I'm trying not to think bad things, but about three months ago i got the infamous 2-3 start/die and then nothing symptoms when trying to start my car. Having read through all kinds of threads here as an act of defiance/hedge against sketchy mechanics/technicians should I ever need one (and there is no shortage of them here in Vegas), or in prevention of needing one, I have learned quite a lot and recognized it right off the bat. I had also previously watched a bunch of YouTube vids and recall at least a handful of different people having done mods to the sentry key system eliminating the need for the transponder. I wanted that.

I also build gadgets like laser engravers, 3d printers, CNC, LED arrays, hexapod robotic "bugs" and whatever else I feel like I can pull off, program micro controllers, repair PCBs, micro soldering, fault finding on circuit boards (I suck and need more practice, but AI has surprisingly been a crap-tonne of help on this) I extract, dump and explore firmware for various devices, eeproms, etc, etc, etc. In short, I'm a nerd of the highest order and am no dummy about this sort of stuff. I'm no GENIUS about it, either, but have a firm grasp of concepts and learn new ones quickly. I did some research, or tried to, to find out what was inside the modules in my car, controller chip wise and came up empty, short of cracking them all open. I just wondered what protocol for bridging might be used as I have several varieties for many different types of chips and also have a few chip programmers in addition to the readers.

I have always been of the mindset that if a thing is broken what's the harm in taking it apart and trying to fix it? That mindset applies to most things that are useless if I don't fix it because I have no plans to pay someone else to do it, but in this case, I was not willing to risk further damaging things in an exploratory sort of manner knowing how uncommon and hard to come by parts can be for this vehicle. But I did try a few simple things suggested by specialists, like reflowing solder joints that can come loose from vibration on the relay controller, checked t he relays themselves (so rad to watch them all do their thing I even videoed it) dismantled my dash to see if I had loose connections in the wiring harnesses, checked/tested fuses, grounds, and all that basic troubleshooting stuff one might do that isn't invasive (except reflowing, but I trust myself with that task). My odbII reader came up empty for codes which I find curious, but nothing shocks me when an entire vehicle's multiple mechanical systems are each managed by a controller unit and communicate via a local network. Two of them, if I am not mistaken. The fast one (CAN C) and the non-time crucial functions on the slower one (CAN B). This would all be a new world of data communication for me to go spelunking into. Coincidentally it's often used in robotics to sync multiple servos and memory, and clock systems and Lemmy knows what else. Only gotten my toes wet in this department so far, but it's good stuff to know.

Anyway, I found "my guy" and made contact. I explained what I wanted as skreem delete which in my mind is to delete the need for the skreem security by either modding the firmware and deleting the need for code matching, or an added module that tricks the PCM or manages to harvest several codes in the upcoming sequence and feeds the correct one. Whatever the case, I don't care. I just need to start my car. By this point, it's been two months and I had been waiting on my husband to allocate the funds for this job which took a while. Meanwhile, I was stranded 8-10 hours a day wherever I had him drop me or here at home with no choice and driving myself batsh**, going stir crazy. I'm told by "my guy" to pack up my main computer module, the skreem and keys and mail it to such and such address. Absolutely. Can't wait. Except I have to till it's done and returned to me in working order. (*insert ants in mah pants*)

So once I decided I was hands off and going to source a specialist to write out my need for a transponder from my computers, since this would be the second time in a year needing some kind of locksmith (once prior for my misplaced key that was locked in my parked and for sale food truck along with the food truck keys as well that I found a week and a half later) I decided that I wanted not to have to deal with them again because for this issue, they were trying to charge me double the going rate to do exactly what I did and that is mail off my PCM, Skreem and keys to a reputable specialist with the answers to my problem. He was basically charging an a-hole gouge, sight unseen no less without knowing for fact what the issue was which was shady imo, just to mail my stuff away for me. An extra five hundred bucks to ship my stuff away? Gee, thanks a pant load, Chet. Hard pass. He was even kind of laughing at me on the phone which only aggravated me. I get this sort of thing often I can only assume due to my femaleness being assumed to equate to ignorance in all things "mans work" or whatever. All the damn time, it's actually shocking. AND insulting. I was just hoping someone locally might have the magic I needed. I called 6-7 locksmiths, 2-3 dealerships which neither one wants to claim their bastard child crossfire, and only the ONE smug opportunistic a-hole called me back. Not even the guy who programmed my last key would respond which is sus.

