Soft close door stopped working
Senior Member
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 309
Likes: 129
S450 4Matic
My driver side door handle exhibited the exact same behaviour as yours. It used to pop open very easily, but after my soft close broke down, it became much heavier, requiring a lot more force to pull open.
I didn't think much of it, and continued to use the car normally, for perhaps a few weeks. But then the problem escalated, and my driver side handle got outright 'stuck' in its little cave, unable to come out. See this video below.
The door handle mechanism seems very delicate and problem-prone this generation. So best to get yours fixed right now, lest they turn into bigger headaches down the road.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,124
Likes: 4,353
From: Corona Del Mar, CA
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
You might want to take your car to the dealership, and fix that 'additional resistance', sooner, rather than later.
My driver side door handle exhibited the exact same behaviour as yours. It used to pop open very easily, but after my soft close broke down, it became much heavier, requiring a lot more force to pull open.
I didn't think much of it, and continued to use the car normally, for perhaps a few weeks. But then the problem escalated, and my driver side handle got outright 'stuck' in its little cave, unable to come out. See this video below.
See this video.
The door handle mechanism seems very delicate and problem-prone this generation. So best to get yours fixed right now, lest they turn into bigger headaches down the road.
My driver side door handle exhibited the exact same behaviour as yours. It used to pop open very easily, but after my soft close broke down, it became much heavier, requiring a lot more force to pull open.
I didn't think much of it, and continued to use the car normally, for perhaps a few weeks. But then the problem escalated, and my driver side handle got outright 'stuck' in its little cave, unable to come out. See this video below.
See this video.
The door handle mechanism seems very delicate and problem-prone this generation. So best to get yours fixed right now, lest they turn into bigger headaches down the road.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 309
Likes: 129
S450 4Matic
Mine have done that sporadically since the car was new, which is going on 16 months now. It is particularly frustrating for my wife sometimes. I have complained about this NUMEROUS times to the dealer and have always been told that they “cannot duplicate,” and are “functioning as designed.” They never seem to get much worse or any better. On my car, this “feature” is an absolute pain in the ***! The soft close has never been an issue.
Well, mine was predicatably constant. I cannot help but feel that the eventual pop-out failure was related to me constantly pulling open the door handle with many times the force it was designed to handle.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 8,124
Likes: 4,353
From: Corona Del Mar, CA
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
So your door handle 'occasionally' requires more force to open than usual?
Well, mine was predicatably constant. I cannot help but feel that the eventual pop-out failure was related to me constantly pulling open the door handle with many times the force it was designed to handle.
Well, mine was predicatably constant. I cannot help but feel that the eventual pop-out failure was related to me constantly pulling open the door handle with many times the force it was designed to handle.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 20
Likes: 6
W222
Wanted to close the loop on this issue. Here is the report from the dealer:
Duplicated customer's concern: left front soft close is inoperative. Connect battery charger and perform a quick test. The left front door control
unit has a new software update available. * Perform software update successfully * Technician also found a software update available for the
Electronic Ignition Central Gateway. * Software update completed successfully* . The left front door soft close still INOP. As per guided test inspect
wires and connectors from the left front door lock actuator to left front door control module. Disconnect & negative battery cable end. R&R left front
door panel ( AR72.10-P-6575S ). R&R left front door control module ( AR72.10-P-0900S ). Inspection results- > No loose connections found. As per
guided test replace door lock actuator. Fault code current & stored- > B25BF01 The door lock has a malfunction. There is a general electrical fault. -
> R&R left front door lock actuator. - > Replaced actuator ( part # A 099 720 99 01 ). Put everything back in reverse order. Connect SDS and clear
all stored fault codes. The left front door soft close is working intermittently. The left front door power closing actuator has an intermittent
malfunction, component: M14/21. -> R&R door panel. R&R door control module. - > Replaced power closing actuator. Part # A 223 760 13 00. Put
everything back in reverse order. * Perform SCN coding after repairs. * Normalize the left front window successfully * Clear all stored fault codes.
The left front door soft close is working as factory designed. Verified repairs.
Duplicated customer's concern: left front soft close is inoperative. Connect battery charger and perform a quick test. The left front door control
unit has a new software update available. * Perform software update successfully * Technician also found a software update available for the
Electronic Ignition Central Gateway. * Software update completed successfully* . The left front door soft close still INOP. As per guided test inspect
wires and connectors from the left front door lock actuator to left front door control module. Disconnect & negative battery cable end. R&R left front
door panel ( AR72.10-P-6575S ). R&R left front door control module ( AR72.10-P-0900S ). Inspection results- > No loose connections found. As per
guided test replace door lock actuator. Fault code current & stored- > B25BF01 The door lock has a malfunction. There is a general electrical fault. -
> R&R left front door lock actuator. - > Replaced actuator ( part # A 099 720 99 01 ). Put everything back in reverse order. Connect SDS and clear
all stored fault codes. The left front door soft close is working intermittently. The left front door power closing actuator has an intermittent
malfunction, component: M14/21. -> R&R door panel. R&R door control module. - > Replaced power closing actuator. Part # A 223 760 13 00. Put
everything back in reverse order. * Perform SCN coding after repairs. * Normalize the left front window successfully * Clear all stored fault codes.
The left front door soft close is working as factory designed. Verified repairs.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 714
Likes: 379
From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
2023 S580
This happened to all 4 of my doors and truck. All of the sudden, even though it's "unlocked" none of the doors would open. 15 minutes later, after I had walked away and came back, the doors worked again. This is extremely concerning. I have an appointment on Tuesday morning.
The moral to the story here is the software in our cars sometimes loses its mind and causes as sorts of issues. Mine did; and based on many other posts I've read in this forum, it appears that it has for others, too.
Moondogg - If the car resets itself after a period of time, I'd try to relax and rack this up to Gremlins in the system. I know it is frustrating to have issues like this on a car that cost you over $128K, but from someone that has also had the issue, it might save you some anxiety.
Newbie
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Mercedes S580e 2023
Same issue same door
My new S580 front driver side door's soft close mechanism stopped working. All other doors work fine. I've searched the forum and have found many posts about soft close door issues, but can't find any on such a new car. Any suggestions on if I can "fix" without taking to the dealer? Many have suggested removing the fuse, but thought I'd ask you guys for any suggestions??
Thank you in advance for any suggestions or guidance.
Thank you in advance for any suggestions or guidance.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 2,129
Likes: 940
From: Costco
2023 S500
Yeah mem3036 posted the service invoice in a post above. https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...ml#post8793258
Failed door actuator.
Failed door actuator.
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