GL Class (X166) 2013-2015 after facelift became GLS (X166)

Keyless entry works.....sometimes....

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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 09:53 AM
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Keyless entry works.....sometimes....

Sometimes my keyless entry works. Sometimes it doesn't. Should I always be able to walk up to the car with key in hand/pocket and unlock the door? Am I doing something wrong?

I have a video on my phone of me trying to open the locked driver door with my key in hand (I'm considering showing service the video), and it doesn't work. After this one specific instance, I unlocked the car with the unlock button on the fob, and drove home. When I got home, I was able to lock the doors with the button on the door handle, and then unlock it with no issues (all keyless features then worked properly fifteen minutes later).

Am I missing something?

Thank you

Last edited by CAMIV; Nov 13, 2014 at 02:02 PM.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 10:20 AM
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doesn't sound like its functioning properly to me. you should be able to unlock the vehicle by placing you hand on any of the door handles with the key in your pocket.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 02:01 PM
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Thank you for your response. I wasn't sure if there was a part of the process that I was missing. Sometimes all I have to do is put my hand on the handle, and sometimes that doesn't work at all. I end up going with my fob unlock button which always works.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 02:21 PM
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[QUOTE=CAMIV;6229732]Thank you for your response. I wasn't sure if there was a part of the process that I was missing. Sometimes all I have to do is put my hand on the handle, and sometimes that doesn't work at all. I end up going with my fob unlock button which always works.[/QUOTE

hand/fingers in door handle inside is to open without touching outside, hand on the square part on the outside is to lock. Do it together, it confuses the heck out of the system and playing lottery if it will open/lock the way you want it.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 02:28 PM
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"hand/fingers in door handle inside is to open without touching outside, hand on the square part on the outside is to lock. Do it together, it confuses the heck out of the system and playing lottery if it will open/lock the way you want it."

jtse,
Thanks for your response.
I don't touch the square part unless I'm trying to lock it (which works sometimes). There have been times when touching the square locks and unlocks the door (which I found strange), but whatever works.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 03:00 PM
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Somewhere I read about cell phones interfering with Keyless entry, and I have subsequently experienced this myself. Given that you were filming with your cell phone, I suspect that that was the issue that you were having. Keep your phone isolated from where your key is - in a different pocket or such. Hopefully that resolves your problem.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 03:05 PM
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My experience has been that unlocking is best done by touching the top, bottom or back versus anything on the front of the handle.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by JimBarnhart
My experience has been that unlocking is best done by touching the top, bottom or back versus anything on the front of the handle.
Ditto.

And....I simply lightly tap the outside of the door handle with the backside of my fingers when walking away from the truck. Works every time and I never need to really pay attention to the "square" on the door handle....unlike some other makes.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 04:10 PM
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Originally Posted by cadetdrivr
Ditto.

And....I simply lightly tap the outside of the door handle with the backside of my fingers when walking away from the truck. Works every time and I never need to really pay attention to the "square" on the door handle....unlike some other makes.
Ditto your ditto.

I had a E class and now the GL. Both work every time. Pay attention to where your fingers are. I had problems until my sales guy showed me that my (opposable) thumb would make an opposable motion to the one I was trying to make. That fixed it for me. I too tap the door handle with the back of my hand. You can also hip check the outside to lock the car (easy on the E, maybe too high on the truck. Maybe elbow it instead.)

The square is not needed to lock. Press and hold square to roll up windows and close sunroof.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 04:13 PM
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Curiosity got the better of me - yes, elbowing works, and I am wearing a thick sweatshirt.
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Old Nov 13, 2014 | 06:51 PM
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Could be a bad door handle or weak battery in your key. Doubt you're doing anything wrong. The handles are close to being idiot proof and they are (at least on the X164) very easy to change out if there is a problem.
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Old Nov 19, 2014 | 10:23 AM
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I have had intermittent issues as well. I follow the same method every time. I think the system is a bit wonky. Never had this issue on my GLK.
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Old Nov 19, 2014 | 10:46 PM
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The only time my keyless entry doesn't work-that is, just a pull on the handle, is when GL was locked and then not used for 3 or 4 days-strange.
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