Smart Key will unlock doors but will not start vehicle
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 92
Likes: 13
From: Six Mile, SC
2018 SL450
Smart Key will unlock doors but will not start vehicle
[posted in the General discussion forum, by error I think -- it's better suited here. Moderator, feel free to delete from the general discussion forum.]
Hi all,
I had to get Roadside Assistance when, 20 miles from home, my Smart Key would all of a sudden not work -- turning it to the start position produced no effect whatsoever. [My GLK uses a Smart Key and does not have push buttom start.] I knew the failure was not caused by the Smart Key battery, as the doors would lock and unlock at will (that's what the smart key battery does). Roadside assist determined that my GLK's battery was perfect, and concluded that for some reason the Smart Key was not communicating with the car's ignition anymore. They ordered a tow home ($165!! thankfully paid by Roadside Assist) and when I tried my second Smart Key it worked perfectly.
My questions are:
1) Does this happen routinely enough that I should always carry both Smart Keys with me?
2) What makes this happen?
3) I have an appointment with the dealer to drop off the car in three days. They will attempt to reprogram the Smart Key, and told me that if that fails they may even have to order one from Germany. Is it true that these keys are not even available locally?
Thanks for any info.
Hi all,
I had to get Roadside Assistance when, 20 miles from home, my Smart Key would all of a sudden not work -- turning it to the start position produced no effect whatsoever. [My GLK uses a Smart Key and does not have push buttom start.] I knew the failure was not caused by the Smart Key battery, as the doors would lock and unlock at will (that's what the smart key battery does). Roadside assist determined that my GLK's battery was perfect, and concluded that for some reason the Smart Key was not communicating with the car's ignition anymore. They ordered a tow home ($165!! thankfully paid by Roadside Assist) and when I tried my second Smart Key it worked perfectly.
My questions are:
1) Does this happen routinely enough that I should always carry both Smart Keys with me?
2) What makes this happen?
3) I have an appointment with the dealer to drop off the car in three days. They will attempt to reprogram the Smart Key, and told me that if that fails they may even have to order one from Germany. Is it true that these keys are not even available locally?
Thanks for any info.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 92
Likes: 13
From: Six Mile, SC
2018 SL450
Just brought the car in. The Smart Key needs to be replaced -- circuitry must have been defective, and the circuit somehow got broken. 3 days turnaround, they say -- so they must be getting a new blank in Texas, not Germany, just as Plutoe says. Then they reprogram it to my GLK at the dealership.
I did ask the tech if I should always carry both Smart Keys just in case. He said no, this was the equivalent of a lightning strike, it will likely not happen again.
40 minute delay at the dealership today, though they did give me a car wash... Likely 40 more minutes when I get the new blank reprogrammed. This is the only thing that has gone wrong with my GLK in 27K miles, so I don't feel too bad -- and I do appreciate Roadside Assist's having towed me all the way home when the original Smart Key went bad.
I did ask the tech if I should always carry both Smart Keys just in case. He said no, this was the equivalent of a lightning strike, it will likely not happen again.
40 minute delay at the dealership today, though they did give me a car wash... Likely 40 more minutes when I get the new blank reprogrammed. This is the only thing that has gone wrong with my GLK in 27K miles, so I don't feel too bad -- and I do appreciate Roadside Assist's having towed me all the way home when the original Smart Key went bad.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 92
Likes: 13
From: Six Mile, SC
2018 SL450
Final recap. The new smart key came in (Friday to Monday -- not bad). One hour labor (including another car wash) and it was programmed to the GLK.
I am interested in knowing if others have had this problem. We travel a lot with the GLK and I wonder if I should always carry both Smart Keys. I have been led to believe by the dealership that this event was totally anomalous.
I am interested in knowing if others have had this problem. We travel a lot with the GLK and I wonder if I should always carry both Smart Keys. I have been led to believe by the dealership that this event was totally anomalous.
Member
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 192
Likes: 15
From: Cincinnati, Ohio
mb, saab, acura, dodge
I have a customer that had his go out in the middle of winter, 04 CL 55. Alarm going off in driveway until battery went dead. Towed to dealer, ecu, key, etc. needed replaced. $2200.
So I'd take both!
So I'd take both!
