SL/R230: Close Trunk Separator?
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Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 57
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2003 SL500
Close Trunk Separator?
My SL500 has been in and out of the shop repeatedly over the last 6 months for suspensions and top issues. Now I continually get the error "Close Trunk Separator" when I try to open the top. Every great now and then it will surprise me and work, but I need to find a way to fix this without putting it back in the shop again for another $2000. The trunk separator is closed, but 1 of the arms is broken which may or may not be a part of the problem. (There are 6 plastic arms that control the separator, 3 on each side, 1 of which broke but the separator still goes back and forth and locks in place). Any input? ANY???
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From: Essex, UK
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, 2010 W212 E350, 1990 W201 190E, 2019 Volvo V90 R design, Golf GTi
Doesnt the actual trunk seperator switch sit at the back of the seperator behind one of the latches? (left hand side I think!)
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 57
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
Please give me more details, I'm not sure I understand. You're saying the button that tells the computer that the separator is closed is behind a latch on the left side? Maybe something I could cut and splice and tie together to override the computer?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 57
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2003 SL500
There is only 1 electrical relay that could possibly be related to the top. Standing outside the trunk looking in it's the plastic holder on the right, if you take it apart there's a small circuit board and a relay with 2 wires. I have not, however, fixed the issue of the top coming down so I think the assembly might have gone, taking it to a mechanic next week.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 57
Likes: 1
2003 SL500
After SEVERAL trips to the mechanic, and a few THOUSAND dollars of GUESSING at the problem, I finally took my car to a new mechanic and am completely baffled at how the previous people are still in business.
Turns out in my car, perhaps in all our R230's, there is no computer code for "Convertible top pump is not responding/dead" so instead the display picks a random code for the trunk or top. This guy replaced the pump and for a week I have not had any problems whatsoever.
Turns out in my car, perhaps in all our R230's, there is no computer code for "Convertible top pump is not responding/dead" so instead the display picks a random code for the trunk or top. This guy replaced the pump and for a week I have not had any problems whatsoever.
