foglan

How is this not fixed yet! I just picked up my 2021 gls yesterday and put on the OEM crossbars this morning. They don’t allow the sunroof to open. WTF....how has Mercedes not fixed this yet. I’m going to return the racks on Monday and start looking for ones that do allow the sunroof to open. Any suggestions?

wolds

Maybe they sold you the older crossbars by accident. Can't imagine crossbars for 2020+ models are widely consumed yet. There's a thread on here somewhere about the options for 2020+.

madkow70

I'm not sure that it's a defect.
the mechanism somehow detects the crossbar is installed, and it only allows the sunroof to pop-up. not slide back. I think this is by design. I don't see MB changing it.

I went with Thule aftermarket crossbar, ultimately. not because of the sunroof thing. but I found the factory crossbars mount too forward for my roof box.

JPent

I am having the same issue on my 2021 GLS with the OEM crossbars. Not sure what we're going to do, but have you noticed an increased wind sound with these crossbars? I figured there would be additional noise, but another reason that we're reconsidering these bars. Like another poster mentioned, and the service dept noted also, they do sit more forward.

madkow70

exactly. they do sit waaaaaaay too forward. the plus side of having my box sit like that was that I can reach the items in the back of the box easier, because the back of the box sits right above the rear door opening.

and like you said, the OEM crossbars created significantly louder whistling noise at speed.

I went back to my aftermarket crossbars (Thule Aeroblade Edge).

BTW, if anyone wants to buy my OEM MB crossbars, I have a set to sell now.
only been mounted and used for one trip.

D.J.
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foglan

I ended up with the thule raised bases and bar. Right now i have the front one far foward over the sunroof and the other back behind where the roof opens. As of now i can fully open the sunroof. I havent tried my box on top. I will once it warms up.

c4004matic

absolutely correct.

Daniel Qi

the crossbars look great. I want to get same too, where you bought it? how much?

Pjstaffor

I took mine off the day I bought the car. They were SO loud and caused the car to not track right. Completely unusable. Dealer was not willing to accept a return the next day. Unacceptable MB!

atlg8r

just installed the MB cargo Box and cross bars. Very strange how it sits so forward!

Paxfobiscum

Odd indeed.

Can't you just position the cross bars further back? Are the bolted into particular holes in the roof rails? In my W210 and W212, I used the MB cross bars and I could position them anywhere on the roof racks.

Dave Stough

It's not as easy on the X167. The rails are varying widths front to back and in the middle. There is a little bit of play in the factory bars, but they pretty much have to go where specced.

Paxfobiscum

I get it. Yeah if the width movements are limited, then you don't have a lot of options as to their final position.

I have tried MB OEM cross bars and about half a dozen Thule bars in my previous MBs. Some work better than others and my experience with the PROPER Thule bars were good. All whistled whenever I hit 70 mph. So I removed them when not used

atlg8r

Do you know if anyone makes a storage bag to put the cargo box into when not in use. I don't want it getting scratched up. I can't seem to find a bag large enough.

Dave Stough

I re-used an old ceiling mounted bike pulley for mine. I put two cargo straps around it, connected the bike hooks to those and hoisted it up!. I also stored the cross bars inside the box.

Paxfobiscum

Same here when I used to own a box. When it was not used, I would pull it up via a series of bike pulleys into the ceiling of the garage.
When I needed it, I would simply park the car underneath, then lower the box into the car's roof racks, then tighten.
It was a great setup.

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Dave Stough

You must have a high garage door! No way I could drive in with the box on the roof!

Paxfobiscum

LOL. It was on top of my E-Klass wagon, not on the GLS.
I dont intend to put a box on the GLS. Space inside is sufficient for my needs.

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Benzworktruck

Lmao cut the fat rubber knobs off that stop it from opening and it will open it stops when jt hits the rear bar. My plan is to 3d print plastic for the rear bar so the sun roof can open fully.

raseshkumar

Thanks for sharing, especially the pics. Were you able to open the sunroof after the installation? If yes, can you please share which roof rails are these and where did you purchase them at? Much appreciated.

atlg8r

The sunroof only tilts when you have the crossbars installed. The rails and box are from Mercedes. I purchased at the dealership.

RL_GLS

What roof box did you pair the Thule Aeroblade Edge crossbars with?

TIA!