9/16/06 Update to my previous question below:

(I understand there is a rollover protection sensor that triggers the rollbar to pop-up in 0.3 seconds....... anyone know anything about these sensors, where they are, etc.)

Wondering if these sensors could be the reason for my "surprise sporadic rollbar pop-ups on tight turns?" Am I the only one that has had this problem? Anyone know an SL electrical expert in San Diego area??????

Previous question:

Recently had the passenger side visor vanity mirror assembly replaced by a small private repair shop after the previous cover door broke off. After being replaced, drove it home and got scared out of my skin when pulling a tight left turn the padded rollbar suddenly popped-up dramatically into standing place from the closed down position without warning. Thought someone was shooting at the car!! Smiles

Then rollbar would not go down when depressing it's switch (by itself) but would now go down ONLY when lowering the soft top.

Once down and with the soft top up, this same sudden popping-up of the padded rollbar continues to happen ONLY when I pull a tight turn.\

Also since the visor vanity light assembly replacement the soft top seems to go Up and Down VERRRRRY SLOWLY now ....feels like 2x-3x SLOWER than normal raising/lowering before.

Took it back to the repair shop (not a MBZ Specialist, but very competent as the shop owner happens to own the same exact model and year as mine ....1990 300SL) but they were unable to isolate the problem and/or fix it for the past 2 weeks they had it to take their time with.

Not sure WHAT TO DO now. Don't really want to pay the MBZ Dealer labor rate. Any suggestions? Anyone know someone who knows the R129 electrical system in San Diego area that won't cost me an arm and a leg?

Sorry for the long post. Appreciate your suggestions and advice. Thanks in advance! SanDiegoDon

 

Find a good MB independant instead of using the dealer. I seriously doubt the visor surgery has anything to do with the rollbar problem, I think the sensors are much lower in the car but can't recall where. My rollbar has popped up once in the year I've owned the car during a panic stop...I didn't really hear it over the squealing of tires from the cars around me but was watching the minivan in the rearview mirror and suddenly I of couldn't see it thru two layers of windscreen fabric that are attached to the bar (top was down. The windscreen was down, as it is 99% of time unless I need to answer the phone or it's just too damn to really be driving with the top down). As you experienced, the top switch must be actived to lower it, as the rollbar switch won't. I found you don't have to open or close the top completely to fix the rollbar switch, push the switch to open or close the top (if opened, close switch and vise versa)...before it really does anything more then it's first click, pop or bang reverse the switch to put the top back the way it was before you started the process.

Getting off topic now: I noticed today that in a meduim rain on the highway you don't really get much more then a few drops in the car if the screen is down...more seems to hit the top of my head when the screen is up??? I tried it both ways since I was driving out of the storm and it seemed stopping to put the top up would have resulted in me getting wet while finding a place to stop and waiting for it operation.

 

Don, there is a limit switch on each control arm of the rear suspension. In a roll-over situation the suspension on one side of the car extends to its limit and the associated switch activates. This switch signals the roll bar controller and the bar deploys. One or both of your switches may need adjustment or replacement.

If your convertible top moves very slowly, then your system has low hydraulic pressure. This can be caused by having the incorrect fluid in the system, a weak hydraulic pump, or a leaking hydraulic cylinder. Most cylinder leaks are external and are obvious from visual inspection, but some are internal. Internal leaks and pump problems are generally identified by measuring hydraulic pressures at different parts of the system.