Hi,

Does anybody know what the problem might be? My doors do lock and unlock properly, but the alarm doesn't go off. I've only heard it go off once when i tried starting the car and had evedently pressed the lock button, and I couldn't get it to do it again. The MB dealer wants to charge me $110 just to tell me what's wrong with it, but frankly I don't trust them. With good reason, I just got the car and went to them to get a spare key,but the new key wouldn't lock or unlock the doors only start the car. When I asked the guy why the key didn't work he answerd "oh, well we'll program it when you bring it in to get serviced since it's almost time for service A" and then he added "it will cost $50 to program your key and $200 for service A" and i thought it was weird that I had just payed almost $150 for a key that didn't come programed and when I called other dealers they said it should've come programed and when i looked in my owners mannual I noticed that it tells you how to program it. When i called the dealer to complain about this, all they said was
" oh, well i don't know why that employee told you that, come in and we'll program it for you, blah, blah, blah." This is BS. As if they don't rip us off enough.

 

Hi,

What do you mean by "the alarm doesn't go off"?

Is it sounding constantly and you can't turn it off?

....or are you worried that it hasn't "armed" correctlY? If so how do you know it hasn't armed?

The alarm should work completely transparently other than the feedback warning from the turn indicator lights and the small red flashing light near the radio.

I'm confused by your description.

Out of interest does your interior light work correctly with the doors open/shut?

............................

If the key works the doors using the REMOTE function then the key doesn't haven't to be programmed again to initiate the alarm.

I'm not 100% sure if locking the door manually with the key actually arms the security system. NAS (American) cars have a totally different set up to European models.

Not sure that you have a problem.

.............................

If you purchased the car from the dealer i would have expected a degree of goodwill from them.

If however you didn't get the car from them I'm afraid the American way (fast becoming the Global way) is that everything is chargeable. Time = Money.

MB parts are notoriously expensive. Full stop!

Hope this helps.

Stuart

 

Hi Stuart,

My alarm doesn't turn on at all, there is no sound. The doors do lock & unlock properly and indicator/ interior lights do come on when i lock or unlock the doors. But I don't have a red flashing light near my radio, i don't even see a bulb where the light should be. I wonder if I don't have an alarm. I'm sure all these cars come with one intergrated, right?
I might just have to take it to the dealer. Although the dealer closest to me has a "D" grading at the Better Business Bureau, so you can understand my fear of them.

Thanks for your reply,

Jasmine

 

welcome to our forum!!!

 

Hi,

Alarm Systems often cause problems but I'm not convinced that you have a problem.

You have not advised the age of the car. At 02/00 a change was introduced.

First thing to do is to check the fuses.
Up to the change point fuse 23/24 in the boot.
After that point fuse 25/26 in the engine compartment.
However there is also a further fuse No. 9 located in the engine comparment fuse box irrespective of change point.

No. 9 is the most likely suspect since the others also control other functions.

Your system obviously has the potential for working since it has worked in the past.

If you lock with the remote and then open a door with the key (not the remote) does the alarm sound?

Next lets look at your warning lights.
These should blink when the system is armed.
They are located near the LH radio **** (Audio10 unit) but maybe your radio has been changed and the light is no longer present.
There is also another light in the Tow switch located in the centre console. There is a row of up to 7 switches including the hazard light. Some models have less switches dependent upon whether seat heating and headlamp wash is fitted. The most RH switch is the Tow switch unless seat heating is fitted in which case ot is one from the right.. There is a light in the middle of this switch.

HOWEVER looking at the service manual there is some confusion since it provides a template for adding a warning light. It is therefore POSSIBLE that your car doesn't have a warning light in which case NOTHING may be wrong.

Alarm problems are usually linked to a faulty PSE unit in the boot. This unit controls the interior light, bulb monitoring, rear window, door locking and security. They are moderately expensive so we need to eliminate some of the potential problems before deciding that this is the cause.

Going away for the weekend so must rush.

Send us an update and we can take it from there.

Q's raised.....

Age model details of car.
Fuses OK?
Warning lights found?
OE radio?
Open door with key after arming with remote.(wait 20 secs for system to arm). What happens?

Stuart

 

thanks!!


Jasmine

 

Hi Stuart,

It is 2003 SKL 230. The radio is original stock, and the alarm does not come on even when I open the door with the key. The only light I see is the one you mentioned on the actual Tow switch. But I thought that light was just an indictor that the tow switch is activated or inactivated . Is that the alarm indicator light? because it is a really small led light. If that's so, I do have a working indicator light that flashes when i lock the doors with the alarm key and turns off when I unlock it. I will check my fuses and keep you posted.

Thank you for your reply, have a wonderful weekend!!

Jasmine

 

Jasmine;

Try rolling down your driver window. Turn off the car and get out and close the door. Now lock the car. Reach in the open window and open the locked door from the inside with the lever. as you open the door, the alarm should sound. It simulates breaking into your car. What happened? Try it and get back to us.

Also, you can trip the alarm by lifting the car body with a jack without reseting the tow switch on the console.

There is no signal (that I know of) to tell you the alarm is activated. You don't get a chirp or any flashing light like cheap after market alarms your friends Hondas may have. It just quietly does it's job.

 

Hi Biker,
Agree with your additions to this post re triggering the alarm.
However, The Euro system does give feedback when the car is locked (which is basically the same as alarm armed) namely the flashers flash etc.
It doesn't actually confirm that the alarm is working (other than the LED's in the radio and tow switch.)....but of course this is a MERCEDES!
Stuart

 

Thanks Stuart. Why did they make the USA version different? WE would like to know that the system is armed even though I assume it is without testing it.
She still hasn't reported back. Hope all is well.