Power close boot - S211

[mr. shr]

Hi All,

Does anyone know if it's possible to adjust the power closing feature on an S211 tailgate?

Mine seems to really slam shut.
I would have thought it would be dampend to a smooth shut, and not slam.

Anyone with power close able to confirm what theirs is like?

Thanks,

shr.

 

[corned]

I don't know if this helps, but...

On mine, the power close shuts the tailgate softly enough to require the 'soft-close' feature to kick in - where it slowly winds in the last few mm's of travel - to finish the job. But not every time though. If I'm on a slope it can be fooled, and it shuts hard enough to close in the one movement without the soft-close going to work.

Does your soft-close get to do it's bit?

 

[mr. shr]

Hmmm.........
I didn't even realise there was a soft close on the tailgate.
Mine just comes straight down and closes in one complete sweep.

Does your movement slow right down for the last bit then before the soft close begins?

 

[SilverSaloon]

Hmmm.........
I didn't even realise there was a soft close on the tailgate.
Mine just comes straight down and closes in one complete sweep.

Does your movement slow right down for the last bit then before the soft close begins?

on my 7 series that had this feature, there was an adjustment knob on the tailgate under the trim. this enabled you to adjust it so it used the soft close or not, so maybe the same thing exists on an S class. i found this out as the auto opening feature of it wasnt initially lifting it enough so the soft close kicked in and closed it again took a lot of tweaking but i got there in the end. no idea why it suddenly started to happen though and i still believe there was a fault somehwere but according to BMW warranty there wasnt...

 

[mr. shr]

............. i still believe there was a fault somehwere but according to BMW warranty there wasnt...

Sounds about right.

This is on my E Class estate.

My S Class has the soft close feature but not the power close boot lid (could do with it though cos it's quite heavy).
When I pull the boot lid down on my S Class, I just bring the lid down to 'nearly closed' and the soft close feature pulls the lid to the home position, with a reassuring 'clunk' to confirm it's closed.

I'm guessing from what Corned is saying, something similar should be happening with my E Class?

 

[corned]

Yes, indeed.

Try this: press the button to close the tailgate, but as it sweeps down catch the exterior handle and manually slow its descent. Don't stop it too much though, because the thing detects resistance and will stop altogether if it thinks something is in the way.

If you can slow it enough in the descent, then you should get the soft-close to kick in.

If yours really bangs down, then there is something wrong somewhere, I'm sad to say. Mine takes a full 5 seconds from pressing the button to it hitting the bottom. I have just timed it!

 

[mr. shr]

Five seconds???
I'd say mine is down in about one.

Need to get this checked out.

I wonder if there is some adjustment that can be made, like on the Silver Saloon's 7 Series. Will have a look tonight.

Wonder if it's something that needs adjusting by STAR?

 

[corned]

I'm sorry that I have only heightened your fears over this, but I suppose that at least you know now.

My 'expertise' stops here too, I'm afraid. I can see that there are two rams on each hinge (one for pulling; one for pushing???), and all the parts are buried in the sides of the roof space, but other than that I wouldn't know where to start. Maybe the Russian parts site can help?

 

[mr. shr]

I subscribe to the proper EPC so will have a look later.

Seeing my Indy tomorrow so will see if he can help. I'm taking my Mum's W211 for a service tomorrow, but if anyone thinks STAR might be able to adjust my boot lid, I'll take that along too (i.e. wife to follow, rather than drive two cars at once!!)

Thing is, my Indy if 40 mins away, so don't want to drag whole family across if anyone knows for certain that STAR wont help.

 

[raymont]

Tailgate on my car comes down fairly slowly and you can then hear the 'soft close' doing its thing.

Related, mine has a quite annoying 'bong bong' noise ( safety feature I s'pose) while this is going on. Anyone know if it's possible to disable this noise?

 

[mr. shr]

Is this on your GL?

Mine doesn't make a noise and haven't seen an option to enable / disable anything.

Only noise I get is the bang, as it slams shut.

 

[corned]

Ah - I wonder if there is something in what you have just said???

The motor noise when the tailgate is being lifted is pretty much just as apparent when it is closing. Are you saying that the button simply lets the tailgate drop, and there is no motor noise at all?

 

[mr. shr]

Sorry no, when I said there is no noise, I meant there is no 'bong bong' noise.

I do hear the motor noise raising and lowering the tailgate.

I think somewhere, somehow a minor adjustment needs to be made for the final bit of the closure, so that it slows down just before the home position, in order to do the soft close bit.

Going back to your comment about only working when on flat ground, maybe there's a sensor somewhere and mine is telling the car that it's on a hill?

 

[mr. shr]

Just re-read your last post Corned, and wonder if maybe my motor is running for a second too long or something.
Maybe there's a setting in STAR that allows to adjust this?

 

[raymont]

Is this on your GL?

Mine doesn't make a noise and haven't seen an option to enable / disable anything.

Only noise I get is the bang, as it slams shut.

Yes, on the GL.

There is no option available within the various settings that can be changed.

I wondered if it is possible to turn it off via STAR.

 

[corned]

Not sure - sorry. I have to say though, that I don't think STAR will help, but there are people on here far more qualified than I, who will hopefully offer better advice!

I do, however, know that there is a cluster setting for the tailgate open/close. Something to do with an auto-stop feature I think? I'll have to RTFM.

When I referred to slope, I meant that gravity had more of an effect on the tailgate, rather than there being a sensor to detect the gradient.

 

[mr. shr]

Ok well these are all just ideas really and me thinking out aloud.

Thanks for all your support thus far. Whatever the outcome, I'll let you know.

 

[mr. shr]

I do, however, know that there is a cluster setting for the tailgate open/close. Something to do with an auto-stop feature I think? I'll have to RTFM.

I think the setting prevents the tailgate opening fully, for people who park in garages.

 

[renault12ts]

Mine always operates so as to utilise the soft close...but then I am using my arm

 

[mr. shr]

Does yours work with either left or right arm?

My left arm is weaker than my right, so may if I press the button with my left hand it might drop down slower?!?!?

Just had a quick look on EPC and seems there's some kind of potentiometer down the right hand side roof section. Don't know what that is yet, but maybe that can be adjusted to affect things?