who is a friend and they will do the swap out for me cheaper than I can send it out for. (buying the emulator and program)

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

IMUZ

alynch

The emulator is not a Mercedes component so it wouldn't be able to be programmed through their STAR system. I suspect there would also be liability concerns with a dealership bypassing a factory system (the ESL).

ItalianJoe1

Even the dealer doesn't "program" the ESL. A new ESL arrives with a special, one-time use, programming key. We install the ESL, put the blue key in the ignition until the LED on it goes out, then the system is synced and you can start the car with the normal key. Those programming keys come from the lock and key center in TX, if you are in North America anyway, and there is nothing the dealership can do with them other than use them as designed. Once used, they are no good and if there was an installation error and the programming fails, you need a new key for the second attempt. Not fun, but they take the security side of things very serious at MB.