So about 2 weeks ago, after 2 weeks of waiting (as) patiently (as possible), I get my package and am giddy happy dancing, half skipping, with the box into my house but the contents are... confusing. My skreem is missing and a tiny box, sealed with holographic anti-tamper seals and topped with clear packing tape with 4 wires coming off of it were in its place. No instructions included. A printout of the pin out for the 4 wires and 2 of the original CAN wires that connected to the skreem are forbidden to be used. Also the power for the ignition to the PCM is also forbidden, but this is all it says. Here I was expecting a modded SKREEM to just plug in and call it done so I can start putting my interior back together. And maybe, you know, LEAVE MY HOUSE. Also, I'm in Vegas. It's JUNE and not getting any cooler out. I need this done a month ago.

I contact them explaining my confusion, ask for help and am told it would be easier to explain on the phone and to call tomorrow. Fine, okay. But I am a third shifter and as I am winding down my day, they are getting started, as I am starting my next one, have to do a few things and by the time I can call, they are calling it quits. I drop a text though and ask if it's a good time because I don't want to disturb dinner or whatnot and don't get a reply till way into the night. Call tomorrow. Shoot.. Okay. I don't need it explained like I'm five, just tell me how and where it connects. But since I can't seem to sync up with them, I am in the meantime doing my homework. Reading from the manual that has more pages than the Holy Bible, watching vids, reading forums, fixya, and similar sites, studying up on CAN bus for dipshidiots like myself and learning a ton, then taking stabs at it and nope. still no start, no crank, no nada. Well, sometimes crank.

I sent a long-winded text to them Friday around the same time, like 5:something, explaining what I was learning on my own, which I have learned even more since and know some info I sent was wrong or half wrong, but hoping to have it started "today" which I say every day trying to will it into existence, but still not successfully going yet, I waited and waited and when I got no response by the end of Friday, I figured I'd have to wait out the weekend for a response if we are in fact doing the off the clock/off the phone thing, but here we are, it's Tuesday, tomorrow marks TWO FRIGGIN WEEKS SINCE I'VE HAD MY PARTS BACK, A full month since I put them in a box to be shipped and going on three months since my lawn ornament was a car. And the carrot just dangles there, $600 of pure frustration later. One would think that would come with some customer support. No?

I also have an aversion to my phone that only gets worse with every person that berates me for not answering my phone. The irony. . I hate the thing and all it stands for. So I misplace it A LOT. It dies while it is lost in the ether, and I can't track it when that happens so I have to keep careful watch over it lately. My husband leaves for ten hrs a day, my kid moved out on her own, and if anything happened where I needed to go someplace urgently, I can't. It also hinders my ability to get stuff done because by the time he gets home, even if I wanted to take his car out, the days of late night and 24 hour store hours are long gone, even in a 24 hour town. I would give my right foot and my neighbor's first born for some help with this. Ya know, before I completely crack.

4 wires:
Run/start
GND
CAN+
CAN-

Can't use original 2-wire connector to the skreem But sourcing power is easy there is the pink w/ green dots ACC/ON wire that my stereo uses, but there is also the On/run pink and I believe red that's basically the same. Perhaps each is on a different CAN network, but I don't think it matters. Key turns on, wire gets powered up, and I have tested those connections with the voltage meter to make sure they would be live. I know that CAN is low voltage on a differential of no more than 5v split between them, and each wire has two-way communication, and I'm pretty sure + is dark green and - is white throughout the vehicle but if I am wrong, this would be good to know. I am pretty sure skreem used CAN C, I know the instrument cluster is the translation point and bridge from B to C and vice versa, sort of acting as a central way point for all the devices and sensors to get info to the other CAN network. What am I missing? Did I get a bunk module? I don't want to trash talk anyone's business so I'm wondering if anyone has bought one similar? Do I need to terminate it? What are some good locations or even splices to get at the CAN and is the location of any module on the network, whether before or after this module or that sensor, is it significant? I've taken about a half dozen stabs at it. No dice. Mostly just various CAN points I've tried piggy backing off of. Your help and patience with me is appreciated, since I have just about lost mine.

