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I've been trying to work through a problem with my wife's R230 SL500.
After a few months of not being driven, the central locking and all usual vacuum peripherals stopped working, so I stripped the PSE pump and sure enough the impeller blades had shattered.
So no problem, I saw the motor had burnt out so I got a replacement motor and impeller and was glad to fix the PSE issues and the seats, central locking and boot soft close started working again.
However, even though the boot now shuts no problem it can only be opened by the manual key and not the remote key or the release button on the drivers side door - it's as if the vacuum to shut the boot "is" working (as i can hear it) but the release is not - i tested this by taking out the mechanical locking mechanism, and when i push the teeth they shut but I can't get them to re open unless i use force.
Any suggestions where to look? i have glued the ball bearing ports on the mechanical lock, that doesn't seem to have made any difference (thought it might be a vacuum leak.)
Does a particular part of the lock control the release?
Hello all, I have a 2009 SL550 sport with auto shot for the trunk, last few days I have to assist the trunk to shot while it is automatically closing or warning light will tell me that it is open.
is my problem the same or mine is hydrolics?
thank you
ben
A few things adding up....before I start the troubleshooting....first thing I noticed was the center console would not open, then noticed the top would not go down (partition warning), then noticed the trunk would not open and locks do not work. But ultimately I had to open the trunk with the valet key and now it will not "self close" suck down tight. Same on opening, it will hum but will not unlatch and open.
Is this more than likely the PUMP it self vs. the trunk latch, since all all the components seem to be effected? Or, can a leak ANYWHERE cause problems with the entire system?
I've had zero problems the last 2 plus years since I've owned the car, 31k miles currently. I have run the battery down now and again when I forget to plug in the trickle charger. So I've had those gremlins, usually cured by a long drive or just using the charger over night.
Trunk with liner and actuator removed Close up of were actuator mounts Actuator assembly out of the car Close up of actuator assembly Where I epoxied Where I epoxied Where I epoxied Where I epoxied
even though i have read every forum post i could find...i am stumped with my pse and soft close. did not know i had a trunk closer, and just slammed it. everything continued to work. jut finished a strutmaster conversion...nightmare...and found the fob , locks etc. no longer worked. fuse 71 was blown...new fuse...everything worked again until a soft close. fuse blown again.....no reset...just blown. accessed the pse and tested each line. the only one that a hand pump would draw any vacuum was the gas flap, but it quickly went to zero. i have a small medical aspirator pump, and was able to pull 20 inches vacuum on each line, but all slowly went to zero. when i pulled the central locking line it had positive pressure. i find it hard to believe every line leaks. the car has only 21k and looks almost showroom. if i just manually shut the trunk it appears that everything else keeps working. i have not yet opened the pse because the line tests brought me to complete confusion.....a short trip. i believe all lines are supposed to hold vacuum. i have not gone after the closer mechanism yet because it seems nobody else has had the same symptoms. don't want to fix it if it ain't broke.
even though i have read every forum post i could find...i am stumped with my pse and soft close. did not know i had a trunk closer, and just slammed it. everything continued to work. jut finished a strutmaster conversion...nightmare...and found the fob , locks etc. no longer worked. fuse 71 was blown...new fuse...everything worked again until a soft close. fuse blown again.....no reset...just blown. accessed the pse and tested each line. the only one that a hand pump would draw any vacuum was the gas flap, but it quickly went to zero. i have a small medical aspirator pump, and was able to pull 20 inches vacuum on each line, but all slowly went to zero. when i pulled the central locking line it had positive pressure. i find it hard to believe every line leaks. the car has only 21k and looks almost showroom. if i just manually shut the trunk it appears that everything else keeps working. i have not yet opened the pse because the line tests brought me to complete confusion.....a short trip. i believe all lines are supposed to hold vacuum. i have not gone after the closer mechanism yet because it seems nobody else has had the same symptoms. don't want to fix it if it ain't broke.
