GaryP

Anyone have a similiar issue and any advice?

I have a 2004 CLK 500 CAB

When I hit the switch to open the top, I get a message on the dash telling me to close the Ski Bag Partition. The trunk is empty, and I can't see where anything is open.

The car is new to me so any help would be great.

Yidney

Not sure if the "ski bag partition" on the '04 is the same as the "trunk partition" on the '08, but the concept is the same - and your car surely has the same trunk partition. There is a flap that flips up and down to give you more trunk space when you are not using the top. It's a 3 foot long and 5 inch wide piece of gray plastic that hangs down from the trunk roof and has a handhold cut in it. You need to pull it all the way down and back for the top to operate. Either yours is simply open, or one of the litte gas struts that holds it in place has failed so it is not pressing the little limit switch it needs to press. If your car also has another "ski bag partition" in addition to what I just described, - the basic concept will be the same - it needs to press a limit switch so the top mechanism knows it's safe to open. Do you not have the owners manual?

GaryP

I have the manual and it does mention the the trunk partition and I checked that many times. But what you say about the gas shock being weak makes sense, not enough pressure on the switch. It will open part way a few times and then stop before it will work all the way.

To diagnose I will have my wife stay in the trunk and hold it closed while I hit the switch. Yeah right!

Thanks Yidney for the suggestion.

Yidney

The switch it presses is on the the far lower left - dirvers' side. Put some tape on the switch and see if the top works.

Rudeney

Look behind the rear seat armrest to see if you have the ski sack option (there will be a door there instead of a flat panel). If this is the case, open the trunk and look at the back of the rear seat. You should see a door there. Make sure it is properly latched - there is a sensor on it, just like the trunk partition, that will prevent the soft top from closing.

GaryP

I think it is the switch for the trunk partion. Will look into changing the gas struts and that should do it.

Thanks for the help, very appreciated.

shayward

I am having the same problem. By stopping the top mid way and being able to look down, I see that there is a spot for two plastic hinge pins? Both of mine are missing. By not having that rotation point the gas cylinders alone must hold everything up. Is my assumption right, or am I missing something? I have looked at many parts diagrams and can't even find the partition??!! Any help is greatly appreciated.

Yidney

If you can lower your top, then your partition is in place or it would not move at all. Unless you are doing it manually. So as for what you may be missing, we'd need a pic. When you open up the back flap where the top goes and look down, you should see what is basically a dark gray window shade on a roller that forms the roof of the trunk. that thin vinyl shade is attached at the rear to the partition.