S-Class (W220) 1999-2006: S 320 CDI, S 320, S430, S 500, S 600

Dead Battery - Manual Key Does Not Work - Any ideas?

Old Mar 11, 2013 | 05:31 PM
  #1  
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Angry Dead Battery - Manual Key Does Not Work - Any ideas?

Well I started my new job today and guess I was too excited and left the lights on like an idiot.

Go to leave home and it won't unlock... that's when I saw the light switch in the ON position.

I go to use the manual key only to find out it must have been switched by the previous owner or dealership and now I can't get into it at all.

I'm 99.9% sure there is no spare key.... what am I supposed to do now?

Can Mercedes cut just the blade key and not a whole new Smart Key assembly?
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Old Mar 11, 2013 | 07:39 PM
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I believe you can just order the metal key part. Do you have a spare at home?
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Old Mar 12, 2013 | 02:05 PM
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First, try the metal key in both doors and the trunk. Do some reading here on using the emergency key - it seems that there are some quirks in using it.

If you can't get the emergency key to work, there might be a way...

I don't know whether this will work, since the lights on the S class use electronic fuses, but I don't think that it would hurt to try.

Remove one of the front side lights - they come out with no tools. Remove the bulb, and hook a battery charger or a charged 12 volt battery to the bulb contacts, being very careful to get the polarity correct. (Brown is ground/earth.) Try to unlock the car. If it doesn't work, leave the charger hooked up to see if it will eventually charge the battery enough to let you unlock the car.

Try the IR system - point the remote at the IR window on the door handles and press the unlock button.
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Old Mar 12, 2013 | 04:04 PM
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Originally Posted by wallyp
Remove one of the front side lights - they come out with no tools. Remove the bulb, and hook a battery charger or a charged 12 volt battery to the bulb contacts, being very careful to get the polarity correct. (Brown is ground/earth.) Try to unlock the car. If it doesn't work, leave the charger hooked up to see if it will eventually charge the battery enough to let you unlock the car.
Correct me if I am wrong, but would this not require access to the hood release that is inside the locked car??

Keith
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Old Mar 12, 2013 | 04:26 PM
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The side marker cover can be simply pried off and the bulb is accessible.

Standard procedure to change the bulb or the cover, when it is cracked.
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Old Mar 12, 2013 | 10:00 PM
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No underhood access needed to hook to the light wires. The only question is whether or not you can apply power thru the light circuit at all, and if so, can you apply enough to operate the locks, or to slowly charge the battery enough to operate the locks...
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Old Mar 12, 2013 | 10:08 PM
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THis sounds silly
If the lights are OFF then the bulb is not connected to the battery. It is all electronic...no mechanical switches...
Have you actually tried this?
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Old Mar 12, 2013 | 10:47 PM
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From the first post, describing the situation...
"... that's when I saw the light switch in the ON position."

It might not work - but it doesn't cost anything to try.
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Old Mar 13, 2013 | 12:07 PM
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Originally Posted by wallyp
First, try the metal key in both doors and the trunk. Do some reading here on using the emergency key - it seems that there are some quirks in using it.

If you can't get the emergency key to work, there might be a way...

I don't know whether this will work, since the lights on the S class use electronic fuses, but I don't think that it would hurt to try.

Remove one of the front side lights - they come out with no tools. Remove the bulb, and hook a battery charger or a charged 12 volt battery to the bulb contacts, being very careful to get the polarity correct. (Brown is ground/earth.) Try to unlock the car. If it doesn't work, leave the charger hooked up to see if it will eventually charge the battery enough to let you unlock the car.

Try the IR system - point the remote at the IR window on the door handles and press the unlock button.
Very interesting suggestion.

I had called Mercedes Roadside and they arrived in about 20 minutes or so... amazing service. The guy broke into the car in about 40 seconds, handed him a $20 and that was it. He said there is no way for him to jump it since he can't get in the trunk.

I sat in the parking lot last night like an idiot for about 2 hours charging the car with my Audi through a fuse in the rear fuse panel under the passenger side seat.

Ironically, the trunk STILL won't open...
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Old Mar 17, 2013 | 12:34 PM
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https://mbworld.org/forums/cl55-amg-...d-battery.html

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Old Mar 19, 2013 | 12:46 PM
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That's great, thank you!
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Old Jul 14, 2013 | 07:06 PM
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W210 E Class E200
YOUR ROCK WALLY

I TRIED THE FRONT SIDE LIGHT SOLUTION AND IT WORKS.

MY W210 HAD A FLAT BATTERY AND MY MANUAL KEY WOULDN'T TURN THE LOCK, AFTER HOURS OF FRUSTRATION I CAME ACROSS WALLY'S SUGGESTION AND IT WORKED LIKE A CHARM. I WAS UNABLE TO UNLOCK THE CAR AND GET TO THE BATTERY, RECHARGED IT AND HEY PRESTO!!!

MANY THANKS.

THEJETLINER

Originally Posted by wallyp
First, try the metal key in both doors and the trunk. Do some reading here on using the emergency key - it seems that there are some quirks in using it.

If you can't get the emergency key to work, there might be a way...

I don't know whether this will work, since the lights on the S class use electronic fuses, but I don't think that it would hurt to try.

Remove one of the front side lights - they come out with no tools. Remove the bulb, and hook a battery charger or a charged 12 volt battery to the bulb contacts, being very careful to get the polarity correct. (Brown is ground/earth.) Try to unlock the car. If it doesn't work, leave the charger hooked up to see if it will eventually charge the battery enough to let you unlock the car.

Try the IR system - point the remote at the IR window on the door handles and press the unlock button.
Reply

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