Harnischfeger

Warning signal: "Don't forget your key" but key is in my pocket!
Hello. I'm new here so forgive me if I bring up a topic that has been discussed before, although I could not find this issue when I searched for it on this forum.
My recently purchased 2007 SL550's door chime chimes constantly when the door is open. (It actually stops after what seems like 5 minutes.) The multifunction display says "Don't forget your key" but the key can be in my pocket or 50 feet away. Furthermore, if I put the KEYLESS-GO key into the "ignition" slot, the chiming stops! It's as if something got "flip-flopped" and the key warning business is working exactly backwards. I need to fix this because I'm starting to get used to the annoying chiming so much that I inadvertently left the lights on! Of course, the multifunction display said: "Don't forget your key" as usual, then said "Turn lights off". Argh!
Thanks to everyone who can offer any help on this.

HQQI

It is normal nothing wrong with that warning, if you are using the key on top of the automatic shift to start/stop your engine it is giving you a warning not to leave the key inside the car. I am presuming this is to avoid the car being stolen if you do not carry the key in your pocket (put it in the middle console for example), since you cannot lock the car from outside using the button on the door knob if you leave the key inside (so your car will be an easy target).

If you want to get rid of that warning you can either wait ~30 sec while the driver's door is open or press the engine on/off button for ~2/3 sec without depressing the break pedal...

Harnischfeger

I really don't think that's true because the chime would certainly chime with the key in the ignition - it does not.
And the last thing works for about 2-3 seconds, then the chime starts chiming again.
Thanks anyway.

HQQI

You are highly unlikely to forget the key on the ignition if you are using the traditional way to turn off your vehicle (use the ignition as opposed to the keyless-go way of using the button on the transmission). I think that's why you have that warning chime on. I will try the last option again tonight to see if mine comes back on after couple secs.

Regardless nothing is wrong with your car it is the normal operation...

HQQI

Check this out:

https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...-go-chime.html

HQQI

Tried it last night and here is what stops the chime for sure, while the key is in your pocket or inside the car, without depressing the break pedal press the button on top of the gear shift twice with less than a second break. This brings all the warning lights on the dash on but stops the chime. Hope this helps!

Harnischfeger

Wow ... looks like everybody has the problem. So you are correct: "Nothing wrong with the car". How disappointing ...
Thanks for your efforts. If I figure out a way around it, I'll let everyone know.

Harnischfeger

SOLUTION! Disable KEYLESS-GO by yanking the fuse! It's in the fuse compartment behind the riders seat. Look at the fuse map (in the spare wheel well in the trunk) for the KEYLESS-GO fuse (#58). I think I can live without KEYLESS-GO easier than I can live with that incessant chiming!

HQQI

Lol I am sure there was a reason behind the chime. For a premium vehicle like this there has to be a huge hierarchy of engineers/designers before something gets put into the vehicle. Thus it might be due to a very good reason that we cannot foresee at this point.

Harnischfeger

I completely agree with you.
I've been thinking a lot about this, and I've even decided that I actually WANT KEYLESS-GO, if for no other reason, so I don't have to use the fob to lock the car or close the trunk! If they just had a LOCK button inside the car that worked with the door open (like my last car), I wouldn't need KEYLESS-GO.
BUT ...
With KEYLESS-GO enabled and the door open, the car constantly (incessantly) warns you to take your key. The problem is the car has no way of knowing that you actually have the key in your pocket. Even though the car knows when the key is nearby (allowing me to open the door with a touch on the door handle and starting by pushing the shifter button), it cannot discern that the key is not lying on the seat, on the floor, in the trunk or in my pocket. So it chimes away and says "'Don't forget your key"!
At this point I believe the KEYLESS-GO feature has forced MB to default to: "The possibility constantly exists that the key is loose in the car, so we're going to constantly remind you to take your key ...". Argh!
How can we tell this car: "I HAVE the freakin' key! Please STOP treating me like an idiot!"
Disabling the driver door open sensor would defeat all of the other warnings (lights on, for example) that go with that.
???

kurtwz

Hmm, I'm not quite as confident Mercedes has it all together all the time. The Merc team made an obvious blunder by mapping the radio up/down buttons on the steering wheel to the buttons on the radio console that change the frequency, not the station preset. Bad case of WTF engineering, in my opinion.

PavementPounder

Maybe its a model difference. My steering wheel buttons on my SL600 cycle me though the presets.

HQQI

I disagree, I have done business with MB Germany as a supplier and they were the first auto mfg to assign a VP for in-car electronics/entertainment system way before Japanese mfg realized its importance...

HQQI

This is a setting under the system in the command center... I think you access that menu while you are in the NAV function...

facehell

I had enough of the chiming so I followed what was suggested here. Pulled out the fuse #58 from the fuse box behind the passenger's seat and it is GONE along with the constant "Do not Forget Key" warning. Of course, Keyless-Go is deactivated (which means I will need to use the buttons on my key to open the trunk and unlock/lock doors). Also, I cannot use the lock button in the trunk to close the trunk and lock doors at the same time. I hear the chime now only when the lights are on or I still have the key at the ignition, which I think how it should have been at the first place. I gain some, I loose some, like everything else in life!
Cheers!

dsosnow

Wow - I specifically wanted the keyless go because I hate digging in my pocket for keys. One of my current cars (a Toyota minivan) has a similar feature, the other doesn’t and I really like it.

Got the SL a few weeks ago and love it and was sure I just needed to configure an option to make that singing stop.

Oh well, at least now i’ll Just be annoyed by the dinging, not concerned that I have an electrical issue!

Rudeney

I just don't see the issue with this. You get a ding and a "Don't forget your key" message. Good grief! Have you driven one of the new cars with all the nanny systems where it tells you the check the back seat to make sure you haven't left your baby? Or it zaps your butt for crossing lanes without signaling? Or slams on the brakes as your doing 80mph down the freeway because somebody merged in a bit tight ahead of you? Yeah, I'll take "annoying key messages" any day over that crap!

augemini1980

I do not have keyless go and mine still does it

JGX2

I'm new here so forgive me if this was covered somewhere else, as I was unable to find it:

Can the audible alert for "Don't forget your key!" be disabled through the computer settings by someone with a service interface?

Gene Fiorot

Yes BenzNinga can do it with Star System. Benzninja.com

BenzNinja

iTrader: (4)

yes me

tonylinc

I really like these cars being a bit older enough to not slam on the brakes like Rudeney talked about, or zapping the driver for changing lanes without signaling.
If I wanted to "Leave the driving to us", I'd go Greyhound. These are a driver's car,
I think the advent of the self driving car is a pile of horse stuff. I don't think I ever want to ride in a car that is doing the driving FOR me. Microsawft sucks, Windows suck, and don't even get me started about that bill gates guy.
And the Tesla guy, I blame him for the losses on Dogecoin.....

BenzNinja

iTrader: (4)

I agree
I even always disable ESP on dry roads
modded the cluster to only show a mini dot instead of the big orange "esp off" light