1995 SL 280 Hood Fault

[tipster69]

Hi, this is my first post so would just like to say a big HELLO to all the members.

I had a 300SL (1993) for a few years but had to sell her due to hard times a few years back.

I today had an opportunity to buy another SL that may need a bit of TLC. She is a 1995 SL 280.

It may be best if I "paint the picture" first as it may help diagnose the faults.

1) The guy I bought her off could'nt get the hood (hardtop) to release.

2) The guy manually released it and it would then work intermittently - including the soft top.

3) The guy had to SORN the vehicle.

4) I went to take a look at her today, and when the battery was re-connected after a few weeks of being off. The hardtop released first time, and then closed fine.

5) I bought her - I got her home and the Hard Top would not release.

6) The guy manually released the hard-top, but the soft top will not come up.

7) When I pull the red-light lever backwards and hold it, the back leather panel moves down slightly then back up when released. When pushed forwards it blinks and nothing happens. The rollbar operates from the rollbar switch.

8) I don't know if this information is relevant but the ABS and ETS are lit up on the dashboard. I have no user manual so cannot check any procedures.

9) I have the battery on charge now overnight incase it is down to this. I also have access to a booster pack.

10) Do I need to check the hydraulic fluid level? If so any help in locating this would be very welcomed.

11) I have tried re-programming the windows as per some earlier posts. The passenger side seems to work normally (small press only goes down till i take my finger off, hard press and the window goes all the way down automatically). When I does this on the Driver side window the window seems to work ok on a small press, but with a hard press it goes down in small increments.

THANKS for reading, all info GREATFULLY RECEIVED.

 

[stats007]

Could be quite a few things - for starters:

Driver's window position unknown.
Low voltage.
Low hydraulic pressure.
Speed signal missing.
Rollbar position unknown.

If the window won't reprogram then it's probably a faulty limit switch or hall-effect sensor in the door depending on MY. The roof won't do anything until this is fixed.

You may have also have persistant fault codes that need clearing.

 

[tipster69]

Hi,

MANY THANKS for the reply - seems plenty to go through there. Would you recommend checking the items listed above in any particular order? (common sense tells me to sort that window out - would opening the doors bypass the "system check" on the window position?)

CHEERS

 

[tipster69]

Hello,

I have been having a look at it today. I can't get the OS Window to work correctly but I have however made a bit of progress.

WHat is the box for in the boot that has small yellow "compressed air" type tubes coming from it? This seems to have a pump going intermittently.

With the soft top down I can get it to come up everytime (even with the windows closed as it puts them down automatically, even though I cannot do this on the OS with the window switch).

Once the hood is locked in is when I have problems. I can get the hood to attempt to retract but this only gets as far as the rear cover in the air, with the hood 1/2 way up and then it stops. It will not un-lock the front of the hood. When I try to get it to go back from here I cannot, it wont move either way. However if I move the rear cover down ever so slightly so that it comes off the microswitch, I can then get it to go back up.

ANY IDEAS?

EDIT: I have also just noticed that the light on the hood up / down switch stays on when left alone. Is this correct? Also is mine a R129, she was registered mid 1995, I only ask this is I cannot find the diagnostic connection mentioned in another thread.


CHEERS

 

[Dec]

If you click on R129 here … http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Mercedes-Benz_vehicles …you will find it very informative.

Dec

 

[stats007]

The 'box' in the boot is the hydraulic pump for the roof.

If the light stays on in the roof switch then there is a fault in the system. Given the complexity of it you are better off getting the fault codes read and cleared.

 

[tipster69]

Hi,

Thanks for all the input - I am thinking that it needs diagnosing also.

With regards to the "box" in the boot - isnt the pump one under the spare wheel cover? If so what is the one with the yellow tubes on the OS in the boot?

The only annoying thing is "Logically thinking" it is now stopping at the same point everytime when the "bow" is supposed to pop out of the top front. Other than this it appears to be working.

CHEERS FOR THE ADVICE.

 

[stats007]

That is the central locking vacuum system.

 

[Kevin Gardiner]

Control unit for the roof is located under panelling behind drivers seat, disconnect it, leave it for 10 mins and reconnect. Hope this helps.

 

[stats007]

Serves no purpose other than to clear temporary fault codes and will then require the windows to be resynchronised. You can do this by pulling fuse 4 in the boot without touching the roof ECU..