SL/R231: partition open message when closed
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 256
Likes: 85
From: Newbury Park, CA
2016 SL400 & 2021 C300
partition open message when closed
I got my car back last week from the body shop and today the weather was beautiful so I decided to open the vario roof. It will not open and I get a message on the dash that the partition is not closed. While an open partition in the trunk will keep the top from opening, I checked mine a few times, open and closed it and it is clearly closed but I am still getting the message that it is open. Any ideas what the problem might be? I had the bumper removed to be repainted and the tail light replaced on the passenger side. I am not sure whether the shop had to remove any of the interior parts of the trunk. I suspect a wire to one of the sensors in the trunk that are activated by the closure of the partition. I am pretty sure there is one on each side in the units that receive the ends of the partition. Are there others as well related to the partition?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 256
Likes: 85
From: Newbury Park, CA
2016 SL400 & 2021 C300
I decided to do a little digging into this problem and found that there is no wire connected to the driver side rear receptor for the partition, but there is one for the passenger side. Assuming both are necessary to allow the roof to open, this would appear to be the problem. To find where the wire is that should be fed up to the sensor will require removing some interior panels in the trunk, I would assume. I am not comfortable doing this, as I am no mechanic and historically have had problems making everything go back together as it should. It looks like I will need to take it back to the body shop in the hopes they can find and reconnect the wire, and this will rectify the issue with the top.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 293
Likes: 153
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
2019 SL450; 2023 M850i coupe
I decided to do a little digging into this problem and found that there is no wire connected to the driver side rear receptor for the partition, but there is one for the passenger side. Assuming both are necessary to allow the roof to open, this would appear to be the problem. To find where the wire is that should be fed up to the sensor will require removing some interior panels in the trunk, I would assume. I am not comfortable doing this, as I am no mechanic and historically have had problems making everything go back together as it should. It looks like I will need to take it back to the body shop in the hopes they can find and reconnect the wire, and this will rectify the issue with the top.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,419
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From: Nor-Cal
2020 GLC300 -2014 Sl550 - 1997 SL600
I have to double check the WIS but believe only the right side (passenger) has a connection, the other side is just a latch.
could be a bad/broken electrical connector though, or try to move the switch manually a few times to see if it moves freely.
😕
Good Luck!
could be a bad/broken electrical connector though, or try to move the switch manually a few times to see if it moves freely.
😕
Good Luck!
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 293
Likes: 153
From: Nova Scotia, Canada
2019 SL450; 2023 M850i coupe
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 1,419
Likes: 738
From: Nor-Cal
2020 GLC300 -2014 Sl550 - 1997 SL600
Just to confirm since I’m working on my car, I pulled mine, super easy T27 bolt…
passenger side with the connector is at very bottom.
No connector on drivers side.
Here’s the passenger side with the connector:
Last edited by crconsulting; Apr 28, 2024 at 06:02 PM.
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From: Maryland
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
This happens fairly regularly with my car. I will get a message to close the Vario roof completely and when I do, I get the partition open message. In that case, I usually have to manually open the trunk with the emergency key and voila! the partition isn't latched. I latch it and proceed to close the closed Vario roof.
The interesting thing is that I get no error codes for the contact sensor, so I'll just live with it. I don't want to spend a few hundred bucks for diagnosing and replacing the marginal part.
The interesting thing is that I get no error codes for the contact sensor, so I'll just live with it. I don't want to spend a few hundred bucks for diagnosing and replacing the marginal part.
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 256
Likes: 85
From: Newbury Park, CA
2016 SL400 & 2021 C300
Yes, I also checked again. I found a broken wire (green) at the connector and tried unsuccessfully to repair but with 77 year old eyes and arthritic hands was unable to do the job. I am taking it back to the shop today and hopefully they will be able to fix and that will be the end of the problem.
