Paulpaul

I know i sound pretty dumb but I have a 2006 CLK 500 with the keyless go feature and I was wondering how do you open and close the convertible top with the key? And once again sorry for my stupidity...

Louie D

Paul,

I don't have a keyless go but with my car hold the unlock button on the key and make sure its very close to the door handle, to close it use the lock button make sure you hold the button down until it is fully open or closed and make sure its close to the door handle while doing it mine will not work at a distance.

Rudeney

Louie is correct - regardless of KeylessGo or not, "convenience open/close" works by pointing the key's IR transmitter at the IR receiver on the door handle, then pressing and holding the LOCK button to close, or UNLOCK to open. Unfortunately, as the vehicle ages, the IR sensors become weak and often don't work well. My advice is to not worry about trying to repair it, but instead, install a Mods4Cars SmartTop module it's the best mod I've ever installed - I wouldn't have a cabriolet without it.

Kevin9664

For anyone reading this without convertibles and doesn't know, it works with coupes too to open and close all your windows and sunroof. Just FYI.

Rudeney

Yep, and another feature it adds is the ability to use the fog lights as DRLs.

Louie D

How is that feature enabled ? Do not think I have seen that one..

Rudeney

When you program the SmartTop, it;s function #8 - enable DRL. It uses the fog lights as the DRL's instead of the low beams as the factory feature does. Oh, and you have to disable the factory "constant on/DRL" function before this works.

Louie D

Thanks Rudeney I did not realize it was with the SmartTop. I will be ordering one up this week.

Rudeney

Louie, you are gonna love it! When you go to install it, there will be a bus bar where you have to unplug and test wires (step #8 in the installation instructions). When you do this, if the first two you test don't work, then start on the other end - mine ended up being the second to the last wire on the bus, so I went through about 8 more sets of wires to get the right one. The installation instructions are very good. I did mine in about 30 minutes.

larcklorn

I have a friend that is willing to sell me his smarttop module, but he says it doesnt have any wiring with it - is this true? Shouldnt it have some kind of connector or is everything just made from extra wires.

Rudeney

Yes, there is a 16-pin "DIN" connector that plugs into the SmartTop module. It has wiring for connections to power and the CAN bus.

wcmary

I skimmed this thread and thought a vid we made would help. For $329, you can have remote top, remote windows, daytime running lights, and more and here's the vid to install it. I made it really simple so anyone could follow it, so feel free to skim through it if it's too basic:


I hope it helps!

ALFAitalia

Does not work on mine....never has.....maybe its because its Euro spec or one of the first ones built in 2002.

sailorben

Both my 05 and 56 did. However I think the receiver in the handle of the door has trouble receiving, maybe down to surface scratching? As it will work, but it has to be within 6" of the receiver. Whereas the central locking will operate from a long distance, so it shouldn't be the remote that is the issue. Very handy feature for the summer though, lets the hot air out in seconds.

Anker

You also need to point the tip of the key towards the door handle. I believe it works through IR.

Rudeney

I am fairly certain that the "convenience open/close" function is a global, standard feature. I know there were some years where the IR sensor was deleted from the passenger side door handle, though. Age is not a friend to this feature. I guess the door handle is a fairly harsh environment and the sensor often fails. This found a DIY solution to one possible problem with it:

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w203...placement.html

I did this on C240 and was able to make the driver's side handle work more reliably (maybe 70% of the time vs. 0% previously). My CLK was pretty reliable throughout the years I owned it, though I had immediately installed a SmartTop module, so I rarely used the IR "convenience" feature. I generally only used it when I was cleaning the car and wanted to stop the top operation at a specific point.