Beware Remote Boot Opening - it could cost you!

[ragingmad]

Thanks to everyone for their sympathy and suggestions. A couple comments. We are absolutely certain that it wasn't a case of pushing the wrong button. He had the keys in his hand when he locked it on the Sunday and was right beside the car. I don't think he would have missed the boot springing open. He didn't close the garage door (it is an electronic one by the way) until after he had moved the other car and would also have seen the boot as he was pulling the other car into the driveway.

He did not attempt to unlock the car on the day of the incident. He operated the garage door first as he always does. So there was not an occasion when he could have pressed the wrong button. I've never known him to operate the key from inside his pocket.

We have had a short reply from Mercedes - basically saying 'how sad - not our problem - have you spoken to your dealer'. Well of course we had and they said 'how sad - not our problem'. Whether it is not their problem has still to be proven.

We like the idea of a spyhole in the garage door - but if we look in and see that the boot is open, we would have to break a hole in the garage wall to get in and close it!

When we get the car back, we're going to park it in the drive and try to reconstruct everything that happened. The chances of getting it to happen again are slim, but you never know. One thing we wondered about was the signal from the garage door remote control. What if it's on a very close wavelength? You would think that if that were the case, then it would have happened the first time he opened or closed the door - but perhaps on this occasion, he held the remote button for more than 2 seconds.

Anyway, if we find an answer, I'll let you know.

 

[philharve]

Hi ragingmad

I suppose there is a remote (no pun intended) possibility that the signal from another remote controller (garage door, another Mercedes) unlocked your boot without your knowledge. Proving it will be impossibly difficult. I think this is a 'one-off' and you'll have to live with it.

Evidently the dealer and MB believe the fault is with the owner and is nothing to do with the car or any part of its design.

What about the suggestion of reversing the car into the garage? I find reversing easy enough and you are pointing in the right direction when leaving the garage. This is especially important if the main road is close to the garage: not a good idea to reverse into traffic. However, I sense you have a reason for parking nose first?

A security 'peep hole' fitted in the garage door is the simplest solution. A small security camera is another.

However, you still have the problem of getting inside the garage with the boot raised and that presents a real problem. Can the boot lid be adjusted so that if released it doesn't raise? I have successfully used a strap (bungey cord) to stop a door fully opening if it is forced open on a windy day. Maybe a similar device could be used on your car.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[hawk20]

I've had Mercs with the boot opening feature for years now and never had one open by mistake. Good feature which I have always liked so I cannot really agree with you. BUT in any case if you don't want it to work so strongly there is a spring which your local Merc dealer can adjust. I have often had mine adjusted to open more strongly -not less. But you can go the other way to solve your problem. Very useful when you've arms full of shopping and want the boot to open wide though. Can't believe it would happen twice in a lifetime so I'd think twice before disabling.

 

[jberks]

Why it happened I don't think you'll ever find out. No, the garage door remote or another merc key couldn't do it. If it could, there'd be merc boots popping in every Supermarket carpark in every city around the world.

Are you sure a child, friend, relative etc didn't pick up the key at some point, have a play and put it back? The time the button would have to be pressed would only make sense if someone was having a play as a momentary knock wouldn't be long enough (which is why they put in the time delay). It's a funny looking key and you haven't had it long so a visitor, cleaner,child etc could find it enticing and wouldn't be aware of the implications.
If the buttons could be pressed accidentaly (easily anyway) then we'd all be complaining that we locked our cars and found them unlocked an hour later. We'd also have had this happen to one of us, at least once or, given the number of other MB owners each of us know, at least heard of it anecdotally. We haven't.

There is a vague chance it's something to do with the 204 as you're one of only 2 members so far with one, but they'd have had to have done something really silly in the design as 210,203,208,209,211,220,221 etc models etc all have this feature with no issue.

I have the exact same situation as you. I can't back into the garage (long story 2 cars in the garage and this is the only way it works) so my boot lid, like yours, is directly behind an electric garage door and no side door to go around. I've had this arrangement since 2001 and never had a problem. Ever. So thats well over 3000 cycles and its just never happened.

Do a few tests, but if, as I suspect, you find nothing, just forget about it. The chances of lightning striking twice are remote. (If you'll pardon the pun!!)

 

[ragingmad]

Just for the last correspondent - yes I am certain that nobody else played with the key because nobody else was in the house apart from us. Even the cat couldn't get at it because the keys stayed in a closed drawer.