Oh and as an added bonus in my search for an answer, I watched a Vid filmed 4 months ago where dude ordered the same thing I did by name, "Skreem delete" from the same place as I did and I was bent to see he got his OG skreem back modded and dude plugged it in, car fired right up. wtaf? *growl* The no contact starts to feel like I've been taken for a ride, but I know this not to be the case. And why did they keep my module? I was never told this would be the case. Likely swapped it for an arduino nano, as that's about the size of the project box it is sealed inside of. Anyway, I'm gonna stop griping, gonna go grab some Zzzz for a few hours and look forward to and greatly appreciate any replies or help with this. This car starts today! (my daily mantra) y'all are rad and I appreciate this place's existence so much. Please forgive my whiny ranting. I realize people mostly don't care. . I just feel like that song, Despite all my rage I am still just a rat in a cage.

 

The guys at the MSS ( Mercedes swap shop) on Facebook or online

https://themercedesswapshop.com/?fbc...-XXRtUipLvbNVg


Or Rob at www.Needswings.com would have been the two sources to deal with to get your car back running with the correct parts back to you in less than 2 weeks

 

The go to, for a screem delete is "Precision ECU". Is that who you used?

 

Can you post pics of what device you have received? Maybe warn us of who not to use for that service?
Thanks

 

All that text and you can't tell us who you dealt with?

I'm sorry, but you went to the wrong person. The guys at the MSS or Rob at Needswings could have taken care of this for you in as little as 7-14 days.

 

.


WS, I think you may be making this much harder than it is (although it IS very frustrating)... First, tell us here who you sent the car parts to. You may have been ripped of, and the source of this is now drinking a case of beer next to his or her dirty pool wanting to know how long the pool repairman will take to get there so he or she can pay them (with your money) and get back to drinking IN the pool.

Now, after the sad sad attempt of levity on my part, I'll repeat- WHO DID YOU DEAL WITH? This doesn't sound like the members here in the forum who have a tried and true solution to your situation. Another question, did you pay for this with a CC? If so you might be able to claim the parts lost (like the SKREEM, as it seems it is now lost). You are in the right place to help but there may not be a quick solution if you want the car to start and resume your travels in a day, or maybe weeks. I am optimistic you can get back on the road, but again we have no idea what to advise since we have no idea what you sent (spelled out) vs what you received (spelled out in detail). A picture (as asked already before my post) of everything you got back would help immensely. So, please list what you sent and maybe take a picture of what you received.

In closing, IF you connected anything and it fed +12 volts dc back through your CAN buss, we all may be mourning just about every module/sensor throughout your car. I hope not, your answers may make any attempt to fix this issues as presented, moot.


.

 

It is disturbing how cynical that sounds. It is more disturing when you realize how accurate it probably is.

I never thought of that. Kinda scary, isn't it?

 

whiskeysquiker I see after your long story,, I mean long story I think you over engendered the repair,
there has been more self fixersof the RCM on than you would believe and only a few have fixed their problem
themselves . an then they wind up sending their RCM to TJ for repair, if you can find another crossfire and
ask to swap your RCM just for a test. .I think that was your original problem,, 95% of the members here carry
a spare RCM in their trunk, as for the other things you want to do the two places were in the post above
I know, but I am 83 and learn something every day,, just this morning my wife tried to tell me how to do something ,,,,
forgot what it was but i told he " if i agree with you then we both would be wrong."
we all wait to see what you did to fix your car and please tell us what U did so we can fix our car using your knowledge thanks jim

 

