Key Help

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Discussion

BigBen

Original Poster:

11,845 posts

237 months

Tuesday 5th December 2017
quotequote all
Can anyone help with this odd problem:

Summary:

- Car is W220 S600 but key system is common to many early 2000's cars
- Car jump started and running fine
- Engine cut out
- Key will no longer turn in ignition or operate the central locking, both fine prior to engine cut
- Car battery replaced with brand new item
- usual key re-sync methods have not worked

More wordy version:

I have a W220 S600 which I have not really had time to do much with. A few weeks ago I jump started it after it had been idle for a month or so. The car came to life and was running perfectly.

I ran it for a few minutes on the drive to get everything warm and ran the suspension through a couple of raise / lowering cycles.

Whilst sitting at idle the engine shut down and subsequently the key refused to turn in the ignition. I have tried the usual re-synchronising tricks and removing the battery but no luck.

The key won't work on either the doors or in the ignition which I think points to something on the vehicle side as I believe the key contains two separate systems:

-IR based for unlocking the car and uses the batteries in the key
-RFID based passive system which is what works with the ignition key.

I can't hook my STAR system up to the car as it needs the ignition to be on and I don't have a spare key.

Classy6

419 posts

184 months

Friday 8th December 2017
quotequote all
Can you post a picture of the key to refresh my memory? Google image will do. I can't remember if it was a flip key or the later key. Also is it using DAS w/ 16pin OBD plug or HHTWIN - old style OBDI interface with the circular 38pin adaptor?

If it's a later style key, with the key spike hidden down the side you can talk to the ignition switch EIS/EZS with no ignition/key and run through actual values/key test so you can check the status of whether key functions are being recognised through EIS. Unless the actual module has failed. Does the EIS make any noise when the key is inserted?

Are you saying the radio function works off the key for central locking? Or the key is unable to operate anything at all?

Are other functions working in the vehicle to indicate it actually has power i.e. does the radio work, interior light? as these should operate if switched on without requiring an ignition key being inserted.

BigBen

Original Poster:

11,845 posts

237 months

Friday 8th December 2017
quotequote all
Classy6 said:
Can you post a picture of the key to refresh my memory? Google image will do. I can't remember if it was a flip key or the later key. Also is it using DAS w/ 16pin OBD plug or HHTWIN - old style OBDI interface with the circular 38pin adaptor?

If it's a later style key, with the key spike hidden down the side you can talk to the ignition switch EIS/EZS with no ignition/key and run through actual values/key test so you can check the status of whether key functions are being recognised through EIS. Unless the actual module has failed. Does the EIS make any noise when the key is inserted?

Are you saying the radio function works off the key for central locking? Or the key is unable to operate anything at all?

Are other functions working in the vehicle to indicate it actually has power i.e. does the radio work, interior light? as these should operate if switched on without requiring an ignition key being inserted.
It is the later key with the spike hidden down the side. It is an OBDII 16 pin interface. The key does not work for either central locking or in the ignition suggesting a car side problem (both were working then stopped)

Interior lighting is good, have not looked at other electrics yet

Ben

Classy6

419 posts

184 months

Saturday 9th December 2017
quotequote all
Does the red light illuminate on the key when the buttons are pushed?

Also, at the thin end of key where the IR pointer is, there is a faint outline of a circle. With your phone camera, press the remote buttons whilst viewing the end of key through your phone camera. It should show a white light when viewing through the phone camera to indicate the IR is sending a signal when button is pushed.

Check to see if it makes the locking/whurring sound when they key is inserted into the ignition switch. Can you communicate with EIS via DAS?

BigBen

Original Poster:

11,845 posts

237 months

Sunday 10th December 2017
quotequote all
Classy6 said:
Does the red light illuminate on the key when the buttons are pushed?

Also, at the thin end of key where the IR pointer is, there is a faint outline of a circle. With your phone camera, press the remote buttons whilst viewing the end of key through your phone camera. It should show a white light when viewing through the phone camera to indicate the IR is sending a signal when button is pushed.

Check to see if it makes the locking/whurring sound when they key is inserted into the ignition switch. Can you communicate with EIS via DAS?
Yep did the phone camera check.

Anyway problem now fixed, a fuse had gone pop in the dash fuse box (the one hidden at the LH end of the dash). Car running again.