The 2000–2014 C-Class uses the same key setup, so everything on this page applies to those years too. The full picture is on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class key guide.

2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: key facts

Key type: Smart / proximity key
Push-to-start: No
Transponder chip: DAS3/FBS3 (infrared rolling-code SmartKey)
Programming: EEPROM
All keys lost: We can originate new keys on site

W203 FBS3 Chrome-key era. New keys — including all-keys-lost — are generated from the car's EIS/EZS data by specialist tools (EZS password calculation); no dealer visit needed. There is no separate transponder chip in the Toyota sense: the key and car exchange rolling codes over infrared.

Same key system as the 2000–2014 C-Class

Mercedes-Benz kept the C-Class's key system unchanged across 2000–2014, so everything about replacing a 2002 key — blanks, programming, and what happens if every key is lost — matches the rest of that run. The full year-by-year breakdown lives in our Mercedes-Benz C-Class key guide.

What drives the price is the key type, whether you still have a working key, and where the car is parked. There's more on Mercedes-Benz programming in general on our Mercedes-Benz key page.

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Reviewed by David, Owner & Lead Technician, Wilshire Lock & Key — in the locksmith trade since 1987.

Last updated 2026-10-11.

2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class key replacement

2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class: key facts

Same key system as the 2000–2014 C-Class

We cover all these cities