CLK200 , convertible roof closure problem….micro switches fault ?

[Wighty]

Yesterday after a nice roof down drive the roof failed to full return to closed . After a lot of hassle I managed to close the roof manually so at least things are weather proof .
I’ve had a quick look at YouTube and the likely fault areas . If I get time I’ll scan the car with icarsoft later or tomorrow.
So the symptoms are :-
The roof opens correctly.
The roof 90% closes without issue to this point (not my car pictured) and all you can hear is the motor trying to work .

There are a number of micro switches in the boot area and they all make a click sound when you press them .
Does this click mean the micro switch is working ??
The likely switch (or broken wire fault for this scenario) is the micro switch that is under the lining of the bow deck that is pictured not fully seated . The switch is responsible for recognising that the rear roof window is engaged with the deck for the final movement .
Anyone any experience of this issue or advice would be appreciated .

 

[LostKiwi]

A click doesn't mean it's working (though no click often means it's not). The only way to check a microswitch is to use a multimeter. First step if a switch is suspect is get a can of contact cleaner and squirt it in. Allow 5-10 minutes, operate the switch a few times and try again.

Really need to read codes though. That will hopefully tell you where the issue is (doesn't always) and look at live data.

 

[Wighty]

A click doesn't mean it's working (though no click often means it's not). The only way to check a microswitch is to use a multimeter. First step if a switch is suspect is get a can of contact cleaner and squirt it in. Allow 5-10 minutes, operate the switch a few times and try again.

Really need to read codes though. That will hopefully tell you where the issue is (doesn't always) and look at live data.

Cheers buddy , first dry weather I’ll give it a go .

 

[EmilysDad]

..... First step if a switch is suspect is get a can of contact cleaner and squirt it in. Allow 5-10 minutes, operate the switch a few times and try again.
.....

I frequently have to do this on the horn pushes of my Roadster when it comes out of hibernation ....

 

[Wighty]

So I’ve just managed to finally fix the car roof today . I ordered a Bow deck roof sensor in the end from MB , £66 . I had done a fair amount of research in the end and this seemed the likely suspect sensor .

Icarsoft confirmed it as well .
I fitted the sensor and then thought I would check the wiring because a very good YouTube vid had said that if it’s not the sensor then check the wiring because it can break because of all the bending as the roof moves.
I thought I would just check where the Bow deck sensor wiring went to in the boot in case I then needed to check for continuity in the wiring from the sensor .


You can see the purple wire had totally snapped where it leaves the long rubber tube . It should sits by the brown wire .
This break is why the Bow deck didn’t seat and also why the icarsoft showed that sensor as faulty .
I managed to find some thin wire and cut out the damaged area on the purple and brown wires , then soldered a new section of wire in .
Finally the roof works again .

 

[Uncle Benz]

Nice work there sport!

 

[Wighty]

Nice work there sport!

Cheers UB , it’s a good thing I wasn’t charging by the hour

 

[Wighty]

I did clean up all the moving parts that I could find and then lubed everything.

Before doing that the rear deck pull out using the supplied straps for when the roof isn’t functioning was a really hard job , 2 of us could barely do it and that was with a long pole through the straps . Eventually for the second or third time of doing it , I used a 6ft piece of timber placed vertically behind the car and extended the supplied handles with rope to use the wood as a lever with my weight on it .

The last time I pulled the bow deck out manually it moved much easier , so my advice would be make sure you keep the two big hinges that are visible when you open the boot very well lubed from both sides .
The other part that needs a good lube is the metal catch that is in the bow deck that the rear glass catches engage into (the catch is under the shiny metal covers that are on the bow deck .

I did also spray all micro switches with electrical cleaner at the same time .

After 15 years the roof has never moved more smoothly.

 

[Uncle Benz]

I remove the plastic covers and lube those hinges every service. It makes it quieter when it closes, and you can also check for the common broken finger in the middle. Same setup on the later E class convertible too

 

[Oldspanners]

I did clean up all the moving parts that I could find and then lubed everything.

Before doing that the rear deck pull out using the supplied straps for when the roof isn’t functioning was a really hard job , 2 of us could barely do it and that was with a long pole through the straps . Eventually for the second or third time of doing it , I used a 6ft piece of timber placed vertically behind the car and extended the supplied handles with rope to use the wood as a lever with my weight on it .

The last time I pulled the bow deck out manually it moved much easier , so my advice would be make sure you keep the two big hinges that are visible when you open the boot very well lubed from both sides .
The other part that needs a good lube is the metal catch that is in the bow deck that the rear glass catches engage into (the catch is under the shiny metal covers that are on the bow deck .

I did also spray all micro switches with electrical cleaner at the same time .

After 15 years the roof has never moved more smoothly.

"I did clean up all the moving parts that I could find and then lubed everything."
I'll have to do that to after a week working in the garden (jungle)