Are you sure your PSE pump is OK? If it was faulty it can cause the fuse to blow
pse apart looked pristine. read somewhere on these forums that a guy in the uk bench tested several pse motors with no load. many of them drew near 20 amps. so, they use a 25 amp fuse. i tried it and fixed the fuse blow problem. however, the soft close only worked for a bit after each fuse pull reset. pulled the latch mechanism, and sure enough i could see a couple of hairline cracks. also the hockey puck showed one cracked closure bit. i'm off to get some quick set epoxy. i already have jb plastic weld, but it is a 15 minute set....getting the 5 minute gorilla epoxy. so, between the fuse and the epoxy all should be good.
after taking a good look, this should only be done on the bench, and the unit quickly removes from the whole assembly....exposing all 6 of the ports. i intend to cover the whole tubes...and the equator of the hockey puck. also, i intend to degrease all surfaces with carb cleaner or something to insure stick.
Hello guys, searched in the forums but couldn't find similar issue. My GLC 2020 have the auto / assist trunk close (the one with gesture for the foot and also the red buttons on the trunk). My question is that i know the trunk have a safety feature whereas it will stop if there is any obstacle during the closing process in order not to cause injury or trunk malfunctioning. however, in all my previous cars, even low cost one! the trunk used to re-open by itself when this happen to allow the user to remove any obstacle. but in the GLC it just stops and you need open yourself. If you press the close button again, it will try to close and the same issue reoccur.
i have a scheduled maintenance in 2 Sept. for many issues in the car and this one is on the list. just wanted to see if it is common or even an issue to start with!
Don’t know if this helps any UK members but I’m struggling with fixing the boot soft close at the moment. I tried the epoxy fix without any success. I then started thinking about trying a second hand replacement mechanism but quickly gave up on that as the prices are very high. Probably SL “tax” lol.
During research, I discovered that the W220 S Class also has a soft close mechanism. It’s not the same as the R230 as a whole, but............... the solenoid mechanism inside the S Class mechanism is identical, so it can be removed and installed into the R230 mechanism. Why is this useful? Well on UK eBay the S Class mechanism is available second hand for approx £35 from Eastern European breakers as opposed to the circa £200 that breakers are asking for the SL mechanism. So buy a complete S Class mechanism to get a relatively cheap solenoid piece to play around with.
A common problem on many of our cars is the the trunk assist will randomly stop working one day, and you won't know why. You can unhook the convenience battery and reconnect, and the soft close function will begin to work again, but not for long. Eventually it will stop pulling the trunk closed again, and you will have to pull the fuse (or unhook the battery). This is only a temporary fix which could ultimately result in pump failure.
The problem with our cars is that the soft close latch is operated by air, and if there is a leak anywhere in the system, the pump times out, and the soft close function ceases to work until the system is reset.
So, on the latch mechanism, there are 4 air ports that mercedes plugged with small ball bearings. These bb plugs work fine when the latch mechanism is new, but as the plastic around them ages, it cracks where these ball bearings are. The cracks allow air to escape, and here is the problem.
The solution is to buy some $5.00 plastic epoxy, and glue the outside of the ports and the inside of the ports shut.
You will notice some orange silicone on the latch assembly. I initially tried to use silicone gasket maker to cover the ports, but quickly found out it was not strong enough , and the air pushed its way out. So make sure you use a strong plastic epoxy. Gorilla Glue makes a great gel (super glue) epoxy. I used it later...
In the next series of photos i will show you how to resolve the problem permanently.
After you pull the latch mechanism out reset your convenience battery, push the latch clasp in 1 click, watch as the pump actuates and closes the clasp fully, and LISTEN FOR AIR ESCAPING.. When you find the air leak, begin applying the glue there, but also apply it to the other ports just in case. Be generous..
