Solution To A Central Locking Problem

[Prudie]

This isn't a question because I had a baffling problem that now is fixed. Just a tiny chance someone might be interested for the future although it is a long shaggy dog story.

A couple of weeks ago all of a sudden my fob wouldn't unlock the central locking on my car Neither would the spare, bought new batteries for both and still no luck (managed to open the car with the emergency key in the fob, never knew that was there either!!). Had to leave the car unlocked outside of the house all the time. Checked on the internet, handbook and asked a work colleague who's a hot shot on that kind of stuff. He made me do all sorts of tests to eliminate problems. Firstly found it did work from the passenger side if you pressed really hard, it also locked all doors if you pressed the button on the dash and the boot also locked. All doors locked also within a few seconds of driving away, The red lights would flash on the fob but from driver's side they did nothing.

I envisaged a lot of money spent at Mercedes trying to get it fixed but today it got solved and I was stunned at the answer. A couple of weeks ago I'd asked OH to unscrew the aerial as it was really stiff and I wanted to go in a car wash. Didn't get round to that until this weekend, so today asked OH to put my aerial back in so I could listen to the radio. Guess what, central locking back to normal on all sides.

Who knew the sensor was somehow connected to the aerial?

[ToraToraTora]

How do you think the signal is received?

[Prudie]

Everything I checked - handbook, internet and the work expert - suggested the sensors were in the door handles or somewhere in the door.
You're saying that in the kind of tone as if everyone knows it's via the radio aerial, where else would it be???

[douglas9401]

It's just Captain Darling's way, Prudie, don't give it another thought.