jallison12

I've had my pre-owned wagon a few weeks now. It only came with one smart key. This single point of failure has been nagging in the back on my mind since I got it.

I see several ads on Ebay for smart keys. If I get one will my dealer:

1) Reprogram it for a nominal fee?
2) Reprogram it for an exorbitant fee?
3) Refuse to touch it?

Thanks, jim

tashakes

Answer is 3, buy a new chrome key from one of the dealers that advertise here and be done with it, mine cost $63 delivered, but prices have since gone up, do a search on this forum and you will find part numbers (you need both the key and the blade) and order it, you will also need to send proof of ownership.

Edward.

sosh

Keys from EBay like most of the stuff found there will not work and cannot be programmed by anyone to operate in your car.

Dema

But you can still try them on others. People who lost the keys may forget to ask a dealer to reprogram the system, so the keys may still work.

sosh

Wrong!! You have no idea what you are talking about

Diesel Benz

I guess a smiley was missing from the previous post. If you lose your key and don't do anything, I don't see why it would not continue working if someone found the key, sold it through ebay and the buyer tried the key on your car.

jallison12

Thank you guys. I will order from the dealer.
jim

SUNILP

All mercedes smart keys are VIN SPECIFIC. Even if it was never used, it cannot be used for a car with a different VIN.

jallison12

Thanks again.

At least nobody told me to make sure I don't order the cigarette lighter keys. Those are *really* hard to reprogramme.

jim

ohlord

down on the w210 forum,or post a thread there,he has info on a supply house that has the chrome keys and programs them for you.worth a try.........

Dema

Really? Elaborate, unless you have no idea too.

TECHNICIAN

will not work

FCSmthree

Where did you get your key from?

Thanks

zoomie

I should have read the forum before i bought a key from ebay to find out it DOES NOT WORK!!!! The seller won't refund me. Do NOT buy from ebay!!!

georgedaman

Complain .....if you can. Ebay,Paypal.

tashakes

oempartsdirect.com, I am sure any dealer can match the price if you ask nice. THey did go up in price (they probably caught on to the demand) to around $120.00 or so.

scottster77

oempartsdirect.. best service! good price.. smart key is about $114 and the blade key is about $4.. and shipping fed ex is about $10.. i think.. so bringing the total to $128... from what i can remember.. the key looks freaking awesome... look through the smart key thread for the part number.. i really don't have it off hand...

DO NOT PURCHASE USED KEYS ON EBAY... DEALERS WILL NOT REPROGRAM'
EVEN IF SELLER ON EBAY SAY THEY CAN.. DEALERS WON'T! or CAN'T...
WATCH OUT FOR SHADY EBAYERS!

zoomie

I think the dealers are just *******s like that. How can the key not be reprogrammable?

sosh

Its not that they won't reprogram but it is designed as not to be reprogrammed. Reason, as a security measure and a good one at that. Only the car thieves and you think its a bad idea!!

i12flytoday

I have to agree with SOSH. I like that the key can't / won't be reprogrammed. Think about it, if you can put programming in the key, you can record from the key and put it into another key. So a shady valet has a laptop and does a quick copy while you are wining and dining the woman, or being wined and dined if you are a lady, and your $**k or $***k vehicle disappears from the parking lot, with a copy of your key of course, and finds it's way into a container headed for South America.

So I am VERY happy that you need registration or a title to get a new key.

Of course, they could always tow the car, but the tele-aid people will be happy to look for the car, and they will find it, provided it hasn't left cell coverage area yet. In any case, I'm sure my insurance company is happy about the restrictions as well.

Just my two cents, and a bit of rambling in for good measure.

Wade

csumt76

The dealer does not have the equipment to "reprogram" the key, they come from the PDC's when ordered by VIN etc... and you can't send one back to them and have them do it either. So you buy a new key, programmed for your car. I couldn't tell you how many times I have seen this, be it the owner buying a bogus key or especially shady used car lots just handing over keys that don't belong to the cars. It's a damn shame.

Dogshine

do a search here on best prices for a new key.

Moviela

I was curious to see if a key could be reprogrammed. I did a teardown and cost analysis. It costs about $ 8. to buy the components. The RF and infrared comunications systems used standard parts, but were rather elegant in their execution. The induction power supply was particularly well done. The company that makes the main processor was not sharing the details of the IC for security reasons. That was my invitation to x-ray the chip to see what was going on inside. There is a simple but effective barrier to reprogramming the processor. The memory is a small scratchpad that is programed once by fusable links. The first time you put the data in the chip, a current is passed through selected links vaporizing the wire. There is no way to "repair" the link. Once the key is programmed, it wil fit only one EIS (Electronic Ignition System), and only if the EIS has been programmed to accept the key. If you lose a key the EIS can be told to ignore that key.

My advice is to buy a new key from a forum sponsor. You will need to supply proof of ownership, and have the new key added to the EIS in your car.

Barry45RPM

Nice work, and a really good explanation as to why its a "write once read many times" type of device.

Dema

So did you manage how to hack key and replace write once memory with multi write flash memory to create a universal key? You can x-ray any key, get a map of evaporated links and that program the universal key.