Does Mercedes not believe in chivalry in the warm summer months?
So basically if you want to be a gentleman and open the door for a girl on a very hot summer day is there no way to engage the summer ventilation feature from the front passenger door handle?
I guess Mercedes does not believe in chivalry
How much did they really save by not having the IR sensor on the front passenger door handle 
On the plus side as your passenger is in the car and baking in the hot heat, the IR port on the driver's side door handle lets you ventilate the car before YOU get in

Another option would be to let her drive, sounds a bit scary though but then the summer convenience function would work at her side of the car.
Seriously, I think a W210 still had IR sensors on both door handles. The 221 could have it even if the E-class did not (it was gone by 211 I believe).
EDIT: I thought this was on the 221 forum, I should fix the above as if it was perhaps OK if the 204 did not have IR sensors on both front doors but the 211, 212 etc. should have it.
It is a very big step (for me).Even if I let her drive the point is it is nice to take care of a woman you are out with and opening the door is a simple act of care and respect. Ventilating the car so it is cooler and she's comfortable just shows that you care... Apparently not possible on a W211... Pretty disappointing.


Let me guess; the few seconds saved by going passenger side is going to get you ....drum roll please...(your wishes here)............


P.S.
Park it it such a way that you can access the driver's side IR prior to opening the passenger's side.
So basically if you want to be a gentleman and open the door for a girl on a very hot summer day is there no way to engage the summer ventilation feature from the front passenger door handle?
I guess Mercedes does not believe in chivalry
How much did they really save by not having the IR sensor on the front passenger door handle 
On the plus side as your passenger is in the car and baking in the hot heat, the IR port on the driver's side door handle lets you ventilate the car before YOU get in

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Just sayin....
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Mine is a 2007 E550. Wow so Mercedes actually deconted the passenger side IR sensor... A little unbelievable.
Are people who work for such large concerns like Daimler Benz, just dumb, lazy or in our country, excuse the phrase, never mind, I can't say it.
Thanks once again.
The 2007 E550 has been solid and reliable so far... Except for the recent $4,000+ repair to fix the engine gear defect... That has been the most expensive "check engine light" I've ever had

You have no idea how many of the pre 2006 electronics in the 211s failed... or how unpredictably. This entire forum represents a fortune made by someone, built on the failure rate of components of the pre 2006 E Class. It (the 211 Forum) was originally a means to find ways to keep these cars on the road... not so much as a place to gather customizing tips.
Yes, MB saved some money by deleting certain things, but they did so primarily as a quick way to make these cars more reliable.. as quickly as possible. Originally these 211s were "overthought and overwrought" and poorly sourced and executed... and nobody knew how to fix them, because the replacement parts were just as bad as the parts they were replaceing.
...even right now, my IR "summer opening feature" works beautifully in the service department tunnel or outside at night, but rarely during the day in bright sunlight. Changing the IR handle sensor would solve the problem, but that is one item that regularly fails eventually on all of these cars.
My signature is cryptic but satisfying to me... and I've been here since 2003 about 2 months after I got my 2004 E.

Yup... the 2007 were damn near perfect. So much so, that MB started adding things back into them in 2008 & 2009.
Most of it in order to make Sirius, phone, etc., standard equipment.
The worst was the change to the really awful only black, tan, and gray interiors.
Anyone know the specific button press combination to trigger the summer ventilation feature from the passenger door handle? At least I now know it is possible... Just need to figure what exactly what I did to trigger it...