You could take your car to the dealer and pay over $300+ to have a new latch installed, or you could fix it like i did in less than 30min and for less than $5.00
So I never much respond to these posting but in this case it most needed -- I spend numerous hours trying to figure out the problem with my SL600 soft close trunk action. it would close but not latch totally shut. I replaced the switch as per the WIS manual but it still would not work. I would have never guessed to reset the convenience battery to get the new switch to work --- and had I seen this posting sooner I would have saved the money for a new switch and repaired the old one -- a life saver and I much appreciate your posting -- Thank you again for this it was extremely valuable -- not money wise but also knowledge wise ---just perfect
gsones
A common problem on many of our cars is the the trunk assist will randomly stop working one day, and you won't know why. You can unhook the convenience battery and reconnect, and the soft close function will begin to work again, but not for long. Eventually it will stop pulling the trunk closed again, and you will have to pull the fuse (or unhook the battery). This is only a temporary fix which could ultimately result in pump failure.
The problem with our cars is that the soft close latch is operated by air, and if there is a leak anywhere in the system, the pump times out, and the soft close function ceases to work until the system is reset.
So, on the latch mechanism, there are 4 air ports that mercedes plugged with small ball bearings. These bb plugs work fine when the latch mechanism is new, but as the plastic around them ages, it cracks where these ball bearings are. The cracks allow air to escape, and here is the problem.
The solution is to buy some $5.00 plastic epoxy, and glue the outside of the ports and the inside of the ports shut.
You will notice some orange silicone on the latch assembly. I initially tried to use silicone gasket maker to cover the ports, but quickly found out it was not strong enough , and the air pushed its way out. So make sure you use a strong plastic epoxy. Gorilla Glue makes a great gel (super glue) epoxy. I used it later...
In the next series of photos i will show you how to resolve the problem permanently.
After you pull the latch mechanism out reset your convenience battery, push the latch clasp in 1 click, watch as the pump actuates and closes the clasp fully, and LISTEN FOR AIR ESCAPING.. When you find the air leak, begin applying the glue there, but also apply it to the other ports just in case. Be generous..
You could take your car to the dealer and pay over $300+ to have a new latch installed, or you could fix it like i did in less than 30min and for less than $5.00
So I never much respond to these posting but in this case it most needed -- I spend numerous hours trying to figure out the problem with my SL600 soft close trunk action. it would close but not latch totally shut. I replaced the switch as per the WIS manual but it still would not work. I would have never guessed to reset the convenience battery to get the new switch to work --- and had I seen this posting sooner I would have saved the money for a new switch and repaired the old one -- a life saver and I much appreciate your posting -- Thank you again for this it was extremely valuable -- not money wise but also knowledge wise ---just perfect
gsones
2003 R230 - Trunk Latch Handle Does Not Open Trunk
I recently replaced one of my Vario Roof actuators - so had the vario pump pulled to the side to access the hydraulic lines associated with the actuator. Prior to this repair my trunk latch handle and soft close feature both worked flawlessly. After the repair, the trunk handle will not open the trunk - there is absolutely no resistance when you press the handle. I can however open the trunk using the hard key. Here are some facts I hope help narrow it down:
1) Trunk will open using hard key - when closing the soft close does not work.
2) The Vario Roof actuator I replaced was the one directly behind the PSE pump - fluid was leaking profusely near and around the PSE pump.
3) I failed to disconnect the consumer battery before replacing the actuator - had a couple of electrical lines that I believe tie to the internal safety button for opening the trunk spark a bit - I have not checked any fuses.
4) The Key Fob will unlock the doors but will not open the trunk
5) The drivers door trunk button will not open the trunk
As I said - absolutely no resistance when pressing on the trunk handle - looking for some thinks to check hopefully in a logical order that reduces the tear apart as much as possible.
Looking for possible causes for the trunk handle to suddenly stop working - here are a few known issues I encountered during the Vario Roof Actuator Replacement:
I recently replaced one of my Vario Roof actuators - so had the vario pump pulled to the side to access the hydraulic lines associated with the actuator. Prior to this repair my trunk latch handle and soft close feature both worked flawlessly. After the repair, the trunk handle will not open the trunk - there is absolutely no resistance when you press the handle. I can however open the trunk using the hard key. Here are some facts I hope help narrow it down:
1) Trunk will open using hard key - when closing the soft close does not work.
