ALRH77

Hi,
Please help me.
My remote key dosen't work.
I press button and not lock/unlock doors.
I see a red ligth in the remote key,
any idea?

Thanks.

RichardM98

Your key may have become 'un-synced'. To sync place it in the ignition. If necessary, redraw the metal key and use it to open the door. The red light on the key should flash briefly when opening the car. If it does not, then the keys batteries are spent. You do not need batteries in the key to operate the car. Just to open the doors by remote.

If syncing does not help you may have a defective key. Try your spare.

ALRH77

Hi, thank you for your help, but I still cant use the remote to open the car.

I already change the remote batteries and when I pressed the remote the car doesn´t open the door, when I pressed the remote for more than 2 seconds a red light flash on the remote, but still dosen´t open the car.

What can I do, any other idea?

RichardM98

Did you place the key in the ignition as I suggested?

ohlord

the blade key to get in. And then charge the cars battery it might be dead.
Remote wont open a dead battery car.

ALRH77

Did you place the key in the ignition as I suggested?

yes, I place the key in the ignition. My car start, no problem. Only lock/unlock defective. Exist a manul re-sync for the key?

RichardM98

No, inserting the key automatically resyncs it to the cars computer.

If you have another key you could try it to rule out your key being defective.

The door locks are operated by a vacuum pump next to the battery. Known as PSE it releases the lock when the ECU gives the signal. It sounds like something may be amiss in that system. You may need to see a dealer.

RichardM98

Also, ohlord's mention of the battery is worth repeating. These cars are sensitive to battery voltage. As a battery begins to fail, there are often 'electronic gremlins' in the car. False error messages on the dash, etc. Before replacing my battery I would get 'Oil level sensor defective' about every third time I started the car. When I replaced the battery all of those disappeared. Any MB battery over 4 years should be suspect although many report 7 or 8 years between replacement.

nelbur

The door located sensors have a tendency to go bad on '97s. They probably take a beating from car doors. Did you try the remote aimed at the inside mirror and/or the trunk keyhole sensor?

ALRH77

I checked fuse read site. Nothing.
I checked procedure re-sync remote key. Nothing.
My car start fine. The ligth green and red of the doors and rear mirror not ligth.
I have'nt other key.
Is a failure remote key?
have I buy other?
Please other idea.
Thanks.

onyxblue97

Hey I have the same car a 97 model and I've had this issue as well.

The fix is pretty simple on the Trunk of the car when you turn the key all the way to the right or left ,,,don't recall right now it puts the car in valet mode and the lights on the mirror dont work and the car does'nt respond to the remote.


All I had to do is take the car of valet mode by putting the key in the trunk
and turning it to the position to open the locks whis was only half a turn not a full turn which is valet mode... that will turn the receiver on the mirror back on...and you ll be all set.

My wife turns the key all the way sometimes when she opens the trunk and will activate valet mode and unknwingly disactivating the keyless entry system.

I will look up the key positions for the trung cyinder in my manual a bit later....you shoul be able to find it in your manual......

This should solve your issue.

ALRH77

Thanks for your help.
I'll try your advice.

Regards.

meche1

It is only intermittent, but it happens almost daily. Key opens car doors, but when inserted into ignition, lights all come on, but no car start when turned.

Replaced ignition switch, key (1 year ago) but problem has occurred again. Do keys go bad this quickly? Battery maybe? Mechanic said it tested good a year ago.

nelbur

Do I understand correctly, that your car cranks but will not actually start? The '97s have a chip in all their keys that are interrogated by an antenna around the cylinder. If the car does not see the chip it will not start, even though it cranks just fine. I have had the chip go bad in one key, and drilled a hole through the flat key so it would hang better on my key ring, and killed the chip on that one. If you have a spare key see if it will work. A flat key will cost only about $35. Everyone needs a spare. The chip in the keys, remote one included, do not get power from the batteries in the remote so that can not be the problem. Some have said that a low car battery will cause starting problems but I have no experience with that.

You said you replaced the cylinder and key a year ago. I suppose you know this but the simple key that came with the new cylinder will not start the car because it does not have the chip in it. It is apparently for use by the technician for installing the cylinder. If the new cylinder matches your old keys try them. I put in a new cylinder and am still using my old remote key along with a new flat key..

tweakrunsthis

Did you ever find a solution to this? I'm in the same situation. Lights no longer light up on any of the sensors. Tried re syncing, swapped batteries. Cant unlock the doors at all. Not even from the trunk. Only capable of locking doors from the trunk or unlocking ONLY the trunk.