69Pagoda

A W140 conundrum if ever there was -

I humbly ask my fellow MB cognoscenti for help with please:

Trunk latch has failed and won't open more than a half inch. Chrome assist handle is extended, light on dash switch indicates "release", but the trunk can't be persuaded to open or relatch when pushed back down. Feels like it is hitting a hard metal "stop", like a hook or catch remains closed.

Of course this drained the battery - assuming the interior trunk light is on.

I have tried every combination of putting the key into the mechanical lock, turning it ever which way while pressing the mechanism in, but the stubborn trunk lid remains kept where some kind of hard metal stop prevents the trunk from opening any farther.

Took the carpet up on the passengers floor and took off the metal plate protecting the wiring loam under the firewall/floor - and see three red wires on the matrix which I have been told "G1" is the wire from/to the battery - but neither find the mark G1 and don't want to try hooking up a battery charger until I do.

And of course I can't now close the doors because the windows were up when the bat died and now the auto up/down to pull the glass under and into the rubber seal isn't operating either.

So - my fervent hope is some experienced soul can point me to a site - or a thread - or share an experience about how to get either my trunk open or "jump" my CL - or both?

A perfect storm of failures.

Any ideas out there friends?

SilverCL600

You can put your positive charger onto the back of your alternator where the red cable comes out, you might need to remove a small plastic cover to expose the terminal, this is perfectly safe. This will get you operational at least.. Not sure about the latch though, it seems to be out of synch

69Pagoda

I'll try it in the morning. Should be easy to figure out the positive terminal off the alternator. Six amps should be enough to recharge without upsetting any of the computers or circuts, don't you think?

Thanks Silver CL600. I'll let you know how it works.

SilverCL600

Yes 6 amps should be fine. Theres only going to be 2 things coming out of the back. The main (+) voltage terminal and a small 2-4 pin electrical plug. Im sure you already understand to be very carefull not to short anything out to ground. Shouldnt damage anything but will give you a nice scare

BTW something you probably dont want to hear but.. I remember a customer coming to our shop with the same latch problem and we ended up getting the OK from the customer to cut a big circular hole in the trunk to disassemble the latch.

69Pagoda

Yow.

Wasn't expecting that one. How does the closure mechanism work? Is it possible to disassemble the handle mechanism from the outside that has extended to loosen or release the latch inside?

The MBUSA DVDCD isn't very clear and doesn't provide the details of the actual claw or tongue which makes the latch connection. Obviously, I don't want to cut through the trunk to get inside!

69Pagoda

Another question:

On another site from a posting about a decade old another CL500 owner relayed how when the Mercedes assistance came out to his rescue - they told him and used the ports beneath the carpet on the passenger's side - going to the trouble of removing the carpet and cover plate, in order to "jump" the car and put a charge into the battery.

Do you have any experience doing so, or why this would be "preferred"?

69Pagoda

Having already peeled back the floor carpet on the passenger's side to expose the wiring warren covered by a metal plate under the passengers feet - there are three red wires on a manifold there a major gauge wire connects. I traced one of the red wires from the alternator - and the big wire back to the battery; obviously the positive feed to the battery.

On the right side of the footwell was exposed a terminal which had a half dozen brown insulated wires that were all grounded to that point.

I put the positive lead from a six amp charger on the fastener holding the major black cable running to the battery in the trunk. I attached the ground from the charger on the threaded post where all of the brown ground wires were attached.

Success!

The charger indicated a good clean hookup - and within a minute all the windows began edging down a quarter inch at a time - and the odometer and the outside temp gauge came back to life.

I took pictures to make this easier which I will post later.

Now - I just have to find a way to open the truck. I will keep you posted.

SilverCL600 - THANK YOU.