Motor Vehicle Maintenance & Repair Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for mechanics and DIY enthusiast owners of cars, trucks, and motorcycles. It only takes a minute to sign up.
Sign up to join this community
I want a new key for my Mercedes Benz and I've heard that you can get a used smart key for much cheaper than a new one from a licensed Mercedes mechanic.
Can I reuse an already programmed Mercedes smart key fob?
I've heard a Mercedes can be programmed to accept a new key, doesn't that mean a used key will work?
Any key that has already been programmed to a Mercdes will never work in any other car.
Once a key has been "flashed" or programmed to one car you can't reprogram the key. Mercedes keys pair "for life", so once you stick a key in the ignition and it works, it's never going to work in another car.
It is true that a Mercedes can accept new keys; when you get a new key you usually get an "additional" key, which pairs with the car and programs very quickly. You can have multiple keys that work with a car, but you'll have to get them ordered from Mercedes; dealers can't make them up and they won't have them on hand. You'll have to place an order with your VIN number for them to send you a compatible, fresh key.
There have been claims that you can reprogram a smart key but this is not true once the key has been paired. If you order online and get a used, preprogrammed Mercedes key, it's not going to work. It might not even work with the car it was originally programmed for!
get a hot air soldering iron remove the transponder chip from the main board and solder new blank chip on then it can be programmed but you may need a key programmer to do could cost you about £100 total to do but better than £250
You can use the old key mother board that is in the old key and transfer it to the new key. No need to reprogram it will work. You just need a new key fob not a new key.
