moa4r

2003 e320. been driving it like normal, then all of a sudden the key stops working completely. I unlock the door with the metal key and the car starts screaming. I try to start the car, and the key won't budge (will not turn at all or lock/unlock the car or disarm the alarm)...

roadside came, checked the car battery and the key battery and everything is fine. Car towed to dealer, but still haven't heard back.
oh, and service manager has the nerve to call me and tell me "the car won't start..." , LOL, I'm like no kidding.

anyway, just wondering if this has happened to anyone else and what the problem ended up being.

thanks

U2fast4me

OMG, read this... exactly, exactly same identical problem.
mine is 2003 E500 with 59K miles. It's out of warranty so it'll come out from my own pocket. $1,700 in total. Dealer replaced $960 EIS (Electronic Ignition Switch) and $750 SAM card (Malfuntion display).
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/103843-my-e500-died.html

moa4r

ok, sounds like the EXACT same problem. neither key worked. i'm still under warranty, thank god.

by the way, did they end up towing your car with the flatbed? if they did, how did they roll it on there? The first tow truck that came to me was a flatbed and he couldn't get the car on it bcs it we couldn't get the car out of park. So he brought another kind of tow truck and had to roll it away.

U2fast4me

Yes, got flat bedded, and that's what I wanted to know how they back the car out since non of the elect. worked, so I stayed with the car and learned how he did it.
He popped the console by hand and manually geared to "N" position then used the flat bed & scoop it up from behind....

moa4r

ok, yes, the tow guy mentioned this option to me. there is no manual release unless you remove the console.

krispykrme

my car is showing this symptom as well.

however, even though the key won't turn over. I have the luck of inserting the key in the ignition press the unlock button and the car would start after that.

But my key has about 1/5 chance of sucessfully locking and unlocking the car.

moa4r

hmm, thats interesting. I should try that. now they are replacing the ignition control module, so we'll see if that helps. I wouldn't 4:5 odds of getting stranded, you should take it in to the dealer asap!!

krispykrme

I am dropping off the car tomorrow after getting my wife CLK320 back today (transmission issue, they had to replace the valve body).

Funny thing is that last couple days, when I used the inserting the key into igition method, the car turns over, starts then shut itself down less than 2 second.

In addition, the audio statics has returned in my car (this went away after the euro command installation). For last week or so, when statics shows up, I can no longer turn off the audio even if the command screen is off.

I need to get all these bugs taken care of before I ship the car off to my sister for her graduation gift in about 3 weeks.

moa4r

KK, good luck w/it, going back and forth to the dealer is always a hassle.

btw, do u still have the M5 on order? hopefully you'll have no problems with that car.

moa4r

update: they fixed the problem but scratched up the car's side skirts and fender while towing it. has this happened to anyone else, and what did the dealer do to compensate (besides fixing the car) thanks