[Charles Hammond55]

I have an 03 S55. The key will not turn, the exterior lights are flashing, none of the remote fob buttons work. I have to use the blade key to enter the passenger compartment and trunk. The dash lock and unlock buttons work but do not shut off the alarm.
The car battery is new and tests good. The remote batteries are good. all fuses are good, The problem started after the dead battery was changed. I dont see any signs of water intrusion. This is driving me crazy. Has anyone had this problem before and found a solution. Any help would be appreciated greatly.

 

[Kraut56]

Have you searched on this or the other forum????

 

[Charles Hammond55]

I have searched but have not turned up any results with the same problems. I have downloaded a mercedes manual and I have purchased an icarsoft scanner. I have been trying to figure this out for a few days.

 

[tesla154]

I have searched but have not turned up any results with the same problems. I have downloaded a mercedes manual and I have purchased an icarsoft scanner. I have been trying to figure this out for a few days.

I would suggest skipping the icarsoft unless you also wanted it to work on other japanese/domestic cars. They can't even read the engine ECU on these cars. If there's a particular module you want to access let me know and I can see if mine will read it.

Check out this thread:

Scanning S430 with iCarsoft MB II, unable to check ECM.

I'll preface by saying that after my recent experience I will be attempting to buy SDS, however since I needed something that reads vehicle data quickly, I got this iCarsoft MB II scanner until I figure out how to get SDS at a decent price. Anyway, I really like how much info this thing reads...

www.benzworld.org

 

[Charles Hammond55]

The icarsoft scanner works great on my dads 04 SL500 and has already been extremely useful on many other repairs on my S55. The problem is that you can not access most systems (EIS, Shifter, ECM, TCM, all 3 SAMs etc) without the key turned to position 2 so a scanner is of no use at the moment with my key unable to turn. I did check the key with a cell phone and the buttons transmit.

 

[tesla154]

Per WIS (GF80.57-P-2001S), The key battery level doesn't matter because the ignition switch can charge the key wirelessly to get it to start. the ignition switch (N73) communicates with the key fob via infared when it is inserted. The alarm system should be deactivated and the interior lock switches (N72/1s16 & N72/1s17) are allowed to work. The rotary lock should then be opened and the key should be able to turn.

It looks like your key is being recognized, which is good, but I don't yet understand why the alarm won't deactivate. When I lock my car with the fob, there is a blinking red light on the lock buttons. When I insert the key without turning, that blinking red light goes away. Is this the case for you too?

A user on a different forum had success getting his key to turn by pressing the unlock button on the fob while trying to turn it. WIS says the buttons don't work when the key is inserted, but it's worth a shot.

What is the battery voltage as the car sits now? Do you have it on a battery charger?

 

[Charles Hammond55]

Per WIS (GF80.57-P-2001S), The key battery level doesn't matter because the ignition switch can charge the key wirelessly to get it to start. the ignition switch (N73) communicates with the key fob via infared when it is inserted. The alarm system should be deactivated and the interior lock switches (N72/1s16 & N72/1s17) are allowed to work. The rotary lock should then be opened and the key should be able to turn.

It looks like your key is being recognized, which is good, but I don't yet understand why the alarm won't deactivate. When I lock my car with the fob, there is a blinking red light on the lock buttons. When I insert the key without turning, that blinking red light goes away. Is this the case for you too?

A user on a different forum had success getting his key to turn by pressing the unlock button on the fob while trying to turn it. WIS says the buttons don't work when the key is inserted, but it's worth a shot.

What is the battery voltage as the car sits now? Do you have it on a battery charger?

Yes I Do own a battery charger, and the car is charging now, 12.7 volts. When I put the key fob into the EIS, the red light on the lock button continues to blink. Just tryed the unlock method and nothing changes.

 

[pinkster]

Have you got a second key? Try it. If you only have one key it is harder to diagnose which is the problem.
Check the encyclopaedia w220 there is a good detail of information on your problem there.

 

[Charles Hammond55]

Have you got a second key? Try it. If you only have one key it is harder to diagnose which is the problem.
Check the encyclopaedia w220 there is a good detail of information on your problem there.

I do not have a second key, Ive been looking all over the place, cant find a solution.

 

[tesla154]

Did you check every fuse in the car or just the ones relevant to these systems? Is there any chance fuse 78 is blown?

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

 

[Charles Hammond55]

Did you check every fuse in the car or just the ones relevant to these systems? Is there any chance fuse 78 is blown?

Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk

Yes we have checked every fuse. Fuse 78 is not blown. All other fuses are ok.

 

[Charles Hammond55]

Yes we have checked every fuse. Fuse 78 is not blown. All other fuses are ok.

The Fuse blocks that are located in the passenger side floor and trunk are also ok and not blown.

 

[pinkster]

W220 S-CLASS ENCYCLOPEDIA - START HERE (major update Sep...

Hello folks, I have often requested a general starting point for questions and research on the W220 S-Class, something akin to the Encyclopaedia Germanica vol. 107 on the BenzWorld R/C 107 forum. Well, here it is. I don’t have all the answers, or even all the good sites, but I do have over...

www.benzworld.org

 

[johnksss]

I have an 03 S55. The key will not turn, the exterior lights are flashing, none of the remote fob buttons work. I have to use the blade key to enter the passenger compartment and trunk. The dash lock and unlock buttons work but do not shut off the alarm.
The car battery is new and tests good. The remote batteries are good. all fuses are good, The problem started after the dead battery was changed. I dont see any signs of water intrusion. This is driving me crazy. Has anyone had this problem before and found a solution. Any help would be appreciated greatly.

You could just disconnect the battery and wait about 10 minutes, then reconnect it back up and try again.... It's possible the EIS is out of sync.... Speculations of course.

 

[Astro14]

You could just disconnect the battery and wait about 10 minutes, then reconnect it back up and try again.... It's possible the EIS is out of sync.... Speculations of course.

I really wouldn’t disconnect the battery.

It won’t help, but it will force you to do a bunch of resets, and it may cause other systems problems.

 

[tesla154]

Take a look at this document. It has lots of information about testing the key and EIS.

https://www.benzworld.org/forums/attachments/w220-s-class/485749d1356089267-cold-weather-electronic

 

[johnksss]

I really wouldn’t disconnect the battery.

It won’t help, but it will force you to do a bunch of resets, and it may cause other systems problems.

Really.

Good thing his battery was "already dead once" and his car hasn't been restarted for him to attempt to reset anything after it the first time.

That's why it was recommended as speculation.

 

[Dave2302]

If the Car is spiked, disconnect is likely to make things worse, way better to do full SDS and then any issues can be attempted to resolve by trying to just un plug the one or 2 modules with grief

I would always sooner cut off a Limb that disconnect a Battery, I don't even power Cars down nowadays when changing a Battery, I keep the thing alive with a slave power like a second Battery or Jump Pack

HTH,

 

[johnksss]

If the Car is spiked, disconnect is likely to make things worse, way better to do full SDS and then any issues can be attempted to resolve by trying to just un plug the one or 2 modules with grief

I would always sooner cut off a Limb that disconnect a Battery, I don't even power Cars down nowadays when changing a Battery, I keep the thing alive with a slave power like a second Battery or Jump Pack

HTH,

IMO..
1: Battery was already dead once. Car was never started after that. Or at least as far as I can tell.
2: He doesn't seem to have SDS, so not sure how that is going to help here? He does have Icarsoft, but not sure how well that works. I would rather have X431 Launch as a go to second. (Uses a phone and Bluetooth adapter)
3: A dead battery appears to have him in this position now. (Could be luck of the draw and the key is broken on the inside.) (Speculations)
4: I have ran my battery (2001 S430 - far different than newer cars) completely dead a few times and it does not cause the car not to start, key not to turn, flashing lights, unlock/lock not to work from the remote. It does however cause you a bunch of grief due to the "error codes" have to be reset first. And personal settings have to re added. (Example - Not really an option if your sitting on the side of the road and AAA jump starts your car at night.)

Personally one would recommend at this point to have it towed to a trust worthy shop or stearlership and have the problem diagnosis and fixed correctly. or Diagnosed and one can then attempt to resolve it them selves with the information obtained from the mechanic.

Without the proper tools, one is just moving blindly through a potential minefield. And as you mentioned earlier....Could make things far worse.

 

[Dannys55]

I have an 03 S55. The key will not turn, the exterior lights are flashing, none of the remote fob buttons work. I have to use the blade key to enter the passenger compartment and trunk. The dash lock and unlock buttons work but do not shut off the alarm.
The car battery is new and tests good. The remote batteries are good. all fuses are good, The problem started after the dead battery was changed. I dont see any signs of water intrusion. This is driving me crazy. Has anyone had this problem before and found a solution. Any help would be appreciated greatly.

did you end up fixing this issue? Dealing with the same exact issues now