SL/R230: Remote key problem
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Sweden
SL 500 R230 2002, E200 W211 2008, GLA 200 CDI 4MATIC X156 2015
Remote key problem
Hi.
I have a big issue, my car, a R230 year 2001 don’t respond as it should on the remote key.
I need to be in a range of maximum 2-2,5 meters to be able to open or close the car and only on the driver side. (Left)
It all started (at least I think this is the beginning) last autumn when the alarm activated by it self for no reason, my solution on that was to disconnect the batteries.
In the spring this year I reconnected the batteries and the one in the trunk was a brand new one (OEM), I noted that I needed to be close to the car to be able to open it, but didn’t at the time think to mush about it, but later I needed to get closer and closer to the car to be able to unlock and lock until it stopped working. I went to my local MB workshop and after some investigation they was able to find out that the vacuum pump to the central lock mechanism was broken so they changed that and handed over the car to me.
But still I had the problem with that I was needed to be no longer than 2-2,5 meters from the car to be able to lock and unlock the car and the soft closing of the trunk had stopped working and it was not possible to open the trunk with the key.
The workshop has now had the car for almost 3 weeks and tested almost everything, the keys are OK, the 3 antennas are OK and they have checked everything and don’t know what the problem is.
Now they are claming that it could be the lock mechanism in the trunk that can be the problem and want to change it, since the soft closing don’t work.
They are also saying since this car is so old!!!!! There is not much help to get from connecting the car and read the error codes.
Anyone that have seen or heard about these problems? Anyone that have any ideas what the problem can be? Anyone that have a solution on my problem, because the workshop has no clue.
I have a big issue, my car, a R230 year 2001 don’t respond as it should on the remote key.
I need to be in a range of maximum 2-2,5 meters to be able to open or close the car and only on the driver side. (Left)
It all started (at least I think this is the beginning) last autumn when the alarm activated by it self for no reason, my solution on that was to disconnect the batteries.
In the spring this year I reconnected the batteries and the one in the trunk was a brand new one (OEM), I noted that I needed to be close to the car to be able to open it, but didn’t at the time think to mush about it, but later I needed to get closer and closer to the car to be able to unlock and lock until it stopped working. I went to my local MB workshop and after some investigation they was able to find out that the vacuum pump to the central lock mechanism was broken so they changed that and handed over the car to me.
But still I had the problem with that I was needed to be no longer than 2-2,5 meters from the car to be able to lock and unlock the car and the soft closing of the trunk had stopped working and it was not possible to open the trunk with the key.
The workshop has now had the car for almost 3 weeks and tested almost everything, the keys are OK, the 3 antennas are OK and they have checked everything and don’t know what the problem is.
Now they are claming that it could be the lock mechanism in the trunk that can be the problem and want to change it, since the soft closing don’t work.
They are also saying since this car is so old!!!!! There is not much help to get from connecting the car and read the error codes.
Anyone that have seen or heard about these problems? Anyone that have any ideas what the problem can be? Anyone that have a solution on my problem, because the workshop has no clue.
MBworld Guru
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 10,782
Likes: 1,011
NO LONGER ACTIVE
If the trunk latch soft close is not working, then that does need to be repaired. There is a sticky at the top of the forum all about it. This can cause the PSE pump to run continuously which can overheat it and can drain the battery. This problem, however, would not affect how far away from the car you have to be to unlock it with the SmartKey fob. This is most likely a problem with the right side antenna amplifier module. It's located at the base of the right side A pillar.
