If you have a W124 (or, likely, any other chassis with a vacuum lock system) and want an inexpensive, EASY to install keyless entry, read on!

My wife REALLY missed the keyless entry from our "old" car. We have a '92 300E. I searched the archives for info on keyless entries, and came up with info that Benzmac made a keyless system. However, it seems that they've discontinued this, I'm guessing because of support/installation problems from dummies like me. He suggested that I get one installed locally. I checked them out, and they want to install relays/sensors in the doors, etc.

Anyway, I was ordering a cd player for my truck (for my daughter) from Crutchfields, and I asked them about keyless remote entry systems. They hooked me up with the right equipment, but not necessarily the best instructions... After several calls to the support folks, and hours of dead ends, below are the requirements from Crutchfields and the instructions. Should take a couple of hours, max.

1 - 514REC11 Crime Guard REC-11 69.95
1 - 514DLSV Crime Guard DSVL 3.95
2 - 514AU8 Crime Guard AU8 (relay)(6.95ea) 13.90
Total 87.80

If you order from Crutchfields (800.955.300)and order over $250 from them, you can save $25 by using y customer ID (20011403). I also get $25... hint hint!

OK, here's the process. Believe me when I tell you I went thru hell finding this EXTREMELY simple way to hook this up.

Now, as a caveat, please understand that this ONLY GIVES YOU KEYLESS REMOTE!!! (no starter kill, flashing lights, interior dome light, auto locking doors when ignition is on, etc. that you get if you hook up all of the capabilities of this system).

Remove the back seat bottom (press the two red tabs near the floor and pull up). The vacuum pump is under the rear seat on the right side of the vehicle sheathed in a grey foam block. Carefully gain access to the side of the pump towards the front of the car. You will find 2 wire connectors. Be careful not to disturb the vacuum lines... If yours is like mine, they didn't spare any wire for the pump... One connector is a flat connector with 3 wires. Squeeze the releases on the sides and carefully remove the plug. Remove the other connector, it's round, and the catch on the side has to be flipped up to release it.

On the flat connector, attach the black wire from the control unit and the black wire from the DSLV to the brown ground wire. I like to solder them.
Attach the red (hot) wire from the control unit to the third wire in on the flat connector, it should be red (was on mine, test it with a volt meter, it should show a continuous 12V).

Carefully cut into the sheathing on the round connector. There should be a blue wire in the group. Tap into it with a voltmeter. It should show 12V when the key is turned one direction (locked??), and 0V when it is turned in the other. Carefully cut this wire so that you have room to attach wires to both ends of the cut. The green wire from the DSLV goes to the pump end of this wire, and the white goes to the other cut end. Again, I like to solder connections, and since you are cutting a wire here, heat shrink tubing works well.

Now for the moment of truth. Hook up the two connectors to the pump, connect the DSLV to the control unit, insert the 2 relays into the DSLV, and connect the control unit up. Mash the button and see if it works!!! If it works but not long enough, you can re-program the unit to throw longer (see instructions). Mine worked fine as is.

Assuming all is well, you can also do the following: Take the yellow wire from the control unit and wire it to a cheap on/off switch from Radio Shack, and wire it into the red wire. This is the "ignition" wire, and it's used for the rare times you might need to program the unit. Just flip the switch to program. You can also attach the piazo, the valet switch (for programming), etc. Wrap everything up making sure all is insulated, and tuck everything back into place. Snake the antenna so it's exposed from under the seat. Test again, put the seat bottom back in.

Good luck, email me if you need help (bstreep@satx.rr.com)! Again, thanks to everyone on this site that have helped me out in the past.

Bill Streep
'92 300E
'57 190SL

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

Bill-

That sounds almost exactly like the keyless kit we used to offer in PartsShop. The Crutchfield price is super.

Take a look at our install procedure and see if you recognize anything:

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/W124Keyless

We stopped selling it because we felt it was a little too complex for some people to install.

__________________
Bill Wood - Retired Webmaster
My Personal Website
1998 Mercedes E430
2010 Toyota Sequoia
My Photo Albums

Your instructions, while SLIGHTLY more complex, are pretty simple. I tried to talk Benzmac into it... He did give me the name of the place that you had been buying the parts from, but without the instructions,I didn't want to chance it. And, as you noted, for the price, the Crutchfields approach ain't bad... BTW, the units look nearly identical. Made by Omega.

