SL/R129: R129 hard/soft top problems
11-24-2009, 05:44 AM
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1999 R129
R129 hard/soft top problems
Thanks for any and new ideas or thoughts on the workings of the locks.
The dealer hasn't been much help. Old techs that don't care and techs to young and don't know ****. If anyone knows someone with top experience on R129 in the LA, San Diego area that would be great to.
This is the problem that I'm having. I can have the hard top on and can drive fro several miles and all is fine. Then I may hit a bump in the road and that causes the chime to start chiming and the red light to start flashing, the chiming will then stop, but the red light still flashes. I can push the top button and it will be fine until I hit a bump in the road again. This may go on for a time and then the light wont reset and the chimer will just drive you nuts. Sometimes, the rollover button lights will come on in the button, but nothing in the instrument cluster.
Now, a little history. Just before I purchased the roadster the frt A-pillar locks had been replaced. I have since replaced the rt rear lock due to weeping and have checked the fluid level, but problem still occurs. I have checked the micro switches and the seam to operate. If the car sits for a week and then I drive it I can drive for miles and not have a problem, but just one good bump in the road like a lane marker will set it off and it won't stop. I have replace the roll-over button due to reoccurring faults. I think that I had a code 62, but cant remember.
This all so will happen with the soft top.
The operation of soft to works fine and locking of both tops also works fine and the are both tight and secure
.
The dealer hasn't been much help. Old techs that don't care and techs to young and don't know ****. If anyone knows someone with top experience on R129 in the LA, San Diego area that would be great to.
This is the problem that I'm having. I can have the hard top on and can drive fro several miles and all is fine. Then I may hit a bump in the road and that causes the chime to start chiming and the red light to start flashing, the chiming will then stop, but the red light still flashes. I can push the top button and it will be fine until I hit a bump in the road again. This may go on for a time and then the light wont reset and the chimer will just drive you nuts. Sometimes, the rollover button lights will come on in the button, but nothing in the instrument cluster.
Now, a little history. Just before I purchased the roadster the frt A-pillar locks had been replaced. I have since replaced the rt rear lock due to weeping and have checked the fluid level, but problem still occurs. I have checked the micro switches and the seam to operate. If the car sits for a week and then I drive it I can drive for miles and not have a problem, but just one good bump in the road like a lane marker will set it off and it won't stop. I have replace the roll-over button due to reoccurring faults. I think that I had a code 62, but cant remember.
This all so will happen with the soft top.
The operation of soft to works fine and locking of both tops also works fine and the are both tight and secure
.
12-12-2009, 09:57 PM
#4
Banned
The chime occurs because the top controller is not receiving confirmation via microswitches that all of the locks are secure. I think you have to take a closer look at the switches. It would help to know which one is the source of the problem. You can check the switches with a basic electronic multimeter. For a car built before 1994 the procedure is here: http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...5&postcount=4; for later cars here: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129...ml#post3537047.
The arrows in the roll bar switch indicate a problem with the roll bar automatic deployment. I would first check that the fuses in the trunk fusebox are all good. If they are, then I think you have to have the codes read for the roll bar. On an early car this is done with a paperclip or wire as explained here: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129...pre-94-a.html?; later cars require Mercedes' Star Diagnosis or equivalent.
The arrows in the roll bar switch indicate a problem with the roll bar automatic deployment. I would first check that the fuses in the trunk fusebox are all good. If they are, then I think you have to have the codes read for the roll bar. On an early car this is done with a paperclip or wire as explained here: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129...pre-94-a.html?; later cars require Mercedes' Star Diagnosis or equivalent.
12-15-2009, 06:21 PM
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1994 SL500
I was facing a similar issue with the soft top a few months ago. As it turns out, when the soft top was retracted it wouldn't always line up with a switch in the soft top bay. I figured this out after agonizing over the methods of syncing and re-syncing the soft top, roll bar, and windows.
The result was that when retracting the top, the tonneau cover wouldn't close over the bay because the system did not recognize the soft top as being retracted.
All that was needed was literally to move one of the metal beams half an inch so that it put weight on the switch. Once the top was retracted and I was driving, it would occasionally move off that switch, resulting in the chimes and flashing lights that you're experiencing.
This is probably a very confusing way to describe a simple problem. If anyone needs pictures, please let me know and I can take some.
The result was that when retracting the top, the tonneau cover wouldn't close over the bay because the system did not recognize the soft top as being retracted.
All that was needed was literally to move one of the metal beams half an inch so that it put weight on the switch. Once the top was retracted and I was driving, it would occasionally move off that switch, resulting in the chimes and flashing lights that you're experiencing.
This is probably a very confusing way to describe a simple problem. If anyone needs pictures, please let me know and I can take some.
