lesaroka

Hello, I just purchased 2005 Mercedes SL 500. The top won’t go down. I can hear the hydraulic pump working and the screen goes up and down but the top itself does not move. I checked the hydraulic fluid level and it is about halfway which I think is where it should be any ideas, thank you

MJ50

moved to R230 forum...

Tom Manning

The screen? Please clarify.

Are the windows fully up? Reset first by holding both switches up for 4 seconds until all four windows close fully.

Does the roll bar work?

MikeJ65

I think he is talking about the roll bar (with wind screen attached).

The first thing you should do is to get a good Mercedes specific scanner. You may or may not have codes, but it is even more valuable for reading the actual states of all of the roof prox. switches (about 13, I think). While you are waiting on that, there are a couple of things that you can check. First, make sure that you are not getting the close trunk divider message on the dash. The second thing to check is the flaps that are mounted at the front of the trunk lid. They should be tight against the trunk lid. If one is hanging, that is probably your issue.

yovenim

We purchased this 2005 SL500 used in the past 6 months. The previous owner had the top worked on prior. The invoice states the PSE Pump was replaced and a wiring issue was fixed to the tune of $3200. Now, the top will not go down. Looking at the Vario Roof Diagnostics Aid PDF, it appears that it may complete stage 1 of the opening sequence. The trunk opens and you can hear the pump continue to run, but the flaps do not come out. Reversing the process nets a fully closed top though. I would like to try to diagnose this here without having to take it to the dealership to hear that's not the part that's under warranty. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

I think @MikeJ65 told you what you should do. And the PSE pump does not operate the roof, if I remember correctly. PSE is air pressure for door locks, etc. The roof operates on hydraulics. If any of the sensors detect a problem, the roof won't operate. So, get a good scanner and scan for codes. Here's a list of scanners under $200 on Amazon:

• Launch X431 (Creader Elite MB)
• iCarsoft MB V3.0
• FOXWELL NT510 Elite Diagnostic Scanner fit for Mercedes
• BlueDriver Bluetooth Pro OBDII Scan Tool

MikeJ65

The roof not going past that position can be one of several things. S69/2 and S69/3 must be showing unlocked and S119 must show trunk lid open. S69/2 & 3 depend on a wire that runs along the left roof hinge so problems are usually in this wire. Given the earlier wire repair, this has to be suspect. S119 is at the rear of the trunk near the left taillight. It is actuated by a long plastic rod that likes to break. Both of these issues are best diagnosed by checking actual values on a scan tool. Another possibility is that it has recognized both switches, but the flaps fail to deploy. The flap motor is subject to some moisture and can freeze up if it is not used for a period of time.

Also, the PSE pump is necessary for roof operation as it reads the trunk divider switch. Not the issue here as you wouldn't get to this point in the cycle.

A1EK

Heres what you can do with iCarsoft diagnostic for the Vario Roof.