01 S500 Central locking problem
 

Anyone out there that could give me a hand I would really appreciate it.

Suddenly, the central locking system and close assist stopped working on my car. All doors and trunk will not lock/unlock. Nor will the close assist activate. My guess is that a fuse needs to be replaced. However, my owners manuel is locked in the trunk, which I can't unlock. Does anyone know what fuse controls these features? Are they both on the same fuse? Anyone else have this happen to them?????


Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Michael

It mysteriously started working again
 

Not sure why, but everything is working again. This kind of scares me becasue once before the rear sunblind button needed to be pressed twice to be activated, but now just needs to be pressed once. Sounds like there are some electrical gremlins in there. Or the convenience computer is having problems. I assume this car has a convenience computer much like the w140s..


Any insight to this would be helpful.

MIchael

Start by checking the rear fuse and relay box, located near the battery in the trunk.
From memory, third relay from left is relay for circuit 15, this relay powers door control modules, rear roller blind, rear seat head rests, etc.
Check all fuses and the fuse holder, check for any signs of excess current draw (melting or charring) and do the same with each relay.

ozzy

You can unlock the trunk with the blade key the next time central locking quits working.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll check the fuses tomorrow. With regards to the "blade"key, I assume you mean the metal key that is located inside the smartkey. I tried that on the trunk and for some reason it would not work. Then, a few hours later I tried it again and it worked. After I opened the trunk, I tried the door locks with the smartkey and checked the soft close doors and everything was working normal again!!!! Strange, very strange!!!


Michael

Early electrical gremlims on early production W220s are common and scary!!!

The problem is that almost all electrical systems and features + engine managment controls are all hooked up together into a main central computer which is well known to misbehave.

The problem you mention in just one of many that occur due to this computer. One peculiar thing about all problems is that tend to occur, then stop, then occur again (with no warning). Other typical examples would be erratic power seat and readio/CD behavior, false warnings from burnt headlights and windows and sunroof which will open or close at their own will. Most of all these problems will also carry one or more unrelated engine problems.

What I have seem the local dealer do is to change the central computer with an updated version, which by the way, it is quite expensive.