2) The Vario Roof actuator I replaced was the one directly behind the PSE pump - fluid was leaking profusely near and around the PSE pump.
3) I failed to disconnect the consumer battery before replacing the actuator - had a couple of electrical lines that I believe tie to the internal safety button for opening the trunk spark a bit - I have not checked any fuses.
4) The Key Fob will unlock the doors but will not open the trunk
5) The drivers door trunk button will not open the trunk
As I said - absolutely no resistance when pressing on the trunk handle - looking for some thinks to check hopefully in a logical order that reduces the tear apart as much as possible.
Looking for possible causes for the trunk handle to suddenly stop working - here are a few known issues I encountered during the Vario Roof Actuator Replacement:
On a car with so many computers it's never good to have wires unexpectedly spark. I would check fuses before anything else. There's a good chance you blew a fuse with that spark. I don't have the R230 fuse charts handy but I can dig them up if you need them.
Just to confirm: does the roof now open and close properly?
Last edited by jmattioni; Jan 6, 2021 at 12:01 PM.
2005 R 230 SL350 (M112 3.7). Sold the 1966 W113 230SL recently
The grip on the trunklid is an electric switch, so without the metal key turning the lock cilinder you won’t feel resistance there. There should be a click, though.
Relevant fuses you’ll find behind the right hand seat under the bottom of the box.
Last edited by Frederick NL; Jan 9, 2021 at 03:33 PM.
Hello all, I have a 2009 SL550 sport with auto shot for the trunk, last few days I have to assist the trunk to shot while it is automatically closing or warning light will tell me that it is open.
is my problem the same or mine is hydrolics?
thank you
ben
Have you tried slightly adjusting the latch via the two screws?
So I never much respond to these posting but in this case it most needed -- I spend numerous hours trying to figure out the problem with my SL600 soft close trunk action. it would close but not latch totally shut. I replaced the switch as per the WIS manual but it still would not work. I would have never guessed to reset the convenience battery to get the new switch to work --- and had I seen this posting sooner I would have saved the money for a new switch and repaired the old one -- a life saver and I much appreciate your posting -- Thank you again for this it was extremely valuable -- not money wise but also knowledge wise ---just perfect
gsones
This video shows the operation of the latch click and how to do it with example of where a leak is found.
I know it has been said a new PSE needs to be programed to the car with Star. Do you also need to program a new soft close trunk lock (#230-750-01-85) to the car?
Maybe it's time for a new latch. I think there is actually an aftermarket company that sells just the plastic pneumatic part of the latch for around $50 on eBay.
The equivalent S Class has a slightly different lock, but if you examine it the actuator part is the same, and can be separated and put into an SL mechanism. The price of second hand S Class locks is a lot cheaper than SL ones.
A related item I found: If the latch works fine, but the red auto close button doesn't work (assuming you have this feature) and/or when you unlock the trunk it just sits there (instead of popping up), then your hydraulic pump is leaking.
The latch uses pneumatics (air from the PSE pump) to lock, unlock, and "soft close" (meaning to suck a door or trunk that is almost closed until it is fully closed).
However, there is a separate hydraulic (oil) pump used by the auto close feature, which engages when you press the red button in your trunk. The pump is located either under the battery (on a W215) or by the battery (in a W220 and I think also in the SL models), behind the passenger side trunk shielding. Remove the plastic shielding, locate pump, remove. The transparent plastic container is a reservoir, and it's probably empty. Remove and refill with oil (ATF or power steering should work). Now use the system and you'll find the leak. Either it's slow, meaning you just need to refill it, or it's gushing (probably from one of the fittings on the piston the hoses attach to. I used QuikSteel to "caulk" the fitting to stop the leak. Refill the reservoir again, and your auto-close should now be working.
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A very huge Thank You -- for this post --
, and the air pushed its way out. So make sure you use a strong plastic epoxy. Gorilla Glue makes a great gel (super glue) epoxy. I used it later...
