steveoelliott

Hi all,

For the last few years I have had an issue with my 2000 W208 convertible top halting operation mid-cycle thus requiring me to complete it manually.

This is very intermittent in nature and tends to happen 1 out of 5 times the roof operated. I don't know if this would happen in continuous up / down cycles but generally it's over the course of 2 to 3 weeks of me using this.

What I have noticed is the point it halts is very similar... It can be on either the hood down or hood up cycle and it halts either at the point the rear convertible top cover clicks into place / latches as in it doesn't click and has to be manually latched down with the spanner behind the seats) or immediately after that click. In the case when raising the hood the bow will then also not be lowered and I have to do that manually and latch also with the allen wrench. If it is on the lowering of the hood, the hood cycle will almost complete but as the rear cover does not latch, the windows do not rise and I must manually latch the rear cover with spanner.

In both instances up / down, manual intervention is required. Turning off / on ignition does not change anything and immediately after the hood will not operate until I next use the car several hours / days later.

Any ideas where to start with this? I had a local MB specialist look at this last year and as typical it did not happen despite many attempts. The STAR didn't show any faults either.

Thanks...

jinark

Mine did that occasionally, seldom but occasionally. It would go so far and just stop. I was always able to get it going by constantly working the switch. I assumed a switch going bad. And it also started sounding labored sound as it went up and down. I sought help here and someone suggested to check the hydraulic fluid level. It was low. I filled the reservoir with the proper MB hydraulic fluid from the dealer, bled the system as per the instructions and all has been well for the past 4 years. I found no evidence of a fluid leak so I have no idea where it went. except that the MB dealer had serviced the system before I bought the car. Maybe they didn't properly fill it. Who knows, shrug.

Anyway, you might check the archives to see how to check the fluid level.

steveoelliott

Thanks for your response...

I have checked my level and it's spot on in my case so I suspect the issue is elsewhere.

Serndipity

The MB STAR diagnostics should have detected and stored the diagnostic fault codes related to your issues (e.g. via the menu for the roll bar/soft top control module)?

The power roof controller has a built in self test test facility that provides some diagnostic information, via the lamp in the main switch, when the roof is inoperative.

Read the below document carefully, as it describes 4 different scenarios. Also, it only provides the information when the fault is present (i.e. active), which is not longer true when you complete the roof's opening or closing sequence manually.



However, because your issue is intermittent and occurs unexpectedly, there is another method to diagnose the faulty component, sans STAR DTCs.

steveoelliott

Thanks for your response and for providing the information relating to the switch codes... I'll take note of this next time the roof misbehaves. However, I'd need to rely on the STAR.

Last year when my local MB specialist took a look, he advised there were no stored faults that the STAR could read and also he could not reproduce the fault (sods law). I will ask him to plug it in next time I am in there however.