W211 - 2009 E350 Keyless GO Entry Help
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 15
Likes: 5
E350
W211 - 2009 E350 Keyless GO Entry Help
Team, this has been driving me nuts for months. I've read just about EVERY thread on this topic and I've hit a wall. Keyless entry on my front two doors aren't working. Do you have any advice/help? Thanks in advance!
Front Driver Door: Keyless lock and unlock don't work
Front Passenger Door: Keyless lock works. Keyless unlock doesnt work.
1) Replacement handles: I purchased two used Keyless GO front driver handles on eBay. They don't solve the problem on the Front Driver Door or Front Passenger Door. When I try swapping handles in any order, all the door handles behave the same.
2) Fuses: i checked 21-24 just in case
3) Scan tools: LAUNCH and STAR don't report any related issues
4) STAR didn't show responsiveness from the buttons being pressed
5) When pressing the button, the only one that shows the red light on my remote is the passenger side locking button. The other 3 buttons do not initiate a response on the remote.
I'd welcome your thoughts, questions, ideas, etc. Thanks in advance!
Front Driver Door: Keyless lock and unlock don't work
Front Passenger Door: Keyless lock works. Keyless unlock doesnt work.
1) Replacement handles: I purchased two used Keyless GO front driver handles on eBay. They don't solve the problem on the Front Driver Door or Front Passenger Door. When I try swapping handles in any order, all the door handles behave the same.
2) Fuses: i checked 21-24 just in case
3) Scan tools: LAUNCH and STAR don't report any related issues
4) STAR didn't show responsiveness from the buttons being pressed
5) When pressing the button, the only one that shows the red light on my remote is the passenger side locking button. The other 3 buttons do not initiate a response on the remote.
I'd welcome your thoughts, questions, ideas, etc. Thanks in advance!
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
I'm not surprised the used keyless go handles didn't work. They seem to have a limited lifetime, mine got replaced after about 7 years and about 8 years later, one of them is going again. I would get a new handle although those cost more. Price seems to vary by color, you could always just get some touch up paint to make a black handle match the color of your car.
I would also put in a new battery in your remote. Check the voltage with a meter, sometimes even new batteries are half dead. I always change mine out every 4-6 months. Also when you press the button, check the dash, you'll sometimes see a message like key not detected if the switch is working right. Means dead fob battery or key fob too far away. Maybe you have an antenna problem. Basically it's a bad design, water gets in through the buttons/membrane and ends up corroding the switches inside the handle. The W212 has a better design and the door handles don't end up going bad.
I would also put in a new battery in your remote. Check the voltage with a meter, sometimes even new batteries are half dead. I always change mine out every 4-6 months. Also when you press the button, check the dash, you'll sometimes see a message like key not detected if the switch is working right. Means dead fob battery or key fob too far away. Maybe you have an antenna problem. Basically it's a bad design, water gets in through the buttons/membrane and ends up corroding the switches inside the handle. The W212 has a better design and the door handles don't end up going bad.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 15
Likes: 5
E350
I'm not surprised the used keyless go handles didn't work. They seem to have a limited lifetime, mine got replaced after about 7 years and about 8 years later, one of them is going again. I would get a new handle although those cost more. Price seems to vary by color, you could always just get some touch up paint to make a black handle match the color of your car.
I would also put in a new battery in your remote. Check the voltage with a meter, sometimes even new batteries are half dead. I always change mine out every 4-6 months. Also when you press the button, check the dash, you'll sometimes see a message like key not detected if the switch is working right. Means dead fob battery or key fob too far away. Maybe you have an antenna problem. Basically it's a bad design, water gets in through the buttons/membrane and ends up corroding the switches inside the handle. The W212 has a better design and the door handles don't end up going bad.
I would also put in a new battery in your remote. Check the voltage with a meter, sometimes even new batteries are half dead. I always change mine out every 4-6 months. Also when you press the button, check the dash, you'll sometimes see a message like key not detected if the switch is working right. Means dead fob battery or key fob too far away. Maybe you have an antenna problem. Basically it's a bad design, water gets in through the buttons/membrane and ends up corroding the switches inside the handle. The W212 has a better design and the door handles don't end up going bad.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Did you change the keyfob batteries and what does the dash say when you try the buttons? A bad antenna probably wouldn't trigger any codes. If you knew how to use a meter, you could probably check the switches for continuity. It's a simple switch but they don't really sell replacements. Someone mentioned they managed to swap it with a switch from a fax machine to get the old one going again but to get at the switch you basically have to rip up the rubber membrane so it's questionable how long that type of repair would last.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2022
Posts: 15
Likes: 5
E350
Did you change the keyfob batteries and what does the dash say when you try the buttons? A bad antenna probably wouldn't trigger any codes. If you knew how to use a meter, you could probably check the switches for continuity. It's a simple switch but they don't really sell replacements. Someone mentioned they managed to swap it with a switch from a fax machine to get the old one going again but to get at the switch you basically have to rip up the rubber membrane so it's questionable how long that type of repair would last.
