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I'm that forum lurker that never posts and just consumes and stores away data on this forum for future use concerning my 2014 C63.
Well, it finally happened to me yesterday. Just a mere hour before the 'atmospheric river' rain storm hit my city in northern California I was out doing errands and well, suddenly the car would not start when using the keyless-go button. Removing the button and using the key yielded the same result. The car simply acted like the battery was 100% dead. No radio. No power windows. No lights. Nothing. Only the doors could be locked and unlocked. Car kept stating "key not found". Pretty much all of the hallmarks of any post on this forum if you search for the issue.
After exhausting all available options to diagnose this without access to my ODB reader at home I gave in and called AAA. The rain started soon after. It matched my mood, at least!
The shame.
I correctly diagnosed the problem using my LAUNCH ODB reader and am providing the result below for future forum searchers so they know what to look for:
Now the question I am hoping this forum can help me answer: what is the best company to use for an ESL emulator? I would prefer to go this route given the nature and fallibility of this mechanical device and would not want to get my car bricked on top of a mountain with no cell service in the future.
I recently went through this myself (and also in NorCal). I found a company via the W204 forums that was really fast and helpful after my botched attempt the replace the drive gear. https://www.ebay.com/itm/233911940961
These guys took my call when the emulator didn't seem to work and helped me diagnose that it was a blown fuse (which I was too stupid to check before calling). As soon as I replaced that fuse, the car fired right up.
If you haven't been able to unlock the ESL, that'll suck. The process looks painful, so keep trying to knock it loose. Mine had been showing symptoms that I ignored, but I was luckily able to get it to unlock and then disconnected the battery to retain the open position. All it took for me was a couple whacks on the top of the steering wheel.
The removal of the ESL is pretty simple and many of the guides are accurate. I'm in Fremont and can offer a hand if you'd like.
Good luck!
Edit: Here is the 204 thread that helped get me sorted: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...lots-pics.html
My motor looked much better than the ones shown, yet still failed. I originally tried a new motor, but that didn't work out. In retrospect, it was probably that blown fuse.
Your offer of help would be amazing (I am in Gilroy, not too too far)---but, let me see if I can get this out easily considering it is in the unlocked position.
I feel for you. I'm in similar situation. I was also stuck in a parking lock but managed to get it to unlock by tapping the steering column with the tire iron. It got me home but then it relocked when I turned the car off...that sucked!
I finally got the esl to unlock again after letting it sit a couple days with battery disconnected. I reconnected the battery put the key in gave a few taps to steering column as I turned the key and it unlocked. I promptly went and disconnected the battery again BEFORE turning ignition off and it stayed unlocked.
Now I can't seem to get the thing out. I have the 4 bolts on the column out. Ioutve the esl unplugged and the bolt off the spring loaded stud...but I can't get the unit out!!!
I'm like a cpl mm short on space. I need more room so I guess i need to take more stuff apart.in the dash or I'm getting hun up on something. It's been in this state fir 2 weeks and I'm jonsing for a drive in my hot rod!!!
I also cant decide on emulator or replacing the motor. If i replace the motor im not putting that thing back into the steering column...freakin pain in the ****!!
I replaced the motor for like $20, which isn't the route most people go lol. At the very least 3 years later it's still good.
Fortunately it happened to me in my driveway.......unfortunately the one time I parked diagonally
But honestly I don't remember it being a difficult install? And in fact I believe mine got stuck in the locked position.
Weird, but I guess I can't complain
I think you will need to remove the instrument cluster to get that stuck ESL out.
Since I am going "all out" with an emulator replacement, this is the way to do it with full access to remove the ESL from what I am seeing. Removing the rest of what you did below the steering column allows access to removing the EIS, which is another component I need to remove to program an ESL emulator. Hope that video helps you out!
I've seen this occur more frequently on 08-10 models, not so much on facelift models.
Keep us posted on your progress. Fortunately, I haven't had to deal with this issue yet, but it'll be relieving to see more and more DIY options to skip having to drop $1.5K or so at a dealer to get it sorted out.
Back with an update: apparently the ESL can be stuck in half open states
Well, it has been some time since I embarked on replacing my broken ESL with an emulated ESL. Two weeks actually.
In the course of loosening my steering column from the upper dash to remove the, what I assumed was an unlocked ESL, it turns out that it was, in fact, LOCKED.
