endosarg

One of the trunk flaps that are supposed to flip up got caught under a loosened trunk lid trim pad and neither flap came up. Now the top is sitting against the flaps and will not go down any farther. The top switch just blinks. Can I open the trunk lid while it is tilted back? I'm thinking the flaps may raise when I do this when freed from pressure from the top. If not any ideas on how to transport the car 100 miles, or do I get a tech to come here?

glennbaz

There is a small micro switch that you have to press in where the flap sits when fully opened. I know when I had one flap stuck I was able to do it. With 2 flaps it will take 3 people one on each mico switch and on holding top lever. It will take several trys as the top opens and the switch moves. You should be able to get the trunk down enough to drive the car.
Glenn

kokanee

I had one of the gears that operate the flap strip shortly after I got the car. When the teck came out he did something like this:
After the system has sat for a min or two alowing the hydraulic pressure to reduce the whole car top can be lifted carefully and evenly by two people until it is almost closed. The two people drop it at the same time the last 6 inches or so. Then the closing process can continue to lock the latches with the closing switch in the car. He did open the trunk using the key with the top half down during the trouble shooting process. It is pretty cool as its on something like a sissor lift arrangement. I believe he had to operate the flap (and micoswitch?) by hand to finish.
I'm sorry if I havent got the process exact as it was many years ago.
Good Luck

endosarg

I got a call from a MB tech guy and he said to force the flaps back to the trunk lid. I didn't like what I was hearing so I called a dealer in Valencia, CA., and they thought this was a good idea too. I called there because there are more SL's in CA than in northwest Iowa. Still bothered me.......so I took Glenn's advice but I got it done with 2 people; I used a yardstick to reach across and hold the right microswitch and I pushed the left while my wife pushed the switch to close the top. It worked! I held the switches as long as I could, but the left flap would not totally "close" flat and there was no way to hold it up once the trunk lid was almost closed. I then stuck a feather pillow in there to hold it up, pushed the switch again and viola, locked and loaded! Now I can at least drive it the 100 miles to have it checked. Thanks for getting me started on this!

IngenereAMG

Well done!! I can't imagine Sioux City has any other SLs in town other than yours. Is the closest dealer in Omaha?

CLUBVIEW

top would not completly shut and lock so I had top open again it went back perfactuly but would not comleatly lock when i close the top after doing this 4 or 5 times i figure i will take it to dealer but when i got home now i can not open the top or niether i can open the trunk the red warning is on to lock the top but it wont do it

any ideas?

GET TUBED

For clarity
Can someone post some pixs and point out the " small micro switch " for this thread and future reference ? Thanks

endosarg

I will be happy to after I get it all looked at; it could be a week or two; the dealer in Sioux Falls will get it sometime this week. I don't use the dealer in Omaha; read between the lines here. Actually, I know of at least 3 other 230 SL's in Sioux City, even one SL55. There are plenty of MB, BMW, Porsche. It would be a good place have a high end import dealer. In fact my next door neighbor has 3 MB.