C350 W204 Ignition Switch Back Ordered
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
C350
C350 W204 Ignition Switch Back Ordered
My car is unable to start and the EIS is the supposed culprit. This is a Theft Relevant Part, and therefore can only be ordered from Mercedes as it is matched to my VIN as I’ve been told. This part is on back order with no ETA and I’ve been told it could be months or more before a replacement is available. Does anyone have thoughts on alternate options?
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 765
Likes: 171
From: Walnut Creek, CA
325Ci, 325Cic, C300
You sure it's the EIS and not the ESL? Lots of stories here where dealers are swapping out the EIS when they didn't have to.
Describe your problem here so the group can decide. May not be as bad as the dealer is making it out to be.
Describe your problem here so the group can decide. May not be as bad as the dealer is making it out to be.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
C350
The diagnosis was done at a European Car Shop, not the dealership. They said they could not say for sure whether it was the ESL or EIS and the repair note says to replace both. The head mechanic said that out of all of the times they’ve seen this issue it has been the EIS except once. The plan was to replace the EIS and if that didn’t work then replace the ESL. I watched a lot of YouTube videos on the ESL failure clicking when trying to start, which mine does not, and also tapped on the steering column to try and get it to start, which it didn’t. My car ignition system has been showing signs of failure for a couple years now, requiring me to remove the key and try again. That worked up until recently. The symptom is when I insert the key, the ESL does not unlock, a message reads “please remove key” and the instrument lights light up. When you turn the key nothing else happens. The ESL is in stock, but the repair job on that is 1500$ and I don’t want to spend that money if the EIS is that actual issue. Since my steering is currently locked, the column will need to be removed and break the ESL to replace it, which makes the job harder.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
2014 C300 4MATIC Sport
My car is unable to start and the EIS is the supposed culprit. This is a Theft Relevant Part, and therefore can only be ordered from Mercedes as it is matched to my VIN as I’ve been told. This part is on back order with no ETA and I’ve been told it could be months or more before a replacement is available. Does anyone have thoughts on alternate options?
Trending Topics
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,229
Likes: 188
From: Toronto
2022 E53 AMG
The problem with the Mercedes ESL is that it has a plastic move arm inside the unit. There is a guy in Toronto that can come right to your home and open the unit and replace the part. There is another way around this and that is to install an ESL emulator which takes away the moving part but does the same work by sending a signal that the key is in the slot or near the car. This emulates the movement of the plastic part and replaces it with a signal instead.
https://vepro.ca/product/mercedes-w2...gaAlxUEALw_wcB
https://vepro.ca/product/mercedes-w2...gaAlxUEALw_wcB
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
C350
The explanation Cosworth provided is a common issue with the ESL and you can typically diagnose this with a clicking noise. However, such as in my case, not all ESL failures are due to the mechanical failure of the unit. In these occurrences I was unable to get a straight answer on how to diagnose whether ESL or EIS has failed.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
2014 C300 4MATIC Sport
My car demonstrated the EXACT same symptoms that Carl described. I really hope I haven't been waiting 3 months (and still waiting indefinitely!!) for a part that isn't the culprit.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,494
Likes: 131
From: Cape town
not a merc
Its pretty simple with the right tools..
ESL failure always has a fault code that relates to the signal to the lock. Sometimes the relays will click inside the ESL if the motor has failed and the lock is already at its ends stops. Either fully locked or unlocked. When the motor fails and the lock is not end at its end stops the ESL detects the fault and completely disables the lock never to work again. Only way is replacement. 95% of the time its the ESL at fault. But I have seen lately the EIS units are starting to fail as these cars age.
a quick check of actual values on xentry combined if any faults will quickly tell you which part has failed.
Good luck
ESL failure always has a fault code that relates to the signal to the lock. Sometimes the relays will click inside the ESL if the motor has failed and the lock is already at its ends stops. Either fully locked or unlocked. When the motor fails and the lock is not end at its end stops the ESL detects the fault and completely disables the lock never to work again. Only way is replacement. 95% of the time its the ESL at fault. But I have seen lately the EIS units are starting to fail as these cars age.
a quick check of actual values on xentry combined if any faults will quickly tell you which part has failed.