What followed was two more weeks of trying to find time between my day job and other life commitments to continue this now expanded task. I had to remove the entire steering column from the car (which is shown in many YouTube videos for easy how-to steps) and the upper steering shaft, which disconnects easily from the lower steering shaft from a simple jointed fitting that only goes in and out in one direction. I'd recommend removing this entirely as it helped me more suitably mark the alignment points of the steering column to that shaft.
For two days I stole an hour here and there to hack-saw off the bolt on the base of the ESL that attaches it to the ESL module bay and then I drilled out the remaining top part of the bolt, amazingly not doing any damage to the column in the process.
I then discovered upon freeing the ESL that it was in a half open state.
This explains the ease by which I was able to steer my car when having it towed. The ESL was bobbing up and down on the latches in that part of the column instead of engaging and stopping the wheel completely. There is zero damage to my steering column at all (see images/video below for proof).
Now, for when others are searching for this issue on this forum, know that there is a middle ground between unlocked and locked for the ESL issue. It can be locked fully to the column AND not engage the locking mechanism fully to the column itself.
I should have my car fully re-assembled (and cleaned/detailed near the dashboard since it's fully open now) within the week once I receive my re-flashed ESL emulator, EIS, and key FOB back from the vendor doing that work.
Good riddance to that failure-prone mechanical ESL!
Last edited by imperativity; 03-26-2023 at 03:50 PM.
I should have my car fully re-assembled (and cleaned/detailed near the dashboard since it's fully open now) within the week once I receive my re-flashed ESL emulator, EIS, and key FOB back from the vendor doing that work.
Did you go with the same vendor that SDR mentioned above? Asking as I will be tackling this preventatively very soon.
My car is alive again with a new ESL emulator installed
Originally Posted by lo-fi
Did you go with the same vendor that SDR mentioned above? Asking as I will be tackling this preventatively very soon.
@lo-fi I did a ton of research and ended up going with Y Tech Automotive Solutions as I liked the minimalist look of their ESL emulator (see pictures below) which was easier for me to bundle into my wiring harness with zip ties.
Their website is https://mbzexperts.com/ and they turned around my emulator in less than 2 business days. Car started up beautifully once installed...bye bye mechanical ESL!
@imperativity thank you so much for this thread and detailed posts. This just happened to my 2012 c63 earlier today! Time to get to work I guess... lol
It is much easier than it looks---if your ESL is locked, make sure to remove the steering wheel first and not after the fact like I did...it was a pain and you definitely need another person to brace the wheel while you turn the 10mm allen bolt off the steering column.
Let me know if you have any questions on the process--happy to help and provide additional pictures I took during this process.
It is much easier than it looks---if your ESL is locked, make sure to remove the steering wheel first and not after the fact like I did...it was a pain and you definitely need another person to brace the wheel while you turn the 10mm allen bolt off the steering column.
Let me know if you have any questions on the process--happy to help and provide additional pictures I took during this process.
Duly noted, yeah my steering is locked. I'm going to get started on it tomorrow. Conveniently this issue happened on the day I decide to change the oil and attempt to drive it for the first time in 5 months... just my luck.
If this is the first or one of only a few times you've experienced the locked wheel, try banging on it a bit. It sounds silly, but beats the extra work. Mine did it a few times and I was able to get it to unlock but turning the wheel while inserting the key and giving it a solid thump from the bottom.
If you can get it unlocked, park it where you'll work on it, leave the key in and then pull the negative cable from the battery to prevent it from locking again. Way easier than the alternative.
If this is the first or one of only a few times you've experienced the locked wheel, try banging on it a bit. It sounds silly, but beats the extra work. Mine did it a few times and I was able to get it to unlock but turning the wheel while inserting the key and giving it a solid thump from the bottom.
If you can get it unlocked, park it where you'll work on it, leave the key in and then pull the negative cable from the battery to prevent it from locking again. Way easier than the alternative.
Thanks for the tip! This is the first time it's happened, I tried banging on the wheel some but couldn't get it unlocked. I put it up on some wheel dollies and pushed it to the back of my garage where it'll sit in time out until I fix it up.
Just getting around to working on this, got the panel off underneath. Banging on the steering wheel isn't working to get the esl unlocked, any tips on where I should hit the column underneath?
Don't know if you got it sorted yet or not... Call Todd at Pressertech in the Atlanta area. He'll sort you out.
Thank you, I couldn't get it unlocked after all, I ended up removing the dash fascia and steering column. Going to be sending my EIS and key to Mike @ MercedesBenzSpecialist.net to get an emulator. Looking forward to hearing that 6.2 again!
03-10-2023, 05:37 PM
The dreaded ESL failure has found my 2014 C63
