W124 Alarm/Immobiliser

[eyelight]

Just had a look at a 1994 E280 at a local dealer. They say it doesn't have an alarm or immobiliser, and they only have one key for it, which just has the basic plastic fob.
The car however, has two sensors on either side of the dash, just by the A pillars, and very like the alarm sensors fitted to our W124 coupe. So logically, it's had an alarm fitted at some time.

Was an alarm a standard fitting on a car like this back in 1994?
And if I was to buy it could I get a new key if I show the proper DVLA paperwork to a dealer?

 

[kth286]

Type the full VIN into the Russian site and see the original spec.

Does it have the LED built into the driver door handle.

 

[eyelight]

Thanks David,
I just checked the Russian site and there's no mention of an alarm.
There are no lights by the door handles so it's not an infrared system.

 

[Bolide]

The ultrasonic detectors on the A pillar are common on W124s. If you look under the bonnet you'll probably find a red Whooper mounted on the offside inner wing and a switch half way back on the bonnet edge on the nearside. I believe that's a UK dealer-fitted alarm system and I've seen it on hundreds of cars

Whether a dealer can help with keys & etc I don't know - you can but try. If you can find out the make of the system (possibly a Scorpion) you could contact the manufacturers but I suspect they'd need a serial number off the unit to cut a key

In most ways I think fitting a new system is the best option. Alarms, particularly old ones, are a real source of trouble

The factory-fit infra-red RCL system with the flip-out key and sensors in the driver's door handle & tailgate is a different kettle of fish altogether. They generally work extremely well but, if you lose a key or the system fails, they seem to do a very good job of immobilising the cars completely


Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[bigasotonuk]

Look at the switches on the centre console if you have a switch with a red LED on it you have an alarm as this is to turn the interior monitoring on/off.(it may still have an alarm even if you have,nt got this swich/LED).
Not sure but didnt some mercs have a red led by the boot lock?
If the car had an alarm from new it would of been a Scorpion (fitted in the UK by the MB dealer) and if it has remote locking this would of been incorporated with alarm, and a spare key is available from Merc for £60-70. If no remote locking you maybe able to buy a new fob direct from Scorpion as Mercedes can,t or won,t supply them.

http://www.scorpionauto.com/index.html

Just for info my alarm reciever is in the mirror and i,ve got no drivers lock at all, just red and green LEDs and the Passenger side lock is blanked off.
There were at least eight different Scorpion alarms fitted to Mercs at this time each one slightly different in its operation and level of security which it provided.