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Need Help: Soft Top does not open

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Old Jul 21, 2017 | 08:16 AM
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CLK200 W209 Convertible
Need Help: Soft Top does not open

Has someone an idea? My softtop stops working at the closing process with some unusual sound.
I close the compartement manually.
The hydraulic oil was less than MIN.
I filled in oil, but the softtop does not start to open.
The windows open and I can hear the motor/pump, but after 2-3 seconds the action stops.
Sorry for my bad english, I am German😃
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Old Jul 21, 2017 | 05:12 PM
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If the fluid level was low, there is a leak. It is often the main lift cylinders and the oil ends up deep in the bottom of the trunk where you cannot see it. If the fluid level is now full, then that is likely not the problem (though you still need to find and fix the leak). My guess is that one of the limit switches has failed or is not activated. You might try manually opening the top to see if that resets it. Here is a video showing the process for manual closing. Note that this is on a newer E-Class, but it is an identical system. Also, this is for closing, for opening, it's all the same except that you pop the lid, fold the glass up, then open the lid, then fold the top into the trunk:

http://benzbits.com/w209/soft_top/ManualClose.wmv

If none of that helps, I would get a diagnosis with a tool that can read the soft top controller - Star Diagnosis or iCarsoft.
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Old Jul 22, 2017 | 12:19 AM
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CLK200 W209 Convertible
B1928

@rudeney: Thank you for helping. I will try to open it manually today.
I have an iCarSoft Diagnose Unit i980?. It reads failure B1928.
I wonder that the motor starts to but nothing happens.
If the Switch S84/13 at the left cylinder would be defect, the motor should not start and try to open the compartment or am I wrong?
If I go to MB they will maybe change S84/13 for a lot of money because of failure B1928.
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Old Jul 22, 2017 | 11:10 AM
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Good - iCarsfort i980 works to get codes. B1928 is either a bad pump relay or a bad limit switch. I doubt that it is a bad relay since everything else works. It definitely could be S84/13:

http://benzbits.com/w209/soft_top/co...t%20switch.pdf

A common problem with S84/13 is that the plastic clip that holds in place at the top of the cylinder will break. If this happens, you may be able to improvise something to hold it - like wrapping it with some wire or a tiny zip tie.
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Old Jul 22, 2017 | 03:14 PM
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New status: I reseted all alarms again and try to open the softtop manually.
This doesent work because I can't lift the end of the top with the window.
But I sucessfully tried then to open the top automatically.
Afterwards the hydraulic oil was again under min limit and the was a lot of oil around the pump.
The left cylinder seemed to be dry (no oil).
Then I filled in again oil and sucessfully closed the top. And again there was additional oil around the pump.
Result: There is a leak and the electronic inclusively the switches are ok.
The question is now how to find the leak.
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Old Jul 22, 2017 | 03:38 PM
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At least now you know the problem. I'd first remove the trunk paneling and clean up all the oil. Microfiber cloths work great for this. I buy them by the bag at Costco and use them once when waxing the car, then they become "shop towels". They are better at sucking up oil than any oil-dry or clay cat litter I've ever used. Once the oil is cleaned up, find where it's leaking and fix that. If it's a hydraulic cylinder, you can buy a rebuild kit for the seals, or if you would prefer to have it expertly repaired, check with Klaus at Top Hydraulics (I'd recommend the latter as Klaus knows his stuff). If it's a leaking line, maybe it's just loose or a bad seal where it connects. If the line is broken, again check with Klaus - I think he can get them.
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Old Aug 1, 2017 | 10:51 AM
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Leakage

@rudeney: Thank you for a lot of information around my problem.
I removed the hydraulic pump and determine that it is dry on the upper side but oily at the bottom?!

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Old Aug 1, 2017 | 10:52 AM
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...

I cannot find a leakage.
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Old Aug 1, 2017 | 11:27 AM
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Originally Posted by frml55
I cannot find a leakage.
The pump itself is probably not leaking, but hard to say. When you say there was lot of oil around the pump, you need to be more specific. Where exactly? Chances are if oil is pooling there it's one of the connections where all the hydraulic lines hook up, or a line has cracked. Because that oil is so thin and clear, it can be hard to see or find. I always suggest using something that will show the leak. Buy a roll of the brown paper towels like those used in gas station bathrooms and put wads of it in various places where the leak might be. Then run your top and look immediately at the towels to see where it is concentrated.
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Old Aug 5, 2017 | 04:38 PM
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Leakage dezentes?

Originally Posted by Yidney
The pump itself is probably not leaking, but hard to say. When you say there was lot of oil around the pump, you need to be more specific. Where exactly? Chances are if oil is pooling there it's one of the connections where all the hydraulic lines hook up, or a line has cracked. Because that oil is so thin and clear, it can be hard to see or find. I always suggest using something that will show the leak. Buy a roll of the brown paper towels like those used in gas station bathrooms and put wads of it in various places where the leak might be. Then run your top and look immediately at the towels to see where it is concentrated.
Because only the lower part was oily I disassembled the Hydraulics motor to check the seal.
The seal was ok, but one of the two screws was not perfect tightened.
I will fill new oil beginning of next week and try if it is tight.

Does anyone know why the motor is only mounted with two screws instead of four?

Last edited by frml55; Aug 5, 2017 at 04:42 PM.
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