MBSS problem

lindyloot

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Hi, I am hoping someone can help, we have a similar problam to another tread with our car. It is an N reg E320 Avantgarde AMG . Over last week end it was kept in our workshop, when we came in on monday we heard a low pitched wawa noise. On closer inspection we found that the vehicle battery had run flat. We charged up the battery.We have no problem starting the car. We can only use the key fob when sat inside the vehicle and within 3 inches of the interior mirror to set the alarm and lock the car. All was working ok before the vehicle battery went flat. The first thing we did was to change the batteries in the key fob and check the infa red signal, this is all ok. We resynchronised as per instructions in the owners manual. We have the original certificate of installation and found it to be from Scorpion. I emailed them and they told me the alarm is now obsolete but he very kindly sent us a wiring diagram. We have had the car running to try and charge the siren battery (someone had told us to do this) so far no joy.Apart from taking out the system does any one have any suggestions onhow to rectify this? many thanks Lin
 

television

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2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Why not take out the siren and try it,,if it has its own batteries they could be short circuit, and that is the way that nicads go when past their sell by date.

Welcome to the forum
 

kth286

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E320 Coupe 95
what's the wawa sound about ?

are you saying the alarm had gone off and it was the horn still sounding, but dying ?
 

MB-Car-Tech

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Reading
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C 230K - SOLD now running E320T CDI
Siren is dead and not recoverable form here - (in my experience)

Get back onto Scorpion and request a replacement siren for that age of MBSS.

The sirens are available - I had one priced up for an an SL only a couple of months ago. (£70)

But the MBSS systems were and are rubbish!!! Unless your insurer demands it I would just get rid of it!!
 
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lindyloot

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Hi Television, the siren on the alarm still works, kth286, the wawa is the noise the siren made.

What we need to know is what controls the distance for the key fob to activate the sensor. Because the key fob activates it if it is 4 inches from the interior mirror but if you are outside the car it will not work.
thanks Lin
 

bigasotonuk

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C43/55 AMG 1999 / C230K 1997
Hi,
The range of the infra-red remote on the this alarm system even when working correctly was never that good mine will only work within a matter of feet from the car.
You could try another rear view mirror, as the main issues with these alarms were the fobs (though yours is ok by the sound of it), the siren battery and the rear view mirror though this does normally fail because of the LED's (failling red/green LED's can cause the immobiliser not to switch off upon disarming). Though i would be inclined to see how it operates once the siren is OK.
Have to dissagree with comment regarding this system, at the time this alarm system was quite advanced and was a CAT 1, Thatcham approved system, also remember all these alarm systems are at least 12 years old now, so i think they have done well, and i for one don,t think they are any worse than the later MB systems (apart from the immobilser).
 
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lindyloot

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Thankyou bigasotonuk,Can you tell me, if the siren is powered by its own battery, if I arm the system by pointing the fob at the sensor/mirror and close the passenger door the alarm is now activated,led's flash all locks locked. If I open passenger door with the key the alarm sounds untill I disarm it with the key fob at the mirror. Which if the siren is run by its own battery means the battery is ok.
Going back to the original problem prior to system fail, the vehicle has been left in our workshop over the weekend where the battery went flat. When we returned on monday morning the alarm was quietly wailing as if in test mode, this could have been going all weekend.
Our local auto electrical specialist advised the battery had gone down on power in the alarm but by using the vehicle it would recharge itself over a period off time. This should make it operational again, is this the case?
Thanks Lin
 

bigasotonuk

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C43/55 AMG 1999 / C230K 1997
Hi,
There were about 7 different versions of this alarm system, some having battery back-up in the siren, some not, though i believe your Auto Electrician is correct and if the battery in the siren has indeed gone flat it should recharge itself within a few days from the cars electrical system, but bear in mind these systems are all at least 12 years old now and as the siren battery has been discharged it may struggle to recharge, though the siren batteries can be replaced and are fairly simple to do just a couple of solder joints, few years ago tried to find another battery for mine but with no luck though i had,nt fully exhausted my sources a found a brand new siren for £40, but i believe a suitable replacement can be found at Maplins, might be worth also changing the key switch at the back of it, as it will be pretty much guarenteed it wil have gotten lost
 
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lindyloot

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bigasotonuk, does the siren and the power in
it affect the operation of the key fob?
Lin
 

bigasotonuk

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Personnally i don,t think so, as i have always seen the fob interface to be the rear view mirror.
Where in the UK are you lindyloot? as if you are near to me i will swap my rear view mirror with yours to see if it solves your problem, if not i maybe able to swap other components of the system till we eliminate your problem.
 

coshell

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Your Mercedes
1996 R129 500sl, 1995 w124 e200
Hi,
There were about 7 different versions of this alarm system, some having battery back-up in the siren, some not, though i believe your Auto Electrician is correct and if the battery in the siren has indeed gone flat it should recharge itself within a few days from the cars electrical system, but bear in mind these systems are all at least 12 years old now and as the siren battery has been discharged it may struggle to recharge, though the siren batteries can be replaced and are fairly simple to do just a couple of solder joints, few years ago tried to find another battery for mine but with no luck though i had,nt fully exhausted my sources a found a brand new siren for £40, but i believe a suitable replacement can be found at Maplins, might be worth also changing the key switch at the back of it, as it will be pretty much guarenteed it wil have gotten lost
big.asotonuk is 100% correct, i did exactly the same thing on my siren only 3 weeks ago...all fixed. good luck
 
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lindyloot

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bigasotonuk Thankyou for the offer, we are in Yeovil . We run our own garage business and it is our own car. I think Rich is going to try and get a secondhand rear view mirror from one of his sources. Is it easy to remove. Thanks Lin
 
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lindyloot

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Hi have been talking to Tony at Scorpion, giving the symptons as I have previously described, he has narrowed it down to the infra red control unit. Now I am trying to find one:mad:Lin
 

bigasotonuk

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Hi,
So have you found for definite yet, whether the Infra red control unit incorporated in the rear view mirror?
One of our members has a breakers in Taunton which would,nt be to far from you, i,m sure he could help with sourcing a replacement part.
 
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lindyloot

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We have the wiring diagram and it is a separate unit to the rear view mirror. Do you have a contact number for the guy in Taunton. Thanks Lin
 
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lindyloot

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Update problem know fixed

:p:p:p I am pleased to say the problem has now been fixed. After trying all the suggestions and advise we have been given we changed the rear view mirror. WOW what a difference, before we had the problem you needed to be by the out side of the door for the remote key to work now you can be a few yards away. our thanks to all on this forum for their help and advise, also to Pete ? Webb who runs an independent Mercedes garage in Southampton. Special thanks go to Adrian and Robb from Three Pointed Star in Ilton.

We have found out that second hand infrared control units are not compatable as they are programmed to the cars ecu.

If any one finds that they need to be very close to the car for the remote to operate, providing the batteries and key fob are ok, then the interior mirror is starting to show its age. The range between the key and the mirror is on its way out.
Lin
 


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