Key fob does not work

jasonyw · 07-02-2010, 06:29 PM

I left my 2005 W211 in the garage for 2.5 months unused to keep away from salted roads during the winter.

Winter is almost over, time to put it back on the road again, the locking feature with the key fob does not work, the security does not respond.

I checked the fob batteries and they are over 3 volts, it must be the main battery partially drained off. Why did Merc built cars with depleted battery just for a few months? At one time I left it in the garage for just one month unused, there is a warning on the dashboard, running on minimum mode after I switched on just the radio and gave it a run to replenish the main battery back on again to get back to normal.

cplnoonoo · 08-02-2010, 08:39 AM

Does it work if you point the infrared bit at the drivers door handle or have you tried using the emergency key bladed in the door lock?

Could be that the main car battery has gone flat with all the cold temperatures and not being used for a while it could definitely play a part.

If you can get into the car and try the ignition etc it should be pretty clear cut whether the battery is flat or not.

jasonyw · 08-02-2010, 11:03 AM

The battery is depleted and dead, cannot even put the key fob to start the car and the boot locked but the bonnet is accessible.

Can access the backup battery in the dark garage but read somewhere it not recommended to jump start the backup battery but the main battery only.

What to do can't even access the main battery in the boot nor the boot from the rear seat?

Didn't I read some thread to recover in this situation. Something like jump start the main 12 volt wire or point under the bonnet.

Will try unlocking the boot with the blade key.

It a new battery I bought less than 2 years ago. Circuits still need battery power even if you don't drive it, this is Merc weakness.

nigel cross · 08-02-2010, 11:10 AM

Its ok to start from a extra battery, but do not jump your car from another with the engine running

jasonyw · 08-02-2010, 11:42 AM

I am in luck, I can unlock the boot with the blade key, took out the battery and measured it with a voltmeter only 4.67V DC!

When I put in the charger, it charges like hell, the needle vibrating to the maximum and back.

I didn't close the boot door in case I can't open it again, I put a rag in the lock barrel, like so horror I read in some threads can't open it if I close it.

This new battery I bought less than 2 years ago from Merc got something to undo the plugs to let off hydrogen gas, but I can't undo it. Any tip here?

There is an overflow orifice I hope this is sufficient to let off the hydrogen gas pressure.

corned · 08-02-2010, 11:51 AM

It's a lottery leaving a 211 in an airport car park for two weeks, never mind 2.5 months!

No wonder it wasn't interested after that time.

Buy one of those proper maintenance chargers (not just a trickle charger) and this will never happen again.

nigel cross · 08-02-2010, 12:05 PM

There should be a gas vet pipe on the side, as these batteries are seled for life now, however that should be.

Diesel Benz · 08-02-2010, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jasonyw

This new battery I bought less than 2 years ago from Merc got something to undo the plugs to let off hydrogen gas, but I can't undo it. Any tip here?

There is an overflow orifice I hope this is sufficient to let off the hydrogen gas pressure.

Perhaps you were not lucky with the trunk lock key working but have had the car serviced properly?

This car is supposed to have an AGM (VRLA) sealed battery which does not breath if it works normally. The overflow pipe is an emergency thing. If it needs to work, the battery lost its capacity significantly.

jasonyw · 08-02-2010, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel Benz

Perhaps you were not lucky with the trunk lock key working but have had the car serviced properly?

This car is supposed to have an AGM (VRLA) sealed battery which does not breath if it works normally. The overflow pipe is an emergency thing. If it needs to work, the battery lost its capacity significantly.

Do I need to buy a new battery? Not confident it can recharge back to 12 volts from 4.67volts, looks like permanently damaged, will wait and see after charging for a couple of days.

Winter is not gone yet, forecast more snows are coming and going to be -6 degrees in the next couple of days.

Will stick to my 97 trusty W202. High tech W211 but low tech performance.

cplnoonoo · 08-02-2010, 01:09 PM

No a new one may not be required as charging it back up would be sufficient. It may have reduced the overall life of the battery but it should still perform fine.

Possible suggestion for in the future that you could look ahead and recognise if your going to leave the car for a while and maybe disconnect the battery or have a charger standing by for when you decide your going to start using it again. Just an idea though.

jasonyw · 08-02-2010, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cplnoonoo

No a new one may not be required as charging it back up would be sufficient. It may have reduced the overall life of the battery but it should still perform fine.

Possible suggestion for in the future that you could look ahead and recognise if your going to leave the car for a while and maybe disconnect the battery or have a charger standing by for when you decide your going to start using it again. Just an idea though.

I always do that on my W202 but then I read horror stories that if you disconnect the battery you may not be able to open the boot to access the battery because the locking mechanism in the boot depends on vacuum/battery power, I now know is not true. I was just taking my chances, in future I will disconnect the negative terminal if I am not going to use it for sometime that applies to airport parking. I am in luck I left it unlock in the locked garage.

Funny Merc technology, it locks the boot upon battery low voltage, lucky I was able to unlock the boot with the key blade. I was able to open the boot just a few weeks ago maybe I left the headlight on in auto mode, this might had drained the battery. Lesson learned. Still I am not confident I am able to open the boot with the battery disconnected, it just playing chances that why I left the boot door open.

cplnoonoo · 08-02-2010, 01:43 PM

You can still open the drivers door with the keyblade manually in the event of the battery going flat and crawl through to the boot and use the emergency open handle thing i think. Im sure i read it in the manual the other day.

jasonyw · 08-02-2010, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cplnoonoo

You can still open the drivers door with the keyblade manually in the event of the battery going flat and crawl through to the boot and use the emergency open handle thing i think. Im sure i read it in the manual the other day.

