SL/R129: Soft Top Stuck Partially Open
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98 SL 500
Soft Top Stuck Partially Open
Hi all, Scoured the forums, but can't find these symptoms/issues.
98 SL 500
No recent battery/electrical problems or repairs. No repairs at all of any type.Windows work fine, and are in Sync.
This morning, went to put top down, rear window unlatched and came up, and that's all she wrote! Front didn't unlatch, "boot" didn't come up,nada!! Been working fine, no symptoms of anything in the making.
With car in gear, bell sounds (alarm) then goes off. Control switch red light blinks several times, then solid. Car in park, when I push the control button in either direction, there is a clicking sound, comes from the rear, in what is probably the guts of the top. Also roll bar does not now work, but it did a couple of days ago, no light on at the roll bar switch, no whirring noise when try to reset, just the same clicking sound as mentioned above.
On further thought the clicking kinda sounds like a relay; maybe?
Any insight is much appreciated!!
98 SL 500
No recent battery/electrical problems or repairs. No repairs at all of any type.Windows work fine, and are in Sync.
This morning, went to put top down, rear window unlatched and came up, and that's all she wrote! Front didn't unlatch, "boot" didn't come up,nada!! Been working fine, no symptoms of anything in the making.
With car in gear, bell sounds (alarm) then goes off. Control switch red light blinks several times, then solid. Car in park, when I push the control button in either direction, there is a clicking sound, comes from the rear, in what is probably the guts of the top. Also roll bar does not now work, but it did a couple of days ago, no light on at the roll bar switch, no whirring noise when try to reset, just the same clicking sound as mentioned above.
On further thought the clicking kinda sounds like a relay; maybe?
Any insight is much appreciated!!
Last edited by Pork; Aug 11, 2016 at 03:31 PM.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Atlanta, unfortunately
'09 S600, (2) R129 300SLs, '03 SL500, '03 SL55
A likely cause is one or more limit switches out of position. I suggest that you check them all.
The following procedure is for cars built in calendar year 1994 or later. You'll need a basic electronic multimeter or other device for checking electrical continuity.
Locate the top controller under the floor of the storage compartment behind the left seat. All the switches are wired between chassis ground and individual sockets of the top controller's X2 connector -- the larger of its two connectors. Access the top controller and disconnect X2. Observe that there are sockets arranged in three rows that are numbered sequentially (attachment).
You proceed by putting the top in "Position 1" and checking the open/closed state of 11 switches and then repeating the same for "Position 2". With the ignition off you check a state by measuring resistance between a switch's socket and chassis ground. Infinite resistance indicates a switch is open, resistance less than 1 ohm indicates a switch is closed. The information below describes the two positions, the eleven sockets to check, and what state to expect with each measurement.
Position 1 (Top closed, roll bar up)
Open: 4, 8, 26, 44, 46
Closed: 7, 11, 28, 29, 30, 45
Position 2 (Top open and stored in compartment with storage compartment cover open, roll bar down)
Open: 7, 11, 28, 29, 30, 45
Closed: 4, 8, 26, 44, 46
The attached chart shows what switch is wired to each socket.
The following procedure is for cars built in calendar year 1994 or later. You'll need a basic electronic multimeter or other device for checking electrical continuity.
Locate the top controller under the floor of the storage compartment behind the left seat. All the switches are wired between chassis ground and individual sockets of the top controller's X2 connector -- the larger of its two connectors. Access the top controller and disconnect X2. Observe that there are sockets arranged in three rows that are numbered sequentially (attachment).
You proceed by putting the top in "Position 1" and checking the open/closed state of 11 switches and then repeating the same for "Position 2". With the ignition off you check a state by measuring resistance between a switch's socket and chassis ground. Infinite resistance indicates a switch is open, resistance less than 1 ohm indicates a switch is closed. The information below describes the two positions, the eleven sockets to check, and what state to expect with each measurement.
Position 1 (Top closed, roll bar up)
Open: 4, 8, 26, 44, 46
Closed: 7, 11, 28, 29, 30, 45
Position 2 (Top open and stored in compartment with storage compartment cover open, roll bar down)
Open: 7, 11, 28, 29, 30, 45
Closed: 4, 8, 26, 44, 46
The attached chart shows what switch is wired to each socket.