Good luck
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 604
Likes: 29
From: SA
2008 C350-Sport-AMG-Active Agility Pack(Not reliable) +Izuzu KB6 3L(It seems Reliable)+Mazda
They replaced the EIS on myne(Most expensive), it was not that then replaced the ESL which solved the problem, I could see dates on invoice, under gurantee. It took 3 weeks to do this. 2008 model. It was probably in the early days of this very common later (Class action type failure). This failure completely destroyed my trust in Mercedes, so will never buy one again, went back to Japanese.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 4,761
Likes: 566
From: Milwaukee, WI
2010 C300 4MATIC........ 2011 C63 AMG.............. 2015 CLS400 4MATIC.....
Well for future reference for anyone - always replace the ESL first because it's the culprit 95% of the time.
I replaced the motor for $20 and about 2 hours in my driveway but most people do the emulator.
I replaced the motor for $20 and about 2 hours in my driveway but most people do the emulator.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Florida
2014 MERCEDES BENZ C300 4MATIC
2014 C300 Faulty ignition switch
My car is unable to start and the EIS is the supposed culprit. This is a Theft Relevant Part, and therefore can only be ordered from Mercedes as it is matched to my VIN as I’ve been told. This part is on back order with no ETA and I’ve been told it could be months or more before a replacement is available. Does anyone have thoughts on alternate options?
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
2014 C300 4MATIC Sport
Last week I was just given an ETA of April 28, finally. Mine has been at the dealership since December 2022. I was quoted $3100. But my dealership has given me a loaner for the entire time so, there’s that.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Florida
2014 MERCEDES BENZ C300 4MATIC
Re: ETA on ignition switch
I'm happy that you were given a loaner, as I know how difficult it has been for me to be dependant on others . I had to register my 9 year old for the school bus , which was not something I wanted to do, I've always taken her and picked her up. My husband has a work truck for his business , which he always is using and I don't have relatives or friends close by, so getting around has been minimal. My SA told me he had me down for the next vehicle loaner that was returned and when I inquired as to why I hadn't been given one , he just said he gave them out to others. What State are you in? The $3100 quote you received is that for The EIS part/programming /replacing ? So I guess my $2800 quote isn't as obscene as I thought.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
2014 C300 4MATIC Sport
I just spoke to the parts manager at my dealership. Apparently there are over 600 orders for the EIS right now that are on back order. He said "we have 2 facilities in Ukraine that aren't there anymore." Mercedes had to cancel a bunch of the orders. Luckily, mine wasn't cancelled but currently there is no lead time on the part. Crazy.
Newbie
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 6
Likes: 1
c300
2009 C300...towed on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving 2022) to a local foreign repair business we have used many times before. Cannot get part as only available for repair at MB dealership. So it was sent out for re-built which they said they had done before. Well after 2 different times of trying, the car was towed to a MB dealership. They had it for several weeks and when I questioned about a loaner they wanted us to tow it back home since there was no ETA for the part. So now we have a car that has been out of commission since November 23, 2022 and no date when it will be driveable (now its June 2, 2023). I feel that MB should not charge us for the repair...we should get some compensation.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Florida
2014 MERCEDES BENZ C300 4MATIC
Still waiting
It's June 2023, and i still have not received my car back from the local dealership. They have had it since 1/10/2023, waiting on an ignition switch from Germany. Still no loaner vehicle for me either. Spoke to my SA few weeks ago and he told me that Germany was holding on to some parts because of shortage. So what exactly does that mean? They are hoarding parts to pick and choose who gets them? I have been without my car (2014 C300 4 Matic 70k) since Nov 2022. At this point I'm seriously considering doing the emulator thingy. Can anyone tell me anything about it and , outside of my steering wheel not locking anymore which I don't care about at this point, is there any other undesirable effects to this?
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
From: Florida
2014 MERCEDES BENZ C300 4MATIC
Same
2009 C300...towed on Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving 2022) to a local foreign repair business we have used many times before. Cannot get part as only available for repair at MB dealership. So it was sent out for re-built which they said they had done before. Well after 2 different times of trying, the car was towed to a MB dealership. They had it for several weeks and when I questioned about a loaner they wanted us to tow it back home since there was no ETA for the part. So now we have a car that has been out of commission since November 23, 2022 and no date when it will be driveable (now its June 2, 2023). I feel that MB should not charge us for the repair...we should get some compensation.
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Illinois
2014 C300 4MATIC Sport
After 7 months, my car is fixed and back home! They told me that they couldn't provide a loaner because there is no ETA on the EIS. I think it turned some heads in the shop when I returned my loaner and had to Uber home because the next morning they called me and said they replaced the ESL and it was fixed. I believe someone who knows what they're doing got wind of what was going on and made the suggestion. 7 months for what could have been 1 day.
