Rear Sunshade Won't Go Down!
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
C230 Kompressor
Rear Sunshade Won't Go Down!
My 2005 C230 seems to be having issues all of a sudden.
I have literally used my sunshade less than 5 times and it is now stuck in the up position. It worked very smoothly and now...nothing! I even checked the fuse to see if it was blown thinking that was it for sure. NOPE!
It's bugging the heck out of me that every thing works but that thing. I wish I had never bothered using it!
WTH?!! Anyone have any magical easy fixes or any suggestions?
I have literally used my sunshade less than 5 times and it is now stuck in the up position. It worked very smoothly and now...nothing! I even checked the fuse to see if it was blown thinking that was it for sure. NOPE!
It's bugging the heck out of me that every thing works but that thing. I wish I had never bothered using it!
WTH?!! Anyone have any magical easy fixes or any suggestions?
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 645
Likes: 2
From: Perth, Australia
Audi A4 Quattro 2013
You guys have sun shades in your C classes? I've only seen them in a s-class we booked to pick us up at HK airport to the Langam Place hotel. I actually liked the idea of a sun shade in the back but I can see it obsolete in a c class because people don't genarally get chauffeured around in them.
Last edited by anonymousmoose; Apr 29, 2011 at 12:04 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 1,055
Likes: 50
From: SoCal. Desert
'16 E350, gone: '03 c230k
My sunshade stopped retracting properly all of a sudden - I have to help it get all the way down in it's proper place. I'm not looking forward to fixing that...
As I live in the desert, I use mine a lot (and in fact leave it up a lot during the summer). I've also found it helpful when you've got an a$$ right behind you with bright lights/highbeams on.
Didn't I just read recently about there being separate fuzes for 'up' and 'down' functions for the rear sunshade? I could be confusing this with a different car, but you might check...
As I live in the desert, I use mine a lot (and in fact leave it up a lot during the summer). I've also found it helpful when you've got an a$$ right behind you with bright lights/highbeams on.
Didn't I just read recently about there being separate fuzes for 'up' and 'down' functions for the rear sunshade? I could be confusing this with a different car, but you might check...
Last edited by mtnman82; Apr 29, 2011 at 02:48 PM.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 8,384
Likes: 800
2019 G70 6MT & 2022 Ford Maverick XL
I am worried. Like some of the others, I use mine basically every day and always have during the summer or when the car was ever outside. It has never given me trouble (car has 111,650 miles). But if it were going to stick, it really needs to do so in the down position.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 472
Likes: 0
From: San Diego, CA
'14 A6 3.0 TFSI
Mine got stuck about two years ago and I ended up replacing it. Not sure what the actual issue was, and it was covered under warranty at the time so I'm not sure what the cost was either.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Riverside Ca
c230 Kompressor
Mine got stuck last night. It tries to close but seems to get snagged on something. I was able to get down by helping it down as my wife pressed the button. Once it got passed the that spot where it snagged it went down ok. I think there is something on the track.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 4
From: Raleigh, NC
2005 C230K, 2019 Honda CR-V, '74 Lotus Europa
There's a gearbox under the window between the rear shelf and the trunk. Some have said the problem is that the grease in the gearbox gets caked up and binds it up. I took mine apart and found the grease was fine. It worked outside of the car (at least as best as I could tell, when it's out of the car, it flops around a lot and it's hard to tell if it's starting and stopping where it should but the motor and gearbox worked). I stopped using it till I have time to take it apart and test it thoroughly before reinstalling it. It's a real bear to get in and out - block off a good Saturday afternoon with some run off into the evening. There's a thread on how to do it somewhere that is very good. If you try it, read it through several times first. There are a few things you need to have firmly in mind when you do this or you can make it much worse for yourself.
I kind of miss my shade (and now that I'm retired
) I may take the time to try and fix it again, but I have to say it's not a high priority just now.
I kind of miss my shade (and now that I'm retired
) I may take the time to try and fix it again, but I have to say it's not a high priority just now.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 968
Likes: 62
From: San Francisco, CA
2005 c230SS
Sunshade? I thought that was a blast shield ... 
Guess I've watched too many Bond films ...
Yes, I too cringe every time I open that thing up ... I've only done it a handful of times since I bought the car, and mostly to show it off as a cool option.
Guess I've watched too many Bond films ...Yes, I too cringe every time I open that thing up ... I've only done it a handful of times since I bought the car, and mostly to show it off as a cool option.
