SL/R230: Doors won't lock
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 57
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
Doors won't lock
The first thing I noticed is the doors wouldn't lock, and now this is an electrical nightmare. The doors won't lock or unlock (either via the keypad or the button on the dash or the auto lock while driving, but when I hit the unlock or lock on the keypad the lights all flash, so I know the electrical part of the system is working), the trunk won't open (either via the keypad or the button on the door, and if I open it with the valet key the soft close won't kick in), and the top won't go down (keeps telling me to close the trunk separator).
Prior to this (and continuing now) everytime I start the car the dashboard reads "Electric Consumers Offline" but that really only means the heated seats and after about 10 minutes of driving I can turn them on anyway.
It's been about 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) out this past week, so possibly something froze? Or maybe these are all tied together through the same electric circuit and a fuse blew or the relay toasted? Anybody have any input on this?
2003 SL 500
Prior to this (and continuing now) everytime I start the car the dashboard reads "Electric Consumers Offline" but that really only means the heated seats and after about 10 minutes of driving I can turn them on anyway.
It's been about 10 degrees (Fahrenheit) out this past week, so possibly something froze? Or maybe these are all tied together through the same electric circuit and a fuse blew or the relay toasted? Anybody have any input on this?
2003 SL 500
Last edited by GreazyDeigo; Jan 24, 2013 at 04:56 PM.
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 185
Likes: 3
From: Norway
SL 55 and a GT 3000 vr4 Here's my car: http://home.online.no/~ludvs/index.cfm
New battery
You probably need a new trunk battery. If you not drive the car almost every day, you need a charger for the rear battery. If you don't drive for a few weeks, the battery (even if it's new), will be empty.
If you don't get a charger, you will need to disconnect the trunk battery to save it from going dead.
I do that here in norway, because the winter are 5 months long. :-(
The roof, trunkswitch, etc. don't work if the rear battery is low.
So keep the battery alive and well and the car is healthy aswell.
Good driving!!!
If you don't get a charger, you will need to disconnect the trunk battery to save it from going dead.
I do that here in norway, because the winter are 5 months long. :-(
The roof, trunkswitch, etc. don't work if the rear battery is low.
So keep the battery alive and well and the car is healthy aswell.
Good driving!!!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 57
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
Made headway today! As a reminder to myself, and a note to everyone else out there -- 1 single fuse (20amp) in the rear "seat" compartment controls the door locks and trunk locks and seems to be involved in the roll bar and top working properly.
Rune - I hooked up a solar charger ($15 USD) at 1.5 amps (only size I could find that physically fit in the rear window) to the back battery. It's an experiment. We'll see if it keeps the battery charged! From what I understand, for up to an hour after the car is turned off, all the electronics keep running which is what drains the battery.
Rune - I hooked up a solar charger ($15 USD) at 1.5 amps (only size I could find that physically fit in the rear window) to the back battery. It's an experiment. We'll see if it keeps the battery charged! From what I understand, for up to an hour after the car is turned off, all the electronics keep running which is what drains the battery.
Member
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 185
Likes: 3
From: Norway
SL 55 and a GT 3000 vr4 Here's my car: http://home.online.no/~ludvs/index.cfm
Nice that you found out what caused the problem.
But as i stated earlier, if you go to a trip for a couple of weeks, remember to disconnect the rear battery just in case.
Using a solar charger is very smart indeed.
Hope the fuse does the trick.
But as i stated earlier, if you go to a trip for a couple of weeks, remember to disconnect the rear battery just in case.
Using a solar charger is very smart indeed.
Hope the fuse does the trick.