I am not aware of this technique unless it an estate, I once dismantled the back seats to get it washed, there is a metal sheet preventing entry into the boot from the rear seats unless it got a ski gear pack option.

I had a look at the locking mechanism too before, I don't see any vacuum tube associated with it nor any electrical means to unlock the boot, just a slimsy mechanical system. I don't know how others got their boot lockout, maybe they left the blade key in the boot too. I even heard some got lockout of their boot in W202 and couldn't open the boot.

jasonyw · 09-02-2010, 09:43 AM

After 24 hours charging, the battery restored back to 12.66V.

What do I look for before I put the battery back and start the engine?

Most of the stored data already lost.

jasonyw · 09-02-2010, 10:27 AM

Do I need to use the STAR to reset the variables?

It does not look right, there is a lot of steam coming out of the exhausts look like unburnt petrol and the ECU not set properly

07-02-2010, 06:29 PM	#1
jasonyw Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 575	Key fob does not work I left my 2005 W211 in the garage for 2.5 months unused to keep away from salted roads during the winter. Winter is almost over, time to put it back on the road again, the locking feature with the key fob does not work, the security does not respond. I checked the fob batteries and they are over 3 volts, it must be the main battery partially drained off. Why did Merc built cars with depleted battery just for a few months? At one time I left it in the garage for just one month unused, there is a warning on the dashboard, running on minimum mode after I switched on just the radio and gave it a run to replenish the main battery back on again to get back to normal.

08-02-2010, 11:03 AM	#3
jasonyw Hardcore MB Enthusiast Threadstarter Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 575	The battery is depleted and dead, cannot even put the key fob to start the car and the boot locked but the bonnet is accessible. Can access the backup battery in the dark garage but read somewhere it not recommended to jump start the backup battery but the main battery only. What to do can't even access the main battery in the boot nor the boot from the rear seat? Didn't I read some thread to recover in this situation. Something like jump start the main 12 volt wire or point under the bonnet. Will try unlocking the boot with the blade key. It a new battery I bought less than 2 years ago. Circuits still need battery power even if you don't drive it, this is Merc weakness. Last edited by jasonyw; 08-02-2010 at 11:05 AM.

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08-02-2010, 08:39 AM	#2
cplnoonoo Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Dundee, Scotland Car: Merc C180K Sportcoupe SE Posts: 293	Does it work if you point the infrared bit at the drivers door handle or have you tried using the emergency key bladed in the door lock? Could be that the main car battery has gone flat with all the cold temperatures and not being used for a while it could definitely play a part. If you can get into the car and try the ignition etc it should be pretty clear cut whether the battery is flat or not.

08-02-2010, 11:10 AM	#4
nigel cross Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Surrey Car: w203 200 Komp Posts: 1,275	Its ok to start from a extra battery, but do not jump your car from another with the engine running

08-02-2010, 11:42 AM	#5
jasonyw Hardcore MB Enthusiast Threadstarter Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 575	I am in luck, I can unlock the boot with the blade key, took out the battery and measured it with a voltmeter only 4.67V DC! When I put in the charger, it charges like hell, the needle vibrating to the maximum and back. I didn't close the boot door in case I can't open it again, I put a rag in the lock barrel, like so horror I read in some threads can't open it if I close it. This new battery I bought less than 2 years ago from Merc got something to undo the plugs to let off hydrogen gas, but I can't undo it. Any tip here? There is an overflow orifice I hope this is sufficient to let off the hydrogen gas pressure.

08-02-2010, 11:51 AM	#6
corned Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: May 2008 Location: East Mids Car: 2005 S211 E320CDI Posts: 1,685	It's a lottery leaving a 211 in an airport car park for two weeks, never mind 2.5 months! No wonder it wasn't interested after that time. Buy one of those proper maintenance chargers (not just a trickle charger) and this will never happen again.

08-02-2010, 12:05 PM	#7
nigel cross Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Surrey Car: w203 200 Komp Posts: 1,275	There should be a gas vet pipe on the side, as these batteries are seled for life now, however that should be.

08-02-2010, 01:09 PM	#10
cplnoonoo Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Dundee, Scotland Car: Merc C180K Sportcoupe SE Posts: 293	No a new one may not be required as charging it back up would be sufficient. It may have reduced the overall life of the battery but it should still perform fine. Possible suggestion for in the future that you could look ahead and recognise if your going to leave the car for a while and maybe disconnect the battery or have a charger standing by for when you decide your going to start using it again. Just an idea though.

08-02-2010, 01:43 PM	#12
cplnoonoo Hardcore MB Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Dundee, Scotland Car: Merc C180K Sportcoupe SE Posts: 293	You can still open the drivers door with the keyblade manually in the event of the battery going flat and crawl through to the boot and use the emergency open handle thing i think. Im sure i read it in the manual the other day.

09-02-2010, 09:43 AM	#14
jasonyw Hardcore MB Enthusiast Threadstarter Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 575	After 24 hours charging, the battery restored back to 12.66V. What do I look for before I put the battery back and start the engine? Most of the stored data already lost.

09-02-2010, 10:27 AM	#15
jasonyw Hardcore MB Enthusiast Threadstarter Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 575	Do I need to use the STAR to reset the variables? It does not look right, there is a lot of steam coming out of the exhausts look like unburnt petrol and the ECU not set properly

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