Fixed. I feel like a dolt. Careful as I was, I forgot to reconnect one of the electric leads to a microswitch that was hidden in the trim.

Thanks for the map. The codes from the diagnostic connector led me to the microswitch. The combination of your map, the 80 page booklet of diagnostic codes I downloaded from a member here, and the W124 CD service manual, helped me find the problem. It just goes to show that you can't have enough information for one of these cars.

The top now works perfectly.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K

Hey Convertible Guys, I have an issue with my top also. The portion of the top with the rear window doesn't properly lower. It just drops like a cable is broken or detatched. I haven't tried to remove or pull back the canvas to see what's going on. Do you have any diagnostic advice?

Much appreciated, as always!

Let me run this by you guys again....

Hello Kestas,

Hope you are still around on this forum!
If anyone else has any idea what that “electric lead to microswitch hidden under the trim” is all about, please let me know!

I upgraded all my cylinders, reassembled back and am stopping at this same place. The rear bow raises but the tonneau cover doesnt close when doing a raising of the soft top and get stuck in that position.

When I do a top down operation, though, the bow goes inside the compartment, and the tonneau cover closes properly. Has to be some switch or connection that I cant find and its driving me nuts!!! Im an inch away from taking a sledgehammer to the whole car :/

Please help!

I can't remember which microswitch it was. Did you check the codes for faults?

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K

No, I dont know how and i think thats because i dont have the equipment.
Thanks for the reply though. My issue was exactly as you described so i was hoping you’d still be around .

I'm working from memory, but it may have been the switch that is hidden behind one of the interior panels near the back set.

If you search my posts, you may find information on how to read codes for the top using a homemade code reader. The electrical ports to plug in the code reader is in the passenger side footwell.

The code reader itself is easy to build using a momentary switch and LED light. I used an old 35mm film canister to hold everything together. The plans to build it and how to use it are also somewhere in these threads. This is the same code reader used for reading codes from the engine.

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95 E320 Cabriolet, 169K

Thank you, Kestas. Yeah, that homemade stuff isn’t me. Not nearly enough technical know how for it. If i knew what reader I have to buy and how to clear codes, I’d be on it instantly.

This has got to be a code or switch issue because the tonneau cover closes in the top down operation just fine, and gets stuck in the top up operation when the bow is raised waiting for tonneau to close.