Any ideas for doing this for a 2003 SL?
 

You can hit the lock button on the key fob to close the top (have to hold the button down until it's done) or hit the unlock button to open the top.

Any ideas on how you can do some modification so that you wouldn't have to hold the button down for the entire duration of the top opening or closing? ( I know it's only supposed to be 16secs, but feels like eternity when you're standing there.)

Thanks.

You are probably not going to find a lot of other 2003 SL owners here just yet...;)

MB could have certainly engineered the system so that you could just initiate and complete the entire operation with just one infared signal burst. I would guess that holding the button down for the entire top sequence is a safety feature.

All sorts of things could go wrong in the process...not necessarily with the top, but things like an overlooked package getting dragged into the top storage, a curious child sticking his/her hand between the hinges, a tree branch falling inside the mechanisms...

...may not be likely in your case, but I'd like to be able to abort the operation if something unforseen should happen, rather than watch your top damage itself (or others) in an attempt to complete the operation. :eek:

Piece of cake?
 

You could modify the circuitry in the key fob to maintain the output from the fob for 16+ seconds. You would still have to keep it aimed at the receiver in the car though. The other approach is to add a pulse-stretching circuit to the control signal for the convertible top.

The fob mod may be impossible. The pulse-stretcher would be easy.

hmmm. pulse stretcher
 

well, better wait for the tuners to do something. Another good feature would be an override to allow you to open/close the top while going less than say 5 mph.

That seems like a real problem,,,, having a 2003 SL and all !!! :D :D :D
I agree with bobterry99, modifying the remote circuit would be your best bet. It won't be easy though, the circuitry is probobly surface mount technology and with all the encoding it is a very sensitive piece of equiptment. If your willing to spend a few hundred dollars i'm sure the modification is possible.
Good Luck!
Adam