I am in a situation I can't seem to figure out. I have 2006 E500 4Matic with 130K miles. I recently had a situation where my key would turn in the ignition. I tried the steering turning to see if it free the key and that didn't work. I tried the gear shift to see if it wasn't it park and that didn't work. I finally jump started the car and it worked right away. The car started. Therefore, I thought I had a bad main battery. Bought a new one and didn't work. Same problem. Tried to jump start again and it worked right away.

Therefore, I am thinking I have a bad EIS. If I had a bad key, my thoughts are it should work at all, even when jump starting. So before I go to the dealer and drop a lot of money on a car with 130K miles on it, any suggestions on how to isolate the problem myself and change it out? Can I buy a used EIS + keys and fix this myself?

 

You lost me in your description.
The key turned in the ignition, but the starter did not engage?
That is the symptom of computer sensing too low battery voltage and since jump solved the issue, that confirms low battery. Did you clean clamps while installing new battery?
Display car voltage on the cluster and than compare how it changes when you turn on all the headlights.
No need to drive to Florida for DAS to do easy voltage testing.
If that doesn't confirm, then you worry.

 

I ordered a new key from dealership and it solved the issue. The dealership discovered that if they held the lock button, the key would turn in the ignition and start.

Thanks for the inputs and problem solved for now.

 

And they did all that without DAS?
Darn spammers they always try to sell you something you don't need.
Good to hear the car works fine again.

 

Plutoe, you might want to have your computer checked for a virus - it seems to be duplicating your posts.

 

no offense mate but youre fairly new and dont know the history between these 2 blokes.

 

frankly AMG - Plutoe is known to me for at least 6 years.
He was annoying different members on benzworld before they ban him.
Pretty evident he is having benzworld withdraws and take them on me.
That beside the fact that I am not easy on spammers, but since he was not spamming on benzworld, I did not have issues with him there.
Bottom line, this is another to the collection of Plutoe's misleading advises.
How low can you go to make a buck?

 

None taken. I've read enough of plutoe's posts to know that it wasn't a mistake that he double posted, but sometimes a gentle nudge is all that is needed to help one extract his head from his nether regions.

Or not.