Mercedes Forum - Mercedes Benz Enthusiast Forums - C32 Ignition problems

Hi Guys

I have a 2002 C32 AMG which over the past month or so has developed an intermittent fault with the key fob and ignition lock.

When it’s working correctly the sequence of events is as follows: Unlock car with key fob, jump in car, insert fob into ignition lock (this is where you hear what sounds like a solenoid pulling back some sort of locking mechanism), then you can turn the ignition and start the car.

Now, what I noticed a while back is that when I insert the fob into the ignition lock I don’t always hear this solenoid operate, and consequently I can’t turn the ignition barrel and start the car. The temporary cure I found was to remove fob and re-insert until the solenoid operates, this can happen on the 2nd attempt, sometimes the 3rd and more recently it may take upto 50 times before the ignition lock recognises the key and releases the solenoid.

The current situation is the car is stuck on the drive today after having tried over 200 times to get the key / ignition to work. In retrospect maybe I should have had the problem investigated whilst the car was still able to start!

Unfortunately I do not have a spare key to eliminate that from the equation, and I have changed the fob batteries just in case, but obviously no improvements.

Has anybody had a similar problem with their Merc? I did a search on the forum but couldn’t really find the exact same problem.

Do you think this is an issue only a Merc dealership could resolve or would a decent auto electrician might be able to help?

Any advice you could provide would be gratefully received.

Thanks

Damo