Last edited by jkowtko; Feb 6, 2014 at 12:01 PM.
Newbie
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
From: California
2002 C230 Kompressor Coupe
Hey there,
Not sure if this will help, but my sunshade was stuck on my 2002 C230 Kompressor since purchasing it used. I tried resetting it several times with no success. It worked for a while after getting it back from the MB dealership, and also after I removed the battery. After being puzzled at why this was happening I looked up stuff online. One thread on here suggested removing the #9 fuse for a few minutes and then putting it back (it’s located in the trunk on my model) and what do you know, works like new.
Not sure if this will help, but my sunshade was stuck on my 2002 C230 Kompressor since purchasing it used. I tried resetting it several times with no success. It worked for a while after getting it back from the MB dealership, and also after I removed the battery. After being puzzled at why this was happening I looked up stuff online. One thread on here suggested removing the #9 fuse for a few minutes and then putting it back (it’s located in the trunk on my model) and what do you know, works like new.
Super Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 968
Likes: 62
From: San Francisco, CA
2005 c230SS
Hey there,
Not sure if this will help, but my sunshade was stuck on my 2002 C230 Kompressor since purchasing it used. I tried resetting it several times with no success. It worked for a while after getting it back from the MB dealership, and also after I removed the battery. After being puzzled at why this was happening I looked up stuff online. One thread on here suggested removing the #9 fuse for a few minutes and then putting it back (it’s located in the trunk on my model) and what do you know, works like new.
Not sure if this will help, but my sunshade was stuck on my 2002 C230 Kompressor since purchasing it used. I tried resetting it several times with no success. It worked for a while after getting it back from the MB dealership, and also after I removed the battery. After being puzzled at why this was happening I looked up stuff online. One thread on here suggested removing the #9 fuse for a few minutes and then putting it back (it’s located in the trunk on my model) and what do you know, works like new.
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
2007 c280
sun shade
My sun shade won't go down with the switch. What I did was pull the two rods toward each other with a steady pressure and I think it moved the motor backwards. I was able to get the shade all the way down.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
C240
Same problem - stuck up
Normally I wouldn't mind leaving it up as I live in the south, however trying to park at night or when the back window needs to be cleaned makes this an issue. Mine isn't dead. It makes a horrible grinding noise, so it isn't a fuse issue. I have been able to get it down once with the "helping hand" approach once and thought it was fixed. Nope, it is now stuck again. If I manage to get it down again I may try WD40 on each pole to see if that helps.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2017
Posts: 1,004
Likes: 148
From: Richmond, VA Metro Area
2005 C230 Sport Sedan-6 Speed Manual
Take a look at posts 8 and 9 on this thread
My sunshade was stuck in the upright and locked position when I bought my car. I couldn't get it to go down including attempts in which I pressed the arms in while someone pressed the control on the dash. The problem was damaged gears in the transmission that operates the sunshade. I replaced the motor with a used one and it worked okay for a while, but it eventually stuck in the upright position again. During the second failure period I could retract it by pushing the arms in and down while someone operated the control.
I performed a second repair when I installed my rear folding seats. The shade is working now, but I don't trust it. When I was searching for information needed for my repair I saw that quite a few people had problems with their sunshades. One person suggested that the heat generated by the sun contributed to the problem. (Considering the location of the motor under the rear shelf, I would expect the area to become very hot on a summer day, so this theory sounds plausible.)
Swapping out the motor isn't technically difficult, but accessing the motor requires disassembly of the rear seat. If you have folding rear seats it is slightly easier.
My sunshade was stuck in the upright and locked position when I bought my car. I couldn't get it to go down including attempts in which I pressed the arms in while someone pressed the control on the dash. The problem was damaged gears in the transmission that operates the sunshade. I replaced the motor with a used one and it worked okay for a while, but it eventually stuck in the upright position again. During the second failure period I could retract it by pushing the arms in and down while someone operated the control.
I performed a second repair when I installed my rear folding seats. The shade is working now, but I don't trust it. When I was searching for information needed for my repair I saw that quite a few people had problems with their sunshades. One person suggested that the heat generated by the sun contributed to the problem. (Considering the location of the motor under the rear shelf, I would expect the area to become very hot on a summer day, so this theory sounds plausible.)
Swapping out the motor isn't technically difficult, but accessing the motor requires disassembly of the rear seat. If you have folding rear seats it is slightly easier.
