'94 R129 electric windows not dropping

[E55BOF]

Now that the running issues are sorted , time to get on with the rest; there's still plenty to do! The frameless windows on the SL 500 should drop slightly when the respective door is opened, then rise again when it is shut to re-seal. Neither of them does on my car. Other than that, they work fine.

I've tried a reset procedure Doodle gave me, and that I also found on the internet (set window to half-open, open fully but not using the 'one-touch' switch position, hold for ten seconds; repeat, but closing, not opening, from half-way). It made no difference. I notice that I have one-touch opening, but no one-touch closing position on the switch.

Does anyone have any ideas?

 

[JCW1]

Are you sure the R129 has this feature. Mine have never done this either but I can't see why it would need to, anyway. It isn't as if the window tucks under a lip.

Doodle has a later version, perhaps it is a feature that came in after 1994.

 

[JCW1]

Further thought................

Actually, I have had second thoughts about whether mine did this or not and now have a feeling that it might have, although it might be 'false memory syndrome'.

With the hard top on, I can't see why it would be necessary but maybe with the hood up it might be. It's so long since I have been able to use the hood I'm wondering if it is a feature that works with the soft top but not the hard top. I certainly have no memory of noticing that it had stopped working.

Damn..... this might be something else to fix for me too.

 

[dinoy]

open door which window does not come down open both sides all the way down and all the way up three times this will act as a reset to the windows and should work third time close not the top close door and should close fully if not go back and repeat again but need fully open and fully closed 3 times to reset

 

[RichardF]

The window drop feature was introduced on the 96my face lift.
The later cars had different window seals so hardtops are not interchangeable.

 

[Doodle]

Are you sure the R129 has this feature. Mine have never done this either but I can't see why it would need to, anyway. It isn't as if the window tucks under a lip.

Doodle has a later version, perhaps it is a feature that came in after 1994.

The window drop feature was introduced on the 96my face lift.
The later cars had different window seals so hardtops are not interchangeable.

It would have to be fairly close after, mine is a 1995 pre-facelift car and has the function.

 

[RichardF]

Who knows when MB did product enhancements

Mines registered Sept 94 but a 95MY (I think MY changes happened July/August probably a factory shut down or something). It has some useful features, 38 pin diag socket (compliant with STAR and a blink code reader), electronic milometer, colour coded bumpers but not the window drop feature. A/C is an aftermarket Davian system fitted pre delivery (and very good too)
I think later cars came with ECC as std.

Interestingly the windows don't need syncing, a simple adjustable micro switches for window limits on this one. Also ETS instead of ASR or ESP.

 

[Doodle]

Digital odometer/mileometer appeared in 94.

To the best of my knowledge all pre-facelift should have the matt bumpers/lower cladding from factory - the original bumpers from mine (pre-AMG) are like this.

 

[E55BOF]

Who knows when MB did product enhancements ...Interestingly the windows don't need syncing, a simple adjustable micro switches for window limits on this one. Also ETS instead of ASR or ESP.

Interesting... As you say, who knows when? Mine was ex-factory in April 2004. It has the 38-pin socket, electronic mileometer, and factory climate control, but no ETS. The AMG body kit was fitted subsequently; I've no idea when, but probably no earlier than 2008. It was originally L915UMB, then changed to H17OSM on 25 Aug 2011, so it may have been then.

Thank you for the info on the window limit micro-switches. The windows are not meant to drop on my car then; or are they...

Armed with my new-found knowledge, I've just taken a very close look at the windows. Now here's the strange thing. The hardtop seals along the top of the windows definitely seem to be channelled, as though the windows were meant to drop.

The driver's side window doesn't seem to go quite as far up as the passenger's, and when the door is closed with the window up the rear corner has a vertical gap of a couple of mm from the seal. If I open it a touch then close it, it fits snugly into the channel, with no gap.

The passenger's window fits snugly enough when the door is closed with it already up, but the window itself is slightly out of alignment, to the extent that the top rear corner is scuffing the hardtop metal trim strip just behind the window as the door is closed with the window up.

This suggests to me that either my hardtop has the later seals (if they're interchangeable), or (probably) it's not the original hardtop, or (less probably) the windows are meant to drop. I assume restoring or retro-fitting the window drop feature would cost an armannaleg at best, so can I just replace the seals with the earlier type?

(I should add that I have another hardtop, with the non-channel type of seal, which I bought (£51 off eBay) for its unbroken rear window (£700 from MB, NLA aftermarket), but it is in Schwarzblau and the lining is in poor condition, so it's not as simple as just having the other one resprayed).

Oh, I DO hope I can just swap the seals over...

 

[E55BOF]

Digital odometer/mileometer appeared in 94.

To the best of my knowledge all pre-facelift should have the matt bumpers/lower cladding from factory - the original bumpers from mine (pre-AMG) are like this.

Drew, does yours also have the one-touch closing function on the window switches? Mine only has it on opening them.

 

[JCW1]

Interestingly, the Owner's Manual (US Version pdf) doesn't mention the window drop feature for the 93 MY at least.

 

[E55BOF]

Nor for the '94

 

[Doodle]

Drew, does yours also have the one-touch closing function on the window switches? Mine only has it on opening them.

IIRC it's on down only, although it's not something I've thought consciously about!

While it's not specifically mentioned in the 1995 manual, there is a paragraph that alludes to the window drop function.

Important!
Do not close a door with the windows fully closed while the power supply is interrupted (battery disconnected or empty). Doing so could damage the window frame. The power windows should first be resynchronized.

 

[E55BOF]

Can you recall which page?

 

[Doodle]

It's in the section to do with the windows, page 61 in the PDF copy I have to hand.

 

[E55BOF]

No such warning in mine, so I conclude that the windows are not meant to drop.

 

[Doodle]

It's not mentioned in my proper paper handbook either, only in the American PDF version. Jury still out then.

 

[E55BOF]

I don't have a paper handbook, only the North American-market PDF version. I'm 95% convinced my windows are not meant to drop.

 

[RichardF]

I think your probably right. Mine is a late 94 (95 my) and doesn't have this feature.

Incidentally, have you read the codes for the locking?

 

[E55BOF]

Not yet. If the locks are meant to function as mechanical locks, and don't, I'd like to sort that aspect out so I know the problem isn't there. I'll have a go at the boot lock first - easier to reach - and see what's amiss with that.