Hi All,
Has anyone come across the folowimg problem.
The rear headrests in a friend's W124 E320 Cabriolet are stuck in the "up" position and will not lower with either the dash switch or the switch in the rear passenger compartment. Nor will they come down when the soft-top swictch is activated. In this case the windows will lower as normal but the headrests remain up and as a consequence the soft-top will not operate.
The headrests were not activated by the sensors on the rear suspension but were originally raised with the dash switch.
When I press the switch to try and lower them I can hear a "click" from behind the rear backrest so I am wondering if the problem may be with one of the associated roll-bar switches located back there.
Anyhow, if anybody can shed any light on this I'd be very gratefull.
Great forum.
Regards from Ireland.

Dec.
94 E200 Wagon.
93 E320 Cab.
94 E320 Cab Sportline.
84 230CE Coupe.

I may be wrong, but AFAIK the rear headrests must be manually raised into position. The dash switch releases them so that they will sit flat on the rear deck.

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Fred Hoelzle

Actually the rear headrest console switch on the A124 serves to raise or lower the rear headrest to any desired position.

I remember from a friend's E 320 Cabrio that there is a relay box behind the rear seat backrest which the dealer changed due to malfuncitioning of the headrests. The problem was that the headrests will flip up like in an emergency roll over when taking the slightest curve on the road.

I would begin by checking this relay box. Although, I should advise you, it is not cheap to replace.

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A. Rosich
CL 500, 1998
S 500 L, 1998
E 320 T, 1995 [Sadly sold ]

I have a simliar problem with the rear headrests in a 124 sedan. They are manually raised but won't release with the switch, if anyone can help with info about how the system works on the sedan as well, would be greatly appreciated.

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1987 300e manual 250,000 km (sold)

Thanks all for your imput.
I'll come back to you if we get it sorted.
Dec.

The "headrests" that the author of this thread was really talking about, on his convertable 2-door, are really an emergency roll bar that pops out in a big hurry if the car ever rolls over, but also can be raised and lowered.

Your problem is something different. It sounds like either your switch isn't working to release the latch, or you don't have control vacuum. When you push the switch button, you should hear a click in the back, in the trunk right underneith the parcell shelf in the middle. Once the switch releases the catch, vacuum pulls the headrests back down. The motor must be running for it to have vacuum.

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On the plains of hesitation bleach the bones of countless millions who at the dawn of victory, sat down to wait, and waiting -- died

OK, thanks for that. I thought it might be vacuum powered, presumably running off the same motor as powers the door locks. I'll start checking there.

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1987 300e manual 250,000 km (sold)