We got the car back late yesterday - looks very good. They have done an excellent job. If it stops snowing tomorrow (total whiteout right now), we are going to put a peephole in the garage door and build a small 'hatch' in the side of the garage, just big enough to crawl through in an emergency (i.e. if we spy an open boot from the peephole).

The reconstruction will also take place tomorrow, weather permitting.

 

[janusrolex99]

W212 E350 estate. Boot opening by itself

I have woken up in the morning to find the powered
boot is open, never touched the keys to do it, not even by accident as once I check the car etc is locked up , the keys are then hung up. I was sitting in the car the other day in Tescos carpark with the dogs. Key was in the ignition but switched off. All of a sudden the tailgate popped open fully. This is getting kinda scary as it would be awful if it happened whilst driving as my dog sits in the back. This morning I went out and the boot was opened halfway!

 

[television]

Possible water in the electrics some where, put the car on STAR to see what messages there are.

 

[robparker]

One thing to add to this following the comment in the 1st post on how dangerous it is to have a boot that opens so fast etc.. this is the sort of thing people always say when there has been a problem... eg if shown this feature in the showroom they would say how brilliant it is, but if it works against them, their fault or not, then it is retrospectively pointed out how bad an idea it is.
At least the car is back together now and you can carry on driving it. I like may others on here have had a remote boot opening for years and never had it happen when I didn't intend it, just bad luck.

 

[PovertySpec]

How about the OP (if they come back to the thread) adjusting the boot lid spring so it's too weak to lift the boot lid?

Job's a goodun!

 

[janusrolex99]

I have woken up in the morning to find the powered
boot is open, never touched the keys to do it, not even by accident as once I check the car etc is locked up , the keys are then hung up. I was sitting in the car the other day in Tescos carpark with the dogs. Key was in the ignition but switched off. All of a sudden the tailgate popped open fully. This is getting kinda scary as it would be awful if it happened whilst driving as my dog sits in the back. This morning I went out and the boot was opened halfway!

I have also noticed that the motor is still buzzing up to 20 seconds after fully closed!

 

[television]

I have also noticed that the motor is still buzzing up to 20 seconds after fully closed!

Possible faulty close switch, the locking is all electric on this car, it should be instant, and the motor cuts. This could be your problem, it is a first on here, but someone has to be first.

 

[janusrolex99]

!

Possible faulty close switch, the locking is all electric on this car, it should be instant, and the motor cuts. This could be your problem, it is a first on here, but someone has to be first.

I have googled the problem and there are plenty of others that have experienced it!

 

[Naraic]

I have googled the problem and there are plenty of others that have experienced it!

Did they say how they fixed it?

 

[janusrolex99]

Did they say how they fixed it?

Most are saying to take it to MB for a Star analysis.
I'm just wondering if its possible that someone else remote locking/unlocking is sending the signal for my tailgate to open?

 

[janusrolex99]

Most are saying to take it to MB for a Star analysis.
I'm just wondering if its possible that someone else remote locking/unlocking is sending the signal for my tailgate to open?

http://www.glaownersclub.co.uk/forum/12-technical/431-tailgate-opening-itself.html

 

[bigtone356]

On my old clk the boot did pop up quiet fast & high ,I had a lip spoiler fitted & after that it popped but only went up a little bit maybe this is the answer ?

 

[peterwhayward]

I would think that by fixing a quite small weight to the underside of your boot lid you could get it so that it just popped "unlocked" and virtually not any height at all. Bit like when I fit integrated dish washers in people's *******s, till the wooden door is fitted they are so heavily sprung.....but once the door is fitted easy.

 

[peterwhayward]

The asterisks refer to a machine that washes dishes etc for you. :!:

 

[yorkshire1]

http://www.glaownersclub.co.uk/forum/12-technical/431-tailgate-opening-itself.html

Last post on that thread made me laugh!

hen I arrived at the dealership, the technician had told me the parts had been ordered and were available. After two days, I was told the car was ready for collection and that the software had been updated.


Well they certainly fixed it, THE BOOT DOESN'T OPEN OR CLOSE AT ALL NOW.

Well done Marshalls!!!!!!

 

[keefysher]

The asterisks refer to a machine that washes dishes etc for you. :!:

Thought it was the board software reading the room in which said appliance is often found as a rude word. The way round is to write it k-i-t-c-h-e-n

As an aside, my first W211 had remote boot opening that used to make a loud bang as it unlocked. I found amusement in operating it for fun as people approached the car in supermarket, office and airport car parks. A few dropped shopping bags and cases were seen!!

None of my other MB's have made such a loud noise.