Ronc26

. . . . actually doubt it since yours so specifically reacted to fob shaking . . .. ..

Ron.s

This is going from a bad dream to a nightmare. Today my Fob failed to do anything but connect with the car for driving. Two times in a row it would not lock even after shaking it hard. The buttons wouldn’t work to lock so I used Mercedes me to lock. Both times when I returned it would not unlock and the hatch wouldn’t work manually or by Fob. Used me to unlock but even then I got an error message that my security code failed....sweat on brow now. Hit unlock again and it unlocked without my input of the security code. Thinking the battery must be weak I held the Fob against the door lock both times. Later in the day everything worked again and the Fob locked and unlocked from a distance and worked three times in a row so it’s not a battery. I have some new issues since the updates last week.

bad habit

@Ron.s at this point your dealer should start throwing in free services for your troubles man

Ronc26

I think your dealer needs to get busier too. You’re on the verge of getting stranded.

As as a side note ours did the no locking with the handle touchpads- so I did the fob shaker thing and for the first time that worked.

GregW / Oregon

So, this seems to be likely related to:

"These keyless systems – granted, they are super convenient – emit a code, which is picked up by the car to allow you to enter and start the vehicle. The problem is that scanning devices used by thieves can also pick up the code even when your key is inside, which is then sent to a booster to repeat it next to the car, unlocking the doors and allowing the push-button ignition to work. Automakers have fought back, using motion sensors to basically turn off the key fob when it hasn’t been moved in a few minutes. When it’s in your pocket or purse, it’s still moving and can be hacked. But when it’s sitting on your end table overnight, it can’t -- at least as long as it has the motion sensor." -- Autoweek

It does seem your fobs must be defective.

DWG4

I came across this while responding to another post on Beware of the hackers !

Mercedes official statement - A spokesman for Mercedes said: “All our Keyless-Go keys can be switched off by pressing the locking button on the key twice and the latest generation of Keyless-Go keys are equipped with a built-in motion sensor. This means that if the key is motionless – for example, in a drawer or on a hook – after two minutes, no Keyless-Go signals are sent out and the signals from the key cannot be hijacked.”

Bad_habit (sorry I don't know how to link to the profile) suggested this may be the reason you have to shake the remote i.e. to re-activate it?

Ron.s

Thats correct but mine aren’t motionless after exiting the vehicle. Mercedes Tech Support says that some Fobs have a defective switch apparently not reactivating correctly with motion. All 4 of mine will almost always work unlocking vs locking so I question that my vehicle may play a role here. I’m waiting to let Mercedes figure this out better since my replacement Fobs were worse than my originals. Apparently most other 2020 GLE owners aren’t having this issue.

bkushner

My service manager says this is the issue with the keys? Not sure if it can be as what would jiggling the key have to do with frequency?

bkushner

Now my service manager is telling me the key is acting NORMAL!!! It's supposed to go dead...

Ron.s

Yes they are supposed to go dead as an anti theft measure. The issue is some of us have keys that don’t wake up like they should. The other issue is they go to sleep while driving-that’s certainly motion. Since some people aren’t having a problem it can’t be considered normal. QC sucks....I have had 4 now and each one is slightly different. One took a gentle shake in my pocket, my present Fob requires a very hard shake in my hand. The run-around begins.

bkushner

Any update on this? Mine are getting worse and it's no longer keyless. I have to pull the key and shake or push button usually only locking. It unlocks fine.

Ron.s

I can’t help but think that part of the problem is something in the vehicle because mine seem to get progressively worse. When my car was new, failures were infrequent.
This past week (like you describe) I’ve had to take mine out and shake it hard or use the button to lock. The other thing-if the Fob is asleep why does it always work to lock, just fails locking?
I’m going to disconnect my battery today to see if that has any effect.
As I reported on another thread Mercedes apparently has a solution but “is waiting on shipment from a supplier”. They might give new production priority over us so we might not get anything soon. At this point my Service Manager doesn’t know if it’s new Fobs and/or something in the vehicle that will be replaced. There is no TSB just short one line answers when he inquires.
If enough people complain it wouldn’t hurt and could speed things up.

tommyr

I've had my GLE for 5 months and I've noticed key fob issues (only when locking) the last 60 days or so. For me, it mostly occurs when the key is in my pants pocket (vs jacket pocket), and if I move my leg a little faster when getting out of the vehicle it almost never fails. So its got to be a lack of adequate sensitivity to motion. What a bizarre issue...

Ron.s

If it’s like mine that won’t work forever. After awhile even shaking it in your pocket doesn’t work.

KJ

Perhaps these remotes go to sleep and wake less easily when the battery power is low? That would explain why many of you don't have issues at first, but the issues get worse with time.

Philamg

Oddly mine has got better, can't remember the last time I had to "wiggle"it.

Ron.s

My Fob battery is new so that’s not the issue. I did a battery disconnect today and there was no difference in the Fob nor any other issues that I could check. I left it disconnected for 1+ minute will try again and wait 10 minutes.

KJ

My battery is new. Most of the time it works fine. Only a few random times it wouldn't lock and I had to lock with remote.

The kick to open the trunk works like 80% of the time. The other 20%, it won't work at all and I'm looking like a dummy kicking my car with no results. LOL

WalterParker

I just picked up my GLE about 3 weeks ago and have experienced this issue and made an appointment with the service department to look at. I subsequently came to this forum to see if others have the issue and got quite an eye opening! My question - when I get out of the car and try to lock it with the sensor, it works maybe half the time. I can walk to the passenger side of the car and it works every time. I originally thought maybe it was a voltage issue on the driver's side. Now after reading these posts, I'm wondering it the act of walking around to the passenger side is "waking up" the fob. Has anyone else tried locking on the passenger side?

Ron.s

I found no difference with any door but only tried a couple of times months ago. To be certain it’s not just one door you might carefully remove it from your pocket, try the driver door and then carefully walk around the car. Mine is at the dealer today and tomorrow with a list of minor glitches to check.
I keep bringing up the fact that there is never a failure unlocking or starting the car except....there have been two times that my Fob would not work, period. Wouldn’t lock, unlock, hatch wouldn’t open-by touch or with the Fob buttons. Unlocked with Mercedes me and everything started working again normally. So is it all the Fob or an internal antenna-sensor-other component also contributing???
Edit-Mentioned previously-Over time the pocket shake has required more force...at times may have to hold it in my hand and shake it hard. I’m sure several people have figured I may be shaking a body part when I grab the pocket and give a jerk or two.😱

user 7208224

I thought I was lucky because I was not experiencing this problem. My luck appears to be running out! It has happened to me several times over the last several days when I try to lock my vehicle. Since my car is now almost 8 months old, I am wondering if it could be the batteries in the FOB starting to get low. Has anyone had any luck after changing batteries? Just thought I would ask before I dug into the manual to find the size and how to change them.

Cbc200

Not had any problems with my fob yet, only had the car 2 weeks so time will tell!

My previous car was a GLC which I had for just over a year.

A few months ago I started to have the same problem with my GLC key - changed the battery and it solved the problem so maybe it could be a battery issue?

Just had a look and it’s easy to change - just push the button in on the back and slide the back off, battery can be slid out.

Philamg

GLC didn't have the go to sleep function a year ago

Cbc200

No it didn’t, but WA3CUJ mentions above that the key has begun to intermittently stop working when trying to lock the car and suggested it could be due to a low battery.

Granted the GLC had a different key but mine began to do the same, changed the battery and it worked perfectly again - perhaps for some the issue isn’t the key going to sleep and not waking.

Maybe it’s worth a try.

GregW / Oregon

Per post #34 it started with 3/18 production.