I don't want to disparage, but suffice it to say they are well known and respected across both the crossfire and Mercedes forums which is why, despite me starting to think things, I know for a fact I haven't been screwed over. Well 99% certain. Nothing is ever certain in this world. The car is fine, I haven't fed the wrong voltage through the CAN. I've carefully tested the voltages of the wires I have tried tapping into before connecting it up. If I pull the battery cable, it still does the 2-3 turnovers and nothing symptom. I also believe that one of the only two instructions given with this of not using the same ON/RUN as that of the ignition switch to power train module is due to the amp demand maybe causing a problem. If I am not mistaken, that's a 50 amp jolt. If it bled into this box, and there is indeed the equivalent of an Arduino or something, that's a big enough surge to overrun any forward running diodes backwards and I imagine magic smoke would occur. I was contemplating an inline fuse, as a matter o' fact.

Sorry about all the words. It's the 'tism. Gotta give ALL the info. I've been berated a time or a hundred for not providing enough data to troubleshoot on a number of forums. Some people are jerks about it so I don't give the opportunity to snap at me. Verbosity in spades. lol Or in 'tism vernacular, pedantic. It adds search terms, I guess. My tantrum might also be blamed on the 'tism, as well. Meltdown mode when I am frustrated.

As for the black box I was given, its 1x1x3" (give or take) with 4 wires coming out 4 little holes. About the size to fit an Arduino nano inside of, if anyone is familiar. The wires are Red, black, white, green corresponding to ON/run, ground, CAN- and CAN+. There is nothing a photograph can tell you that this description doesn't. And sorry I didn't come back yesterday. Decided to finish building out hubs office closet so he can move his die cast cars out of our room. Like a hundred of them from Franklin mint or something like that. I'm gonna be installing his display cases with some new led lighting and custom controllers that will be controllable from his phone. Happy Fathers Day.

I needed a break from the finicky lawn ornament and all things related. A lot of times (quite often, tbh) I find that walking away gives my subconscious time to parse it all out. I'll then get the light bulb moment out of no where. No luck yet, but I'm not as aggro today and my frustration is the alarm bell that signals it's time to walk away. It's like running with one foot nailed to the floor. I'm not coming up with any new solutions at that point. Just getting more frustrated and more aggro.

Now that the sun has set, I'm going out to install the kill switch to my battery and scout out the placement and process of installing my button start kit. I don't really care about the button start so much as having a remote that will unlock and lock my car. It has never worked since I have owned it. Fob neither. While I poke around I might get the Ah-ha moment. Or at least a little spike of motivation to try something else.

Anyway if any of ya have any ideas and aren't pushing to get me to trash the company I went through, I'd like some outside perspective. The "rules" are, no On/run through ignition to ecu(Pcm), can't use the white 2-pin connector formerly connected to skreem. It is forever forbidden to be used.. We are working with on/run, ground (is brown lol), CAN+ and CAN- wires. I didn't really see anything on the big skreem connector that relates to these. I may pull my ignition switch and see what wires I have there. Have to do it anyway for the push button kit. I also saw that the cluster has lots of CAN connections via the manual, but I couldn't get at the connectors to remove em so it's still hooked up. Power and ground are the least of my worries and trying different sources didn't change anything. But why is the can not doing the thing it's supposed to do? What am I missing? Lots, apparently. And my cellphone is lost again. I wish I cared about that, but I don't.

 

Also why did they keep my skreem?

 

You aren't going to get the doors or trunk to lock/unlock without the Sentry Key Remote Entry Module (SKREEM).

STOP! Read this thread Skreemulator ~Viper-666

 

And to answer your question, there was no reason to keep your screem. Tell them to give it back, it is yours and contains lots of data.

 

I missed that.

No wonder this has gone to hell - again, who did this? Certainly not either of the two companies known to us here on the forum.

The phrase "SKREEM DELETE" is deceptive, THERE IS NO SKREEM DELETE, there is only a SKREEM "workaround".

They kept the SKREEM? What an awful mess.............................................