Bill Streep

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

Hi Bill,

Following your method to install a keyless entry, will this also activate/deactivate the factory alarm?

Thanks to the Webmaster for the very useful procedures with pictures!

Thanks a lot!

budkorn

1987 300D Turbo

Yes it will.

The car shown in the pictures is my wife's 1995 E420 and the alarm works like a charm.

__________________
Bill Wood - Retired Webmaster
My Personal Website
1998 Mercedes E430
2010 Toyota Sequoia
My Photo Albums

Hey Bill, I noticed that the parts that y'all had listed were nearly identical to those that I bought from Crutchfields - maybe a newer control unit (mdl 11 instead of 8). What purposed did the connections to the Convenience unit serve? Am I missing anything I might want??? ;-)

Bill Streep

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)

The convenience unit controls the factory alarm. This connection allows the remote to function exactly the same as locking and unlocking your car with a key.

__________________
Bill Wood - Retired Webmaster
My Personal Website
1998 Mercedes E430
2010 Toyota Sequoia
My Photo Albums

i recently purchased the avital remote access 2 keyless entry system from ebay for $30 and I am looking to install it soon. I have found all of the parts that were required in your installation example except for the Crime Guard DSVL. Is there any where besides crutchfield where i can buy this?
later
doug

My wife also was delighted with the convenience of remote keyless entry (her Christmas present). The fact that I installed it myself in the depths of a Toronto winter did not go unnoticed!

With respect to dug's query, the ‘DLSV’ is just a dual-relay connector/harness. You can use any pair of standard single-relay harnesses, appropriately inter-wired. Also, any remote security unit that can be programmed for 3.5 seconds (most can) works well with the M-B vacuum system. This gives you wider product selection and better price than relying on Crutchfield. They are all installed in the same way.

For those undertaking this project, there’s one area of potential confusion in the PartsShop instructions (step 7) that should be clarified. Earlier 124’s have 3 rather than 6 wires in the round connector. If your connector has 6 wires (3 pairs) you can splice into EITHER of the blue wires. Their voltages will be the same as they are really the same wire at the same potential.

----------------------
Barrie
86 300E

Hi all,

I have an 87 190E-16V and I'd like to install keyless entry in it. Is the vacuum pump wired the same as in the W124? Can I use the same parts as described in the first post, or do I need any additional ones? What else do I need to be aware of?

Thanks in advance, can't wait to be keyless!!

Daniel

__________________
87 190E EVO II Turbo

Do you think this will work on my 1983 300SD? I have a vacuum lock system and I think on this model the extra v-pump is in the trunk. I am sure it is differant from the one shown on the website. Any advice?

Here is a list of what they are sending. Any updates on this install.

Bstreep,

How has your system been holding up since your install post of 12-17-2000?


514REC11 Crime Guard REC-11 Keyless Entry 1
0 69.99 69.99
514DLSV Crime Guard DLSV Vacuum Interfac 1
0 3.99 3.99
514AU8 Crime Guard AU8 40-amp Relay w/ 2
0 6.99 13.98
000CAR4 Crutchfield Guide:Car Stereo Ins 1
0 0.00 0.00
000CARSEC2 CAR SECURITY INSTALL GUIDE 1
0 0.00 0.00
000MULTI2 MULTIMETER INSTRUCTION SHEET 1
0 0.00 0.00
000CATALOG CURRENT CRUTCHFIELD CATALOG 1
0 0.00 0.00

Sub
Total: 87.96

Shipping: 5.99

Total: 93.95

Wow, you just saved me about 40 Grand! I was going to swap my '91 300E for a 2003 E500 to get remote key entry

What sort of keyless entry are we talking about? Remote-control operated unlocking, or the newer MB type with a card that goes in your wallet and the car unlocks itself automatically when you are in the radius.

Now *that* would be cool to retrofit!

I already have an aftermarket alarm fitted, which gives me remote locking, but I'd swap for the card type

__________________
190E's:
2.5-16v 1990 90,000m Astral Silver
2.0E 8v 1986 107,000m Black 2nd owner
http://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall.jpghttp://www.maylane.demon.co.uk/190esmall2.jpg

My kit arrived from Crutchfield yesterday I'll probably install it this Sat.