*** Soft top won't close *** - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Boudreaux · #1 03-07-2004, 09:45 AM

Hi everyone.

I have had a problem with Dieter today. Since the weather was very nice today, I removed the hard top to get a little sunshine. However, when I arrived to my destination and was about to park it, the roof wouldn't raise and close. The red roof switch would just flash in about 1 second intervals.

What has happened and what can be done? I have searched the postings and have found only the window resynchronizing solution. If somebody can elaborate, I really appreciate your help.

p.s. I think they hydraulic roof lock above the drivers side now leaking as a small amount of fluid has been seen there.

Boudreaux · #2 03-07-2004, 10:34 AM

Uh oh!!

I decided to replace the hard top onto the car to see if it would reset the switches and now the roof locks above the windshield have engaged but the rear locks did not! Also something started beeping. All of the fuses in the trunk are good.

Any recommendations of finding out what is going on with this car?

Thanks in advance.

LeaUK · #3 03-07-2004, 12:15 PM

Does the roof raise at all? If it gets partially raised and stops then then most likely cause is that the windows aren't closed or the window closed switches are not being actuated by the closed windows.

Is the engine running when you try and close the roof? The roof control detects low battery voltage and will refuse to operate under around 11V.

DavidWeis · #4 03-07-2004, 08:09 PM

Gee..Same thing happened to me today!

I put the top down, drove 1 mile, and went to get a hot dog. I put the key to the far left (radio still on but all else off), then went to get a hot dog. When I came back in, the Red light was on???

I tried to put the top up, but all that happened was that the bar went down, windows went down, then the hatch came up and that was it. There was a sound like the hydro's were trying to put it up, but nada happend.

I drove home, and tried to put the hardtop on, but nada would engage...

I then put the hardtop back in the corner, and tried to lift it again with the switch..This time, the windows wouldn't even come down.

Off to the dealer..If it cost me 4K, I'll P.

Sheez...

D

bobterry99 · #5 03-08-2004, 01:14 AM

Boudreaux, there are many possibilities for what is causing the problem with your top mechanism. I would begin by checking for diagnostic trouble codes stored in the soft top controller memory as I have explained many times on this website. One difference though is that being a '94, I think your car has the 38-pole diagnostic connector, and if so, you would short from pole 21 to ground of that device to display codes.

Roger65 · #6 03-08-2004, 03:29 AM

Check the soft top limit switch. It is located in the softop compartment, about a foot behind where the drivers head is while seated. It is a slider switch with a black plastic body and a blue plastic tip. This switch tells the controller the position of the top, check that the soft top depresses it all the way when down, and that it pops all the way up when the top is up. You will need to raise the top manually with the mercedes tool to get at this switch. The owners manual that came with the car has directions on how to operate the top manually using the supplied wrench.

I don't know for a fact that this switch is to blame for your problem, but I would start looking there.

Boudreaux · #7 03-08-2004, 09:40 AM

You guys wouldn't believe it if I told you. I used the wrench to manually release the roof locks to remove the hard top and everything went fine. The problem was that the right rear roof latch (with the red paint on it) was down and the left rear roof latch was up. I guess this confused the roof computer if the roof was on/off/halfway on, etc.

Thank you very much for your assistance in this matter regarding my green Panzer!!

Now I have to order the front latch hydraulic cylinder.

spinedoc · #8 03-10-2004, 03:07 PM

Hey guys, was just wondering your thoughts on a related issue. 1996 SL500 the top raises up fine, and latches in place at the front, but then stalls and the rear hatch will not close. If I disengage/engage the front a couple of times the rear hatch will eventually close and the rear part of the top will drop and click in. The top part has never refused to open/close, only the rear hatch.

Would appreciate any thoughts.

bobterry99 · #9 03-12-2004, 01:20 AM

'Doc, your problem is surely one of the switches that detect the locked/unlocked state of each lock for the leading edge of the top at the windshield. The rear hatch (compartment cover) does not close until the controller is signalled that both sides are locked. It is possible for the top to appear locked but not quite tightly enough for both switches to close. I once had a car where the weatherstripping seal on the top had come loose at one place, and this was enough to cause the problem described.

Also -- I'm not sure, but I think the switches are adjustable. If so, maybe you need to remove the cover over the windshield to access the switches and adjust them to effectively lower the threshold at which they close.

spinedoc · #10 03-12-2004, 08:38 AM

Thanks bobterry, awesome info. I will play around with it a bit. I do hear 2 clicks when the front locks down, but maybe they are not fully engaging.

Also is there any maintenance I should be looking at? Anything to lubricate or should the hydraulic fluid be replaced? I am asking specifically because I am getting a new top on Mon and was just wondering if I should do any maintenance while its off, or if I should waterproof it.

Thanks much.

Boudreaux · #11 03-12-2004, 09:14 AM

Hey spinedoc,

Check the emergency manual locking levers (they are found behind the small, rectangle covers by the trunk hinges on both sides). Inside of the space, you will see a small lever with the edge painted red; both of them should be in the same position (up, down, middle, etc.) What happened on my car was that upon removing the hardtop, the right side lever didn't go all the way up but the left side lever did. When I pushed the switch to put up the softtop, nothing would happen except for the hydraulic pump operating then stopping. After doing a little investigating, I saw the rear lever problem. Now the roof operates perfectly.

Try this out and see if it fixes your problem.

bobterry99 · #12 03-12-2004, 10:13 AM

'Doc: Sorry, but I'm not aware of any maintenance you should perform.

Boudreux: It is not possible to manually work the rear-most locks on a '96 SL, and there are no covers to easily remove and access them from the trunk. Even so, this has nothing to do with the operation of the compartment cover and could not possibly be the cause of 'Docs problem.

spinedoc · #13 03-12-2004, 06:06 PM

Thanks again guys, will check it out this weekend!