 

Without yet naming them just yet, they themselves drive a crossfire. A heavily modded one. So I figured they knew what was up. I have also read and watched all the viper posts and vids on this as well as other modules he has created and just assumed they figured out what viper didn't. But when telling them what skreem delete I wanted, as there were options, they said I could put in an aftermarket remote unlock kit. So I said the one that guarantees this won't happen again. F*** me. I'm screwed.

 

If after contacting Rudy from the link given to you in post # 11 above and he can not help you; You have two options:

1. Contact the Mercedes Swap shop via their website and ask for help. Do not go off on tangentials. It is really simple. You need a new SKREEM, Keys and Locks from a junked Crossfire. Sometimes a complete set can be found on ebay. Offer to tow your car to his shop (about 250 miles from Los Vegas) and let him complete the work. Let him supply all necessary parts. It may not be as expensive as you think. email and ask for help. Rent a car carry trailer from U-Haul and make a day trip out of it.

2. part out your car; Keep the wheels on it; Then denote the hulk to charity.

 

I'm not ready to give up just yet. I had an ah-ha moment. Finally. I also sent an email to the company pleading for help. But I figured out something in my CANBUS research. Each bus is terminated by 120 ohm resistors at each end which means it is linear and should test @ 60 ohms up and down the CAN lines, which was one of my big questions: is its position on the bus crucial? With this module it actually is. The CAN could split off somewhere between each node, but still feed into the main linear line. There are two busses, one high speed (C) for time crucial systems, one low speed(B) for everything else and they are joined by a central bridge of sorts that translates and exchanges bits of data between them. That bridge is the instrument panel. That marks the front and rear ends of each bus. I also learned the black box I was sent is perfectly terminated with 120.5 ohms just like the SKREEM was, which was one end node of C, between the green and white wires. The only place it can go is at the end of the bus to terminate the node, otherwise any devices it skips get assed out of the CAN, but if placed correctly, I should get half the resistance (60 ohm) when tested up and down the C-can high and low and universe permitting, the sweet sound of engine turnover and the satisfaction/releif of it staying lit. So the connector on the back of the instrument panel is really the only place I can tap the CAN. This thing may actually still work. But I will wait for a reply from the place I got it, if I am wrong. Like I said, I really don't want to believe this is a BS box by how reputable they are across the different forums and we just have a problem with opposing schedules. Say a prayer, cross your fingers, send good vibes, sacrifice a chicken, whatever it is you do so that the universe's energy works with me today rather than against me. And if it fires, I'm going to take myself to see BuckCherry on fremont street tonight to celebrate my victory over the machine (free fifty, the best price) since hubs will be gone.

I should also note that the measurements of the box were a little small that I gave. For all I know, it could contain the all of or portions of the guts from the skreem as it's more like 1.25"x2.5"x3.5" and if this starts, I don't give a hoot. Just a w00t! for the life of my car being restored from sexy, useless lawn ornament status, and I will personally apologize in epic profusion, even grovel for losing my s*** to the company that built this box, as it is highly likely this is what the computer support world used to call a PEBKAC error: problem exists between keyboard and chair except in this case it's between the wrench and and my chuck taylors.

Also, I may need to exchange this remote kit for a different one that uses electronic locks vs. the existing pneumatic pump ones. Also, no big deal since I won't likely be using the cylinder from the ignition switch anyhow. I have some household chores to do today during the blazing hours of sun and my Irish paleness cannot handle existing outdoors too long being this close to the sun mid spring through mid fall, but a little later, I will test my final theory and then wait for reply to my email if I fail. I am not allowing my hopes to get too high, but have a good feeling about this. *crosses every crossable appendage* It may even be too much anticipation for me to wait out the sun... I'm actually pretty sure of that. lol But plumbing first.

 

HI Whiskey,
Yes, you are correct, the SKREEM has one of the terminations (120ohms) and the ECU has the other. If you want details of what voltages and resistances you should be measuring, I posted all my data here: no crank, black rectangle/square in the IC - CrossfireForum - The Chrysler Crossfire and SRT6 Resource. The SKREEM terminates the CAN BUS, and when the key with the RFID chip is in the ignition, it tells the ECU that it's okay.
Good luck and hopefully your lawn ornament becomes a car again.
-Jerry

 

So I thought I should finally write in the end of this ordeal.

