Nasser_Almoumen

Hello fellow members,

i have a 2017 R231, magic sky control stopped functioning, i took it to a independent mechanic he checked the module, fuse and the wiring, there was nothing wrong with them so he told me it should be the glass panel that’s damaged probably from parking it under direct sunlight and it needs to be replaced, waiting on a quote for the price of a replacement part.

- has anyone encountered similar issue where he had to replace the unit ? Is it a common issue ?
and is it possible to get damaged by the heat and prolonged exposure to sun ?

Thank you.

Keon

It might be more cost-effective to retrofit the sunshade from an SL without magic sky control than to replace the panel. I doubt sun exposure is what damaged it - magic sky control is somewhat known to be problematic. The LCD tends to fail, and it requires replacing the entire panel to fix.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Direct sun will NOT damage the roof. That's just ignorant!

When you say it stopped working, what do you mean? Power off and the glass is dark. It needs voltage to turn light. I think it needs something like 120V. There's a thread about it somewhere. But, definitely dark without power.


Power off (0V).

Power on (120V).

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Read this thread...

SL/R231 Magic Sky Roof R231 - MBWorld.org Forums

Nasser_Almoumen

Yes Jetta, it’s dark
i’m still not convinced that it got damaged by the sun, thats just weird

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

While you are waiting on a price, check this. They ain't cheap. You most certainly want a second opinion. Since the default condition is dark, if yours is light and won't turn off, pull the fuse.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Those prices are just for the glass roof #2. An entire roof (#1) would probably total your car.



Top & Components for 2017 Mercedes-Benz SL 550 | Mercedes-Benz USA Parts (mbusa.com)

Nasser_Almoumen

Thank you for your help and time to post,
i thought it would be the fuse, but i saw him pulled it and ran the test, took the top trim and checked the module for electrical activity, but none of these were having any issues thats why he said most likely its the glass panel itself.
But you are right, i need to get a second opinion

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

So, is the glass dark or clear?

EDIT: Sorry, I saw you answered.

So, it's dark, meaning no power. At least you won't bake as quickly in the sun. Since the roof needs 120V to turn clear, that's where I would start looking. Do you have a scan tool for Mercedes? Did you read through the other post that I linked?

Nasser_Almoumen

Dark, won’t turn to clear when pressing the button

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Just for reference, here's the control module.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

(We're out of sync a bit.)

I would get a scanner specific to Mercedes and scan for error codes. If you want remote diagnostic assistance along with XENTRY, look up @BenzNinja

A scanner will give you live data and indicate if the voltage changes when you press the button.

Honestly, $19,000+ for the part and who knows how much for labor, I'd live with it. I rarely, if ever, lighten mine.

Nasser_Almoumen

He used this scanner
and when pressing the button the voltage remains zero.
I’m thinking could it be a weak main battery ? Although he did reset it and nothing changed
But really im still thinking what might cause the glass panel to go out all of a sudden !!!

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

You can also actuate the roof with the scanner without touching the button.

Sudden failure? Who knows? But if the roof isn't getting ~120V, it will not get clear. Using XENTRY, there are tests that can be performed to identify the failure. If your guy isn't using XENTRY, then he hasn't done the tests. I will post some screen shots to show you what I mean.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

These are the diagnostic steps that XENTRY performs. I'll just do the first three to give you an idea.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

You can use this screen to view the actual values. This was done using the XENTRY simulator. When the Output voltage is ~0V, the roof is dark (off). When you push the button, the voltage should be ~120V.





To test if the buttons work, from Actuations you can use XENTRY to turn the roof on and off.

Nasser_Almoumen

I don’t remember these diagnostic tests appear on the guys screen, maybe his system was not updated or something, but definitely i’ll look for another shop and ask to do these tests and figure it out.
Thank you !

Nasser_Almoumen

i took it for a second opinion today
they guy said it's highly unlikely that the issue is from the glass panel itself unless it was damaged / broken (which in not in my case), and most of the issues with magic sky control he faced were either the wiring or the module itself.
So i'm probably gonna order a new module or off from ebay.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Glad you got a 2nd opinion. I'm sure the first guy wanted to sell you a $20,000 roof.

Looks like new controllers are about $550. You may want to make sure you can return it if it doesn't work.

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

Pretty sure this is a Mercedes dealership.

Nasser_Almoumen

I'll look them up and order one.
i forgot to mention that both times when they tested with XENTRY, the result was a message of : There is an open circuit.


and again i'm very grateful to you helping me figuring this out !

Nasser_Almoumen

I want to change the wiring also, just to prevent any future failure of the unit
Do you know the part number ?a

JettaRed

iTrader: (1)

There are a bunch of wiring harnesses. It's not clear which would control the roof. But I would expect it to be very expensive, if you can find it. I would wait until there is a problem since taking the car apart to find it is additional work anyway.

I also discovered new roofs to be unavailable from my local Mercedes dealerships. But I did find this: Folding Roof, Front MERCEDES-BENZ 23179016409040. Buy online at Cars245