SL/R129: Possibly Buying SL500 - Hard/Soft Top Questions
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Joined: Nov 2010
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Possibly Buying SL500 - Hard/Soft Top Questions
First apparently the rear left pump is bad. Is this a big deal to change?
Second when I crank up the car the red light by the shifter flashes. I push it forwards or backwards and it begins to roll down the windows. Is this normal? I would think that one way would make the windows and everything come up.
Either way it beeps for quite a few seconds before it stops but the red light continues to flash. Any ideas?
Second when I crank up the car the red light by the shifter flashes. I push it forwards or backwards and it begins to roll down the windows. Is this normal? I would think that one way would make the windows and everything come up.
Either way it beeps for quite a few seconds before it stops but the red light continues to flash. Any ideas?
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 598
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From: Eastern Kansas
94 SL 600, 98 993, 89 XJS Conv., 85 Daimlier Princess 16 Hybrid Lincoln 16 Chevy crewcab
Good to be concerned. Were all the steps taken as printed in the owners manual? Since you didn't note the year, lots on the forum members will need to know that detail. R129 in years 93-95 have a notorious electical harnass problem, and cylinder and fluid levels are also important in all the years. The mechanical skill , DIY attitude and need for transportation that drive you are elements to your question about how big a deal this will be! Regardless, welcome to a complex love hate relationship that is part of this car.
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It is a 95. I read on another forum about the wiring harness issue so I will check it out on Monday. The car has 96000 miles.
Supposedly all of the cylinders were replaced except for the rear left.
I went back on Saturday afternoon to show my girlfriend the car, and the red light for the top wasn't doing its flashing thing.
I work in a body shop and am fairly mechanically inclined and have plenty of mechanic friends.
The other issue is this would be replacing my daily driver, and the more I think about it that may be my biggest issue.
Edit: Also there is no owner's manual in the car. I tried downloading from a few different places but all the links seem to be broken.
Supposedly all of the cylinders were replaced except for the rear left.
I went back on Saturday afternoon to show my girlfriend the car, and the red light for the top wasn't doing its flashing thing.
I work in a body shop and am fairly mechanically inclined and have plenty of mechanic friends.
The other issue is this would be replacing my daily driver, and the more I think about it that may be my biggest issue.
Edit: Also there is no owner's manual in the car. I tried downloading from a few different places but all the links seem to be broken.
Last edited by clintj; Nov 14, 2010 at 10:29 AM.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 598
Likes: 19
From: Eastern Kansas
94 SL 600, 98 993, 89 XJS Conv., 85 Daimlier Princess 16 Hybrid Lincoln 16 Chevy crewcab
harness problems vary, insulation gone with wire to wire contact to micro cracks that have a copper oxidation, and since the electrical issues are micro chips, not vacuum tubes any leak of power can give the wrong signal to the system. Many of the codes were nonsense to both indy's and MB dealers. I replaced the "top" harness first and all multi light and engine in "limp" mode were gone! I went on to replace the lower harness because of my observation of the top and consideration of the welding type amperage of the lower and expense of MB parts .
Your connectedness to the auto world is a good thing but even with friends with tools, MB does not give the parts away!
Your connectedness to the auto world is a good thing but even with friends with tools, MB does not give the parts away!
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 410
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From: Northern VA
CL55, SL500, E350
Are there 9 beeps (for every time you start the car) before it stops? If 'yes', then there is not enough pressure (either the pump is bad or one or more of the cylinders are leaking). There is a chance that the switch is bad (if after replacing/checking everything else). "Good news" is the switch only cost like $400 at the dealer (including labor).
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 3
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94 SL600
leaking cylinder
First apparently the rear left pump is bad. Is this a big deal to change?
Second when I crank up the car the red light by the shifter flashes. I push it forwards or backwards and it begins to roll down the windows. Is this normal? I would think that one way would make the windows and everything come up.
Either way it beeps for quite a few seconds before it stops but the red light continues to flash. Any ideas?
Second when I crank up the car the red light by the shifter flashes. I push it forwards or backwards and it begins to roll down the windows. Is this normal? I would think that one way would make the windows and everything come up.
Either way it beeps for quite a few seconds before it stops but the red light continues to flash. Any ideas?
Pushing the red button will make the car open or close the top. To do this, it will always open the windows first.
The good news: replacing cylinders is not all that difficult, and getting them rebuilt is quite cheap. About $50 per cylinder. Based on what others are saying, the rebuilds last longer than the originals. I had mine done by Top Hydraulics and couldn't be happier. They can be found at www.tophydraulicsinc.com. The site has step by step removal instructions for the cylinders, and the guy on the phone was really helpful.
You have good ammunition to bargain: the seller knows that they have a problem with the hydraulic system, and they have probably been quoted thousands by their dealer to fix it. You can get it done for a fraction...
