Hi, first not being english my mother tonge i'm not sure i can explain it, but i'll try.

My 1996 E230 has a red and a green light under the inner mirror that flashes when i open or close the doors. In several occasions lately they have start flashing alternatively when i switch the contact on, and the engine won't start. After switching the contact off and on several times the problem goes away. Do you know what can be the cause for it?

Thanks in advance.

 

yes.

and what contact would that be?

 

Contact meaning key perhaps ???

Maybe not shutting off Security System before trying to start the car ?

Are you using the keyless entry to get into the vehicle ?

 

Hi aaguilar,
I also have the same car, a 96 E230. If you still have your owners manual, it is stated there what the red and green flashing light means.
This always happens to people who borrow my car.

1) You may have pushed the button of the key while turning it to start your engine.
2) You have locked your car using the pushbutton of your key while inside your car.
3) The batteries of your Key might be weak already.

 

Thank you all for your answers.
When I said the contact I meant turning the key to start the engine. Sorry if it wasn't clear.
I think that edl100 has understand me anyway, and he's probably right in their comments. BTW, I bought the car used and in Germany, so the owner manual is in german and I do not understand a word of it as I only speak spanish and a bit of english. Maybe the car has some features I still havent discovered .

As far as I know, my car doesn't have a Security System that I had to shot off before trying to start it. And I'm not sure what you mean for "the keyless entry to get into the vehicle". I can always open the vehicle pushing the button on the key, and have never used the key directly to open the doors, if that's what you mean.

And as for edl100 suggestions: 1) and 2) are not the case. 3) can indeed be what is going on. I haven't still tried to change the batteries because:

a) As it only happens once a month or so, if I had changed them I wouldn't be sure that the problem is gone without knowing that it could be the problem, I was not sure that the key batteries were needed for anything else than opening/closing the doors. Now I know it can, so I will change it. Thanks for that.

b) I went to the repair shop without the car (the official repair shop) to ask what the problem could be, in the hope that they could tell me about the key batteries, but they seem to have no idea of what I was talking about and asked me to take the car when the problem arises again. LOL, if i have to wait until the problem reapears in a consistent way, how can I take it to the shop? pushing it?

Againg thank you for your help.

 

If the lights flash both at the same time for 15 seconds after locking/unlocking, it means your batteries are low in your remote. If they flash alternately it means that the immobilizer system has cut in. If this is the case, try locking and unlocking your car again.

If you replace the remote batteries, make sure that the new batteries have 3.2 Volts when they are new. Sometimes new batteries have been sitting around for a while and may drop to 3.0 Volts. The Lights will start to flash at 3.0 Volts.

You can also check to see if you key is working by looking into the IR output, and when you push the button, after about 1/2 a second, you should see a flash of red light. If there is no flash, check your batteries, if they are ok, Try to remove the cover on the key to expose the circuit board. You may find that the switch needs to be resoldered onto the board. Note that occasionally the covers do not come cleanly off these keys and you may cause more damage.

 

Hi dondas

Yes I can see the red flash you mentioned, and yes I was refering to alternately flashing, although I have also seen the 15 secs. simultaneous flashing some time ago. That was more than 1 year ago, and now it doesn't happend anymore, though I haven't changed batteries ever.

I have 2 spare batteries in the car with the (german) users manual, I guess they has been there since 1996 ha ha. I'll try them.

Of course I have two more keys at home, one is identical to the one I use daily and the other doesn't have batteries. Is it possible to start the engine with the later? As it do not use batteries, maybe it cannot communicate with the immobilizer