First? YOU ABSOLUTELY CAN replace the skreem with a "mystery box". Once I finally got confirmation of the hookup instructions, which I opted not to hack at my wiring until I heard back after my last post here, it didn't start right up. I first had to pull my battery cable because I was getting a no crank no start at that point. And I checked everything over the space of a week+. I had even removed my kill switch. I had to actually discharge every remaining volt in the system with a 10ohm ceramic resistor across both battery cables while I checked the continuity of all my fuses. Took about 20 minutes and I found a couple fuses that needed replacement but were not related to this issue and only pulled them to remind myself to replace them later leaving the cover off. One was my heated mirrors. Once I had done that I crossed my fingers and toes and I'll be damned if it didn't start up. Problem I had now was a lot of my electrical systems weren't working. But that whole ordeal already took a week of what patience I had to give it every day in the 110+ heat. Now that it started I had a renewed motivation.

So over the next couple days I started checking grounds and connectors and inspecting wires and decided to steam clean the engine compartment hunting down all the ground bolts I could. Since it sat for 4 and a half months (+/-) who knows what grime and oxidization or corrosion had time to build. I reinspected all the wiring behind the cluster removed and reseated any connectors I may have fiddled with throughout the vehicle and when I felt I had run out of ideas. I stuck the key in and turned to accessory and everything lit up, stereo came on, the radiator fan did NOT come on like before (and I checked the RCM, everything was good there, as was the TPIM) and it started right up, this time with a normal sounding idle. I have since put most of my dash back together, but not completely because I have an aftermarket remote PKE push button start I am going to install, but I have driven it all over the place and it runs just like it did the night before it said NOPE.

I was informed in advance the systems I would lose as a result of the delete I ordered. I still hadn't planned on the SKREEM actually being deleted, but I knew I would lose all security and my fobs wouldn't work but I never had a working remote since I've owned it and the security feature is what got me here to begin with so to hell with it. I will install my own starting with a kill switch, which I reintegrated and it still runs fine with it connected. I may also install a remote controlled circuit breaker disabling a critical system preventing it from being started.. I have the starter mapped out for the push button, but now I need to figure out which wires to connect the remote unlock, and this being pneumatic based is adding a little confusion but there are electrical signals that go to it telling it what to do. Those are probably the wires I want. So I have more schematic studying to do. Just thought I'd finish this thread.

Thanks for the help or at least letting me rant. And I'll tell ya, I cried like a weenie when it started and stayed lit. All I could say was "I don't believe it. I don't effing believe it." over and over. I had all but lost hope of it ever starting again under my ownership. But I'm also too stubborn to be beaten by a machine. 4 and a half months is an eternity without wheels. I was about at my breaking point. Hence the initial rant session. Anyway, thanks again for putting up with me.

 

I should also add while I'm here, that I am no longer afraid of my computers and have programmed a canbus reader (STM32 based chip) connecting my car to an old laptop I am just going to dedicate to this stuff. All things Crossfire. I need to rig up the dualboot so I can have windows on it again. (yuck) but some opensource applications aren't linux compatible. Problem I have now is I need to locate a database that can translate the hexadecimal bits into human readable ascii. If anyone knows of a DCB database for the 2005 or ANY crossfire for that matter, I'd be grateful. The bluetooth obdII is nice, but I'm interested in the CANBUS communication as I have watched it live. Lots of data exchanged and it happens fast. I suppose I can manually decode it with a hex decoder but I'm not sure if it will work and if someone already has, that would be ideal.

But anyhow, that's all I got for today. I have a lot of maintenance things on my calendar. Position sensors to replace, spark plugs to swap. I did the air filters which took care of a hesitation when I hit the gas. I have a secondary air injection fault I need to fix, probably the check valve, but my registration was due two days ago and I don't believe I'll pass smog without that fixed. Still, things are lookin' up.

 

Congratulations on getting your car running again!
I'm very happy for you and I hope that you will enjoy the hell out of it!