Hardtop Won't Go Down?

[chazman]

2006 SLK 280 - 71000 miles, original owner. The main roof piece would not retract/go backward. All other parts in the back fold down normally like they used to except the roof. There is a faint noise for a few seconds like electric motor is running, trying to move the roof. Then it stops and nothing happens. Used the top-down only a few times a month in average. Any advice?

To remove this ad, register today or login if you already are registered!

[mihir_d]

Originally Posted by chazman

2006 SLK 280 - 71000 miles, original owner.

The main roof piece would not retract/go backward. All other parts in the back fold down normally like they used to except the roof. There is a faint noise for a few seconds like electric motor is running, trying to move the roof. Then it stops and nothing happens.

Used the top-down only a few times a month in average.

Any advice?

I just got a 2006 SLK 350 and had my first roof issue in 3 months. Mine was easy -flap push rod snapped in two. $36 replacement part & DIY restored the flap operation.

From what I have been reading, parts of the roof are operated hydraulically and parts electrically. I am too new to the SLk to know more specifics, but if you had a hydraulic leak, you would have fluid leaks....I suspect yours is an electric motor problem...

[chazman]

I took the car to a MB dealer because it had a Check Engine light on. I told them about the roof issue. They said if it is what they think it is (elec motor issue), it would cost me about $2000. To find out exactly what's causing, it would cost min $200 for the labor. The 5 year old MB is costing me a lot of money. Oh, The Check Engine light issue had cost me already $1300 so far this year.

[mihir_d]

I am a veteran owner of a well maintained 11+ year old MB...

I can tell you - yes, MBs are expensive to keep up...the best way to minimize your maintenance cost is to educate yourself on all the preventive maintenance procedures and perform them on a regular basis, religiously. They are usually easy to perform and with the right fluids/lubricants/filters at hand, most of them can be DIYed with some mechanical savvy..

It seems the biggest preventive maintenance item on the SLK roof is to annually lubricate all moving parts. I just bought mine like 3 months back, but I am already looking to settle in the annual lubrication routine from next spring onwards. Mine is a CPOed vehicle, and so it has good 1 year warranty and I decided to bite the bullet and spend an additional $2500 to get 4 years/100,000 mile coverage..I think, that money was worth the peace of mind, for such very incidents..

In your case, I would recommend researching around for a good independent mechanic...I am sure the roof motor replacement job can be done at a lower price outside of the dealership..

By the way, the dealer quoted me $336 to replace my flap push rod...$36 in parts and $300 in labor....

All I had to do is carefully examine and understand the push rod mechanism around the flap, set the roof at a certain opening to give access to the lock pins around the push rod anchors and with a simple screw driver, I was able to undo the old one and put in the new one in place...