SL500 soft top

[GeorgeB]

Hi all

Loving the good weather, but have a recurrent problem with the soft top. Twice the computer has had a glitch and the soft top stops working - this requires a trip to garage where they simply clear the memory (in about 5 minutes) and it works fine again. Problem is - this costs about £100 a go (ie an hour's labour). Is there any way I can fix this myself. Otherwise I will have to come to some kind of arrangement with the garage.

Thanks!

 

[jaymanek]

£100? is this MB? thats a little pricey...

You need them to tell you what code is coming up... that will help locate the fault,,

 

[BTB 500]

It's a complex system, with links to the windows/doors/rollbar as well as the roof mechansism. So you need to know what fault codes are being raised, rather than just having them cleared down. Could be all sorts of things ... possibly a faulty sensor somewhere. Is your battery OK? Low voltage at startup can register faults with the rollbar and windows (that happened on mine). But it's all guesswork without the fault codes.

 

[GeorgeB]

Well I now learn that when the mechanic jumped in and roof started working again....

apparently when he ran the test there was no specific fault - the only thing that came up was "Limit Switch Impossible". He says he cleared that but I'm not sure what that means.

There is no issue with the battery voltage - I had driven 200 miles just before it stopped working. Any clues as to what this might be?

Thanks for yr help!

 

[jaymanek]

implausible not impossible i should think..

but that doesnt help as it could be one of the many switches... could be windows..,

Is this a genuine Star Machine? Our Launch X431 is not very good with hoods either and often gives silly descriptions like this.

See if it gives him a code number... PXXXX

 

[carnut]

What model SL500?

Im having a problem with my R230 model roof and the posible areas for fault are many! Mine seems to be micro switches in the roof rail; Mobilo got me mobile the other day by taping some side flaps up!! MB Oxford didnt see how this would have worked. An intermiitent fault sounds electrical and I have grave suspicions about the recent quality of MB microswitches, having suffered some other "glitches"

 

[BTB 500]

What model SL500?

"Computer" and "soft top" means R129.

 

[Doodle]

The hardtop on the SL threw a little wobbly yesterday and locked up halfway through the sequence (front down but not locked, rear spar vertical with the rear deck open) and refused to do anything.

I finished the process manually, got the hood properly locked down, left it for 15 mins and then did a lower and raise; it's been fine and happy since.

 

[carnut]

"Computer" and "soft top" means R129.

Thanks for putting me right....or is that in my place? Just trying to be helpfu but clearly not as on the ball as you

 

[carnut]

The hardtop on the SL threw a little wobbly yesterday and locked up halfway through the sequence (front down but not locked, rear spar vertical with the rear deck open) and refused to do anything.

I finished the process manually, got the hood properly locked down, left it for 15 mins and then did a lower and raise; it's been fine and happy since.

Im told that if the pump raises its temperature to 80oC then it locks out...cools down and then resets and works. Could that be the case?

Or it could unfortunately be just like mine and be an intermiitant fault on a micro switch. Please keep me apparaised as Im about to go into battle with MB!

Ooh.. just read " hard top" ....must be R230! How clever of me to spot that eh:bannana:

By the way how did you finish the lowering of the hardtop manually...I looked in the manual and all it said was" Panic!!"

 

[Doodle]

Just followed the instructions...again, it's a 129 so you can lock the front and rear pins by hand quite happily.

Sorry, just realised I put hardtop...I typed that at work and was probably distracted at the time. For the 230 I guess the only option would be panic!

 

[BTB 500]

Thanks for putting me right....or is that in my place?

Neither! You asked a question, and I answered it

 

[BTB 500]

Ooh.. just read " hard top" ....must be R230!

Nope, R129s have hardtops too In fact the problem I mentioned on mine (low voltage) was with the hardtop on. The roof button was permanently lit up and didn't operate, so the hard top couldn't be removed. And the rollbar couldn't be raised manually.

 

[jaymanek]

Im having an issue with a W208 at the minute... The computer thinks the pump is at 95 degrees and so nothing works (even when stone cold)..

MB tamworth have replaced the pump and controller with no joy... ill keep you updated as there could be some relation.

 

[stats007]

You really need to identify the code to work out what limit switch is giving an error. If it happens again try pulling fuse 4 in the boot and then resyncing the windows and roll-bar. If this doesn't work then it's likely to be a window limit switch as these are persistant.

 

[kenhsilver]

I am also having this soft top problem. Started as intermittant and now does not work at all. The windows also do not work. Do you know are they related? Excuse my ignorance but what does "resynching the windows and roll bar involve"?

 

[BTB 500]

The roof control module need the windows and roll bar to be down before operating the roof. So a problem with either of those (real, or the result of a faulty sensor reading etc.) will stop the roof from operating.

 

[stats007]

Re-syncing involves operating them to their fullest extent and back i.e lower the windows and hold the button for 5s then raise them, one at a time. It's explained in the owner's manual.

 

[Smiley]

Re-syncing involves operating them to their fullest extent and back i.e lower the windows and hold the button for 5s then raise them, one at a time. It's explained in the owner's manual.

This is good advice worth following. I had similar problems several years ago - went to MB, they charged me about £100 to re-set the system - but did not tell me that there was any synch needed with the windows. I think that was all that had been needed if I had known at the time.