2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Key Replacement - Save vs Dealer in Ventura County

2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Replacement - Fast, Affordable & Professional

Got a call from a guy over in the Loma Vista neighborhood in Ventura. His 2011 C300 had one working key left, and even that one was acting up. Turn the key, dash would light, then nothing. Sometimes it would catch on the second or third try. Sometimes he'd sit there cycling the ignition for five minutes.

He had already called the dealer. They told him to tow it in so they could test the EIS module, and the key itself would need to be ordered from Germany. He asked how long. They said maybe two weeks, maybe longer. That was when he started looking elsewhere.

I showed up to his driveway and pulled the EIS data through the OBD port. His module was NEC-based, which is the more common board on W204s. The existing key's infrared emitter was weak, not dead, which explained the intermittent no-start. The transponder would handshake on some attempts and fail on others.

Cut a new chrome SmartKey on site, programmed it to an open slot in the EIS, tested IR communication and the remote lock, unlock, trunk, and panic buttons. Then I had him try his old key a few times while I watched the diagnostics. Still flaky. I told him to keep it as a backup for door entry only and treat the new one as his daily.

He just stood there holding both keys, comparing them. "Same key," he said. Yeah. Same key. Just one that actually works now.

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