thejeremywhite

I have a 2013 W166 BlueTEC starts by itself while parked and locked. This has only happened to my girlfriend. The key fob was within range in each instance. I have never witnessed it. However, it happened to the service manager at my local Mercedes dealer when it was in for service. It was scanned immediately and no codes or anything were found. The manager emailed and called several other Tech's around the country and nobody has heard of this problem.
I wish I knew how it was happening so I could do it on purpose since Mercedes doesn't offer the remote start option.
Thanks in advance.

midcityeng

Hi Jeremy - did you buy this vehicle brand new or pre-owned? The reason we ask is because there is a chance that maybe you bought it pre-owned and it came with one of our remote starters already in it, unbeknownst to you. The easiest way to test this would be to go outside within factory key range of your vehicle, and to quickly just tap / press the panic button on your key. (Don't hold the panic button down, just press it for a brief moment).
If it starts up after pressing that panic button, chances are that you're the owner of a SmartKey Starter for your vehicle.
www.smartkeystarter.com
www.midcityengineering.com

thejeremywhite

Unfortunately it does not have a SmartKey Starter. I have tried every variation of pressing the panic button and it didn't start. I locked the doors, unlocked them, stood outside of the vehicle, sat inside the vehicle etc.. Thank you for including the link for smart key starter. It is now on my list for upgrades.

thejeremywhite

After telling my girlfriend what you replied to my post about the smartkey, she told me that yesterday when the car started by itself, she actually pressed the panic button. We have an air horn and her nieces and nephews wanted to hear it. She said she was trying to set off the panic alarm and instead the car started. So, I was wondering if we did have the smart key installed and maybe it is malfunctioning. Where would I find the smartkey module? I'm sure it must be installed in a typical location.

midcityeng

Hi Jeremy, give us a call at our shop during normal business hours -- M-F 10am-6pm CST -- at 312.421.1114 and select option 2 for support. We can help walk through this situation with you.

thejeremywhite

Spoke with Mid City support today, and it appears I do not have the SmartKey Starter. So, I'm left trying to figure out how this thing is starting by itself.

thejeremywhite

My girlfriend and I are in Europe for a week and left the ML350 with a friend. he has discovered that if you hold the lock button for 1 second and then press it three times consecutively after that the vehicle will start us off. If you get in and press the brake it turns off. But if you just press the start button it will continue to run. also if you would like to turn it off after you have remote started it you can use the same sequence of key presses to turn it off.
Does anyone know which system this is?

Kaylatroxell

This exact thing is happening to my car right now! The Mercedes dealership Fletcher Jones is telling me it’s “ impossible” which is clearly NOT impossible because it’s happening to my car. And now I see that there’s other people this has happened to. The biggest problem is they have to see it happen with their own eyes, and seeing this happens at total RANDOM I cannot control it happening. My phone in my keys will be NO WHERE NEAR ME and it starts it’s happened multiple times probably a couple dozen within the past year and a half since I bought the car BRAND NEW with 6 miles on it.

Kaylatroxell

Furthermore, did you ever figure out what was happening with the car? Did you ever fix it? At this point my only option is to bring it regularly to the dealership, anticipating that it will eventually do it so they could witness it.

Kaylatroxell

Furthermore, did you ever figure out what was happening with the car? Did you ever fix it? At this point my only option is to bring it regularly to the dealership, anticipating that it will eventually do it so they could witness it.

Kaylatroxell

Jeremy,
Can I ask you what Mercedes dealership the service tech witnessed it at? Perhaps go as far as I ask what his name is? This way I could reference to my dealership so they could see I’m not making this up and it has indeed happen to someone else.
I am eager to hear back from you to see what ended up happening with your car with this whole thing!

kayla