Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Mercedes-Benz SL Discussion Forum

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 04-26-2006, 06:50 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
500sl convertible not working sometimes

1991 500sl Funny thing , well it's not that funny , but sometimes my top works and sometimes it doesn't , I'll get in the thing and want to take the top down and sometimes it just blinks , I'll drive down the street and 5 minutes later I try it and it works , anyone have any idea's on what it can be , is there anything I can check or try to test it ??
any idea's would be great , Thank You

Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 04-27-2006, 12:14 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Las Vegas, Atlanta
Posts: 670
If you read diagnostics on the top controller it should tell you precisely what the problem is. The procedure is explained here: Convertible top 1990 300SL.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 04-27-2006, 06:43 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
Thanks

But that whole thing about decoding and coding has got me confused , I'll read it again and try to figure this problem later , thank you and I'll send over an update on how I'm making out
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 04-27-2006, 07:13 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
blinking

when I press the button to me to make the top go down it just blinks , when I press it forward you can hear that it wants to work , so its not like a power thing , I need to learn more about that coding thing , is there more I can read on it , and how do I find that thing that tells me the codes , where is it ?? Thanks again
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 04-27-2006, 07:42 AM
Red SL
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: ATL
Posts: 90
I am not an expert on Mercedes or convertible tops, but I suggest you take your car to someone who can read and understand codes. Any good Mercedes-mechanic can read these codes.

This problem sounds simple, and you don't want to spend lot of money searching for it.

I had a similar problem, and I found out it was the left window switch causing the top not to open.

The dealer read the code and changed the switch for about $125. Although, if I had known it was the window switch I could have changed it for about $20. However, I couldn't read the codes.

I am still not quite ready to invest in a code reader and book for about $200-$300. Also, there is a learning curve associated with these code readers. Good luck!

Last edited by Red SL; 04-28-2006 at 10:27 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 04-27-2006, 11:39 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Posts: 1,150
Red SL, the top controller error code retrieval and reset prodedure is different in 90 thru 94 129Sl's than in later models. That leads to some confusion in the posts here. jubie can read and reset his errors with a simple homebrew tool as described in the post from bobterry. Because his problem is intermittent, he could have a faulty or out of adjustment switch. In any case, no need to run to the dealer. The connector is a bit difficult to spot as it has a cover which must be lifted. But if you can count "blinks", you can find the problem.
__________________
Resistance is Futile.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 04-27-2006, 03:25 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
where is the connector

so where exactly do I find this connector and can someone else describe what I have to do ?? please , Thanks again
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-27-2006, 03:53 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
counting blinks

ok , I went outside to the car and counted the blinks , well everytime I try to put down the top , the button blinks and doesn't stop blinking ,
this thing I'm looking for ?? what is it called exactly ?? and where do I find it , is it in the car , am I looking under the hood ?? where exactly is it , Thank You to all that are helping me I"M sooooo confused
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-27-2006, 03:57 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
oh , another thing

The power seats don't work in my car , I took the motor out from under the passenger side seat , some of the wires were fired and parts of the motor was burned as well , when I took it out I did disconnect other wires and plugs , and the top did go down a couple of times after I took this power seat motor , but I just wanted to throw that out there as well ,
Thanks again
should I also try the fuses , can the fuses have something to do with this ???
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-28-2006, 01:14 PM
Mike Miller's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 276
Quote:
Originally Posted by tecqboy
Red SL, the top controller error code retrieval and reset prodedure is different in 90 thru 94 129Sl's than in later models. That leads to some confusion in the posts here. jubie can read and reset his errors with a simple homebrew tool as described in the post from bobterry. Because his problem is intermittent, he could have a faulty or out of adjustment switch. In any case, no need to run to the dealer. The connector is a bit difficult to spot as it has a cover which must be lifted. But if you can count "blinks", you can find the problem.
Jubie,
The "blinks" Tecqboy is talking about are from the homebrew tool you have to build. Not blinks from the top activation switch. The 90-94 R129's have an analog fault code system. You hook the tool up to the code output module (under a square cover, right side of engine comparment, firewall), press the button (on the tool) and count the number of blinks. You then have to compare that number to a trouble shooting chart for the top.
__________________
roadkingmike@aol.com
Coast Aero Support Services, LLC
'92 MB 500 SL
'01 BMW 525i Sport
'98 Harley Davidson RoadKing
'74 BMW 3.0 CSi - Gone to a good home
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-28-2006, 01:47 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Las Vegas, Atlanta
Posts: 670
To read top codes on a pre-'94 car you don't even need a "blink" tool! Just watch the flashes of the top switch, since it is wired in parallel with the diagnostic socket. To trigger the flashes, you must short the diagnostic socket #10 to chassis ground for 2 to 4 seconds. The flashes you see when you activate the switch have nothing to do with reading codes.

The diagnostics are wired to sockets of the car's main "diagnostic connector", X11/4 located just behind the left-side strut mount. It should have a plastic cover over it. The sockets are numbered from 1 to 16. The top control system diagnostic is socket #10.

Codes must be read one at a time. That is, you ask the system to issue a code, you read the code, you ask for another code, and so on. You ask a particular system for a code by electrically shorting the diagnostic socket to ground for 2 to 4 seconds. A second or two after the short is removed, a series of electrical pulses will appear at the socket. The number of pulses corresponds to the number of a code. The ignition must be switched-on for this process.

There are many ways to view the pulses for counting and reading codes. The simplest method is to watch the lamp inside the top switch flash. This is possible because one side of the lamp is wired to the diagnostic socket for the top control system.

Once you have read all of the codes, you may wish to go back and erase them. They are erased individually one at a time. To do this, read a code, wait a few seconds, and then short the diagnostic socket to ground for 6 to 8 seconds.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 04-28-2006, 02:50 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
how ???

do I get to that diagnostic connector ??
do I get to it from inside the car ?? or do I open the hood and get there from there , is there any diagram that shows where and how I can get to it ?? Thanks again
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 04-28-2006, 10:40 PM
Red SL
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: ATL
Posts: 90
Prehaps you might want to re-read my posting. If you open the hood (looking down on the engine), the fuses box is located to the back right of the engine, and the code box is located to the back left of the engine. Normaly, it has a easy to remove plastic cap over it. You might have to remove a large cover to see it.

After you locate it; you will need a code reader.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 04-29-2006, 01:13 PM
Mike Miller's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Huntington Beach, CA
Posts: 276
See Tecaboy's post of 4/27/06. He provides a picture of the diagnostic plug.
__________________
roadkingmike@aol.com
Coast Aero Support Services, LLC
'92 MB 500 SL
'01 BMW 525i Sport
'98 Harley Davidson RoadKing
'74 BMW 3.0 CSi - Gone to a good home
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 04-29-2006, 08:31 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 93
Thanks Guys

I found it , Thanks to all who helped ,
Can you believe the Top went down without a problem this morning , later in the day I tired to take it down again and nothing happened , why does it work sometimes and not other times ?

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page