Keyless FOB Issues - Unresolved - Mercedes Not Helping
 

I have a 2017 GLE350 we leased as a "New Brass-hat". The keyless entry intermittently acts up. With both keys. None of the doors open with the key in your pocket, or the car provides a key not detected when trying to start.

When the door issues arises you have to manual take the key out and press the unlock button.
When the key not detected message shows you have to remove the push button and insert the key to start the vehicle.

This happens quite often. I have been to the dealer over half a dozen times and they can not duplicate the issue. However as soon as I get the car back I experience the issue. The dealer has gone as far a coding, replacing the control modules, batteries and a new key and still the problem occurs.

I have over 20 videos of the issue and have provided this to the dealer as information. This issue reoccured as recently as tonight, and I made sure to produce a video as I have every time the issue continues to occur.

I contacted Mercedes Benz customer service to receive absolutely no assistance. The eastern region rep only provided apologizes and said there is nothing we can do if we are unable to duplicate the issue. I explained to him that I have documented the issue via video on multiple occasions and provided it to my dealer as evidence that I am not making up the issue. I further explained the keyless entry is an important function as we have two children ages 4 and 1 whom make keyless entry a must have feature. When I inquired what would be my options of the issue could not be resolved I was told there would be nothing further Mercedes could do. When I was told that I then requested to invoke my lemon rights as I don't want to be stuck with an unrepairable issue. The rep filed my request and my lemon was denied.

I am not sure what to do next. I just want the problem resolved? The latest advice from my dealer was to carry my keys around in anti static bags. Any advice on what could be the issue or how to get Mercedes to fairly consider the issue with the vehicle?

Bad door handle most likely culprit. Failed/failing receiver/antenna in the door next most likely culprit. FWIW, I have the same issue on my car but $205 for a door handle is not worth it for me. I can pull out the key fob and press a button. And I raised children in the days when one had to actually insert a metal key into the door to unlock the car.

When the issue occurs I try all the doors and none of them open. Is there a single antenna or an antenna for each door?

Is your vehicle within the warranty period and mileage? If it is, isn't this covered under warranty. Maybe I don't understand what you mean by a brass hat. What is a new brass hat?

I too have no idea what you mean by a "new brass hat." I believe each door has an antenna; I had this exact sam problem on a Cadillac STS and the solution was to replace those antennas.

I started having the same issue on my ML350 2012 recently. I have just noticed that the problem seems to be related to my VIOFO a129 dashcam which I received for Christmas. I installed it on Fuse 21 on the passenger side fuse panel. (Audio Radio Command) When the dashcam is connected my key responds intermittently but when disconneted than all is well. Not sure if this helps but may give some ideas. Perhaps you had something installed or whatever. Perhaps my dashcam GPS is interfering.
I will keep you posted when I find out more.

I am having the issue in my 2016 C300, but only the door part... It has been random and only a couple days so far (I have only owned the car a week). Where are the antennas located?

I can only speak for the W211...each rear door has a Keyless-Go (KG) door control module with antenna; when the door handle on that side is pulled, the KG door control module on that side will transmit an RF signal to the key fob. The key fob responds with its own transmission; this transmission is received by the rear window antenna which is located on the passenger-side C-pillar. That signal is then routed to the antenna amplifier module and further routed to the KG module (N102) in the left side of the trunk. This module then communicates over the CAN bus to the EIS which verifies the key fob rolling code is valid. If so, the EIS transmits an "unlock" command to the door latches and to the KG door module to pop the door open.

FWIW, the KG module N102 also routes signals from the antenna located on the rear bumper, the hard-wired trunk release lever over the license plate (pull the trunk release latch and the bumper antenna will "ping" the key fob), and an antenna located in the trunk (might be able to see it in the left front of the trunk when you pull the spare tire; it's sort of under the carpet edge). There is also an additional Interior Compartment module (N103) with antenna located in the center console that lets the system know the key fob is located inside the car. Pretty complicated system...you can verify the door latches that pop the doors open are working correctly with STAR under EIS/Actuations. At least that might tell you if the problem is upstream of the KG door modules.

Another trouble-shooting technique: when you pull the door handle, the KG door control module should transmit to the key fob; when this occurs, the key fob LED should light up to indicate it is being "pinged" by the KG door control module.

did you ever figure this out. Mine went out completely after no issues for 2 years except kept saying I needed to change my fob battery's. I just purchased all 3 parts the antenna, the modular and the new push button. ruled out battery's changed all new. fob works great except keyless go.

Door handles are known to go bad. Have you replaced any door handles? Does Keyless Go work on any doors?

Is there any correllation between the locking system acting up and the location where you're parked? That is, it happens frequently in your driveway, but never at the dealer?

trivial nonsense...
 

I used to get the same nonsense when my car was new under warranty. The dealer was only focused on excellent surveys and free car wash. My new Benz KGo kept acting up like a used Kia lemon 🍋...

I quickly got tired of the round robin game and cornerered the fix myself with a simple TSB printout (4x DCU update).
In addition I later discovered the main Keyless module is subject to poor connection issues.

FYI beware of the main battery drain when Keyless stays awake looking for keys by pinging door modules gone crazy. OEM Battery alone is a $700 charge... without any KGo consideration.

Check out this TSB about your GLE-350 '17: Batt DRAIN!!... so far I don't see the keywork "KEYLESS" - You need to read through all result titles, help yourself at tsbsearch dot com at no cost.

Knowledge is power, now you're no longer helpless.
:zoom:

I just went through this. What I learned is that many of the coin batteries you can buy in bulk online are junk. They're either factory seconds, close to expiration, or counterfeit.

I went through several Energizer batteries I bought online. They'd work for a short while and then I'd see the "Replace key battery" message again. After the first time, I used a meter to check the battery before I put it in and again after I took it out. The car isn't wrong. The batteries go in > 3V and when I remove them after the car complains they're < 3v, which is too low.

I now have a Panasonic battery in there. The package was marked with an expiration of 2029. If expiration isn't at least 5 years off then don't use it.

If the battery is low enough it's plausible that the car will no longer detect it, which will prevent keyless go. But, in that state you might still be able to push the fob buttons to lock/unlock the car.

I suggest doing the simplest thing first. Make sure you have a good battery in the fob. If in doubt take the battery out and meter it. If it's < 3v it's no good.

I know this was a while ago, but did you resolve the issue?

And, one other question - had you recently started wearing an apple watch?

I asked in an earlier post several months back if this problem is location dependent, but nobody ever replied. Several years ago, a Navy ship docked near Bremerton, WA for several days, and during its entire layover time in port, ALL the automotive wireless locking systems in the area stopped working. When the ship left, all the locking systems resumed operation. These locking systems operate on frequencies (315MHz and 433MHz) that are cluttered with all kinds of garbage like garage door openers, radio controlled toys, etc. that are supposed to be limited in power and transmitting interval, but many times violate the rules. If the locking system works at the dealership, but not in your driveway, this should provide some clue as to what's going on.