Please help. Car laid up for a year, now will not recognise either key
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 29
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'19 w213 e63s Kombi, '94 w202 c280 (320) drift car
Please help. Car laid up for a year, now will not recognise either key
Hi, I really hope you can help, as I need to get this car out of my barn.
I parked my '98 E430 kombi in my barn about a year ago. It ran fine when parked up. Battery was removed, one key left in ignition.
Today I put on a fresh battery, but the car will not accept the key.
Both keys will lock and unlock the doors remotely, but when I insert either in the ignition, there is no electronic clunk, and I cannot turn the ignition.
Anyone got any ideas please?
I will owe many virtual beers!
I parked my '98 E430 kombi in my barn about a year ago. It ran fine when parked up. Battery was removed, one key left in ignition.
Today I put on a fresh battery, but the car will not accept the key.
Both keys will lock and unlock the doors remotely, but when I insert either in the ignition, there is no electronic clunk, and I cannot turn the ignition.
Anyone got any ideas please?
I will owe many virtual beers!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 29
Likes: 1
'19 w213 e63s Kombi, '94 w202 c280 (320) drift car
Hi Paul, thanks for the reply.
I haven't put in new batteries, but from my understanding, the batteries power the remote part (which works fine with both keys), and a coil powers the key from the ignition bezel when you insert the key.
I will try changing the batteries in the morning though - would be great if that fixes it!
I haven't put in new batteries, but from my understanding, the batteries power the remote part (which works fine with both keys), and a coil powers the key from the ignition bezel when you insert the key.
I will try changing the batteries in the morning though - would be great if that fixes it!
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From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Ditto on remote batteries having nothing to do with key transporder.
Both key don't work?
It is possible that leaving key in ignition while disconnecting battery you lost rolling codes, but the other key should work.
If not, that leaves ignition switch.
Suppose when you buy used IS with 2 keys as a set on ebay, that should be straight forward swap.
Contact Deplore for details as he is guru in those things.
Both key don't work?
It is possible that leaving key in ignition while disconnecting battery you lost rolling codes, but the other key should work.
If not, that leaves ignition switch.
Suppose when you buy used IS with 2 keys as a set on ebay, that should be straight forward swap.
Contact Deplore for details as he is guru in those things.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,939
Likes: 178
From: Seattle WA
99 E320
verify that 'fresh' (car?) battery means it is putting out good voltage under cranking.
i'm saying this because I don't know how you've determined it was fresh (which
is a generic description)
you have a Smartkey, right? have you tried inserting the key and leaving it in
position 0 for about 15 mins (no charger hooked up)? go and have lunch. come
back and try turning the key again.
i'm saying this because I don't know how you've determined it was fresh (which
is a generic description)
you have a Smartkey, right? have you tried inserting the key and leaving it in
position 0 for about 15 mins (no charger hooked up)? go and have lunch. come
back and try turning the key again.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 29
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'19 w213 e63s Kombi, '94 w202 c280 (320) drift car
Thanks for your quick replies!
Well, I tried all of the above.
New key battery, left it in the ignition for a while, nothing. Same with either key, and I know they both worked before the car was laid up.
The battery I know is good, as I used the one from my wifes CLK, which was replaced fairly recently. I put it back on her car as she needed it this morning, and it started straight up.
Arrrgh!
The e430 is to be scrapped, so I really don't want to spend anything on it buying a new IS set. Trouble is I wanted to take the engine, box and all the electronics to make it work out of the car ready to go into a silly project - the plan for simplicity was to use the ignition in the project car. May have to rethink that now...
Anything else obvious I could have missed?
Well, I tried all of the above.
New key battery, left it in the ignition for a while, nothing. Same with either key, and I know they both worked before the car was laid up.
The battery I know is good, as I used the one from my wifes CLK, which was replaced fairly recently. I put it back on her car as she needed it this morning, and it started straight up.
Arrrgh!
The e430 is to be scrapped, so I really don't want to spend anything on it buying a new IS set. Trouble is I wanted to take the engine, box and all the electronics to make it work out of the car ready to go into a silly project - the plan for simplicity was to use the ignition in the project car. May have to rethink that now...
Anything else obvious I could have missed?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 5,939
Likes: 178
From: Seattle WA
99 E320
eh, since it's free, try using a LITTLE dab of white tooth paste to polish the
IR window on the key. buff, then try to start car again. long shot but cheap
and easy
the other thing which will cost nothing is to simply leave good battery in car,
insert Smartkey into ignition and leave for a couple of hours or overnight if
your car is in a secure place.
IR window on the key. buff, then try to start car again. long shot but cheap
and easy
the other thing which will cost nothing is to simply leave good battery in car,
insert Smartkey into ignition and leave for a couple of hours or overnight if
your car is in a secure place.
Last edited by raymond g-; Nov 4, 2016 at 02:07 PM.
