E 350 CDI Cabriolet soft top compartment hinge broken

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E 350 CDI Sports Cabriolet Blue Efficiency (207)
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Hello - 1st time poster - but I joined as Google came up with this post as the answer to my question ...

I had the same issue - right hand plastic retaining clip had snapped and I was occasionally hearing a loud clunk as the hood cover closed, as the remains part of the clip was getting caught in the cover hinge.

I removed the remains of the clip and the noise has gone.

In my case I had recently bought the car - a 2012 E500 Cabriolet, but as the previous owner had always parked on the street, under trees there was huge amount of dirt and crap around the boot and hood cover hinges.

The cover hinges and boot hinges were dry and lacking in grease. I reckon this could have caused the plastic retainer to break as it is meant to slide freely in the hinge mechanism. The car has a full MB history but the last service was about 9 months ago.

I re-greased everything and the added bonus is now that the boot opens automatically when I click the key fob - I didn't realise it was meant to do that.

I reckon if you car lives outside a blob of grease every couple of months is the way to go.
Hi Al - mine still makes a clunky sound although the piece of plastic has been removed and the moving parts are greased. However you could be right, so I will take another closer look and regrease the moving parts.
 

JOFSWE

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E350 Convertible 2012
I have noted the same noice occasionally, today it was louder though like something snapped. I found the plastic lever on the right hinge broken which took me to this eminent forum with pictures and all.
Without having gone through the mechanism I believe that the noice is from something in need of lubrication and that it eventually will stress the lever until it breaks. Strange though that it always breaks on the right hand side (maybe working in sequence with left side hinge? I will have it removed tomorrow anyway.

Thanks for making my day:)
 

Westheath

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Empty garage, awaiting new toy :)
I always service the hinges with spray grease regardless.
 

Harry j

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That plastic hinge is for servicing the roof compartment and locks the lower panel in the boot.
They always break usually the right one and are easily removed by carefully breaking it out of the main hinge with a screw driver
and small hammer or a pair of long nose pliers.

It serves no operational purpose but can foul the roof causing a loud knock or thump as it get caught by the main roof hinge.
Hi, mine has broken, the top piece and bottom piece is riveted in, is that the part you have to get out? Regards H
 

Westheath

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Hi, mine has broken, the top piece and bottom piece is riveted in, is that the part you have to get out? Regards H

This piece snaps, its the roof service locking clips they break alot and dont affect the operation of the roof
but might cause a clonk, click or clunk sound when operating the roof.

Simply break it out (its plastic) or replace the complete hinge.

Some have a circlips on the ends of the retaining pins,
these can be slid out and the pastic parts removed and the pins put back in,
support the hinge correctly to prevent damage to the vehicle and yourself.

433800d1332449555-04-clk500-convertible-roof-malfunction-help-hinge1.jpg
 
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Nick Hillier

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E200 SE CGI BLUEFFIENCY 2011 1796cc
Westheath commented in this thread:

It serves no operational purpose but can foul the roof causing a loud knock or thump as it get caught by the main roof hinge.

My 2011 W207 cabriolet roof hinge broke on the left side and my indie has ordered a replacement hinge (135 + VAT) but if it serves no purpose, is it really necessary to replace the hinge..? He suggested that although it would not matter in the short term, there might be problems with the roof long term.

I would be interested to know if the contributors to this thread who removed the plastic arm within the hinge had suffered any problems...

Nick
 

Westheath

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Where they serve no operational purpose for the roof, they are used for the service position.

Removing broken hinges should be done to allow the roof to operate without fouling,
but of course only until replacement is effected.
 

Nick Hillier

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Thanks, I should perhaps have made it clear that as in the other cases, it's only the plastic arm which had snapped on the middle and as far as I can see, the mechanism works fine . Ought the whole thing to be replaced ?
 

Nick Hillier

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Thanks Westheath, I think I'll replace the hinge but will ask MB why they use chunky metal hinges with a brittle plastic arm: would not nylon be better? Oh well...
 

Jimmyo

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I have viewed 2 cars today and both had broken hinges in same place and stabbed by head , drew blood with those flaps, ouch
1st one was shocking noise 2nd not so bad, why not metal in production?
 
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Jimmyo

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What buy a 2nd hand one ?

I have seen new ones on ebay at £156
 

Jimmyo

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Hello - 1st time poster - but I joined as Google came up with this post as the answer to my question ...

I had the same issue - right hand plastic retaining clip had snapped and I was occasionally hearing a loud clunk as the hood cover closed, as the remains part of the clip was getting caught in the cover hinge.

I removed the remains of the clip and the noise has gone.

In my case I had recently bought the car - a 2012 E500 Cabriolet, but as the previous owner had always parked on the street, under trees there was huge amount of dirt and crap around the boot and hood cover hinges.

The cover hinges and boot hinges were dry and lacking in grease. I reckon this could have caused the plastic retainer to break as it is meant to slide freely in the hinge mechanism. The car has a full MB history but the last service was about 9 months ago.

I re-greased everything and the added bonus is now that the boot opens automatically when I click the key fob - I didn't realise it was meant to do that.

I reckon if you car lives outside a blob of grease every couple of months is the way to go.
What type of grease ?
 

Gary Toth

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r107
Thank you Westheath for this helpful advice. You are spot on - it was the right hand (offside) hinge. I will do exactly as you have suggested.

All I need now is to know if it is possible to obtain a V13 map update to replace my existing V9!

Everything will then be spot on although I do find the command nav system fitted to have some very odd ideas on how to navigate.

Once again many thanks for your help.
The boys at Command In Surry on this site can add Something that makes your iPhone or android link to the sat nav and you use google maps via your phone its £300 ish I think? you can stream music and all sorts I was offered it when I had a retro camera fitted.
Gary
 

ajlsl600

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clk3202001,sl6002003 with everything regrettably sold ,A class 170cdi auto. NG/TF1800 ML250
The reason that they dont let you see and speak to the technicians is because they probably charge you £100 or so an hour for their services. Last thing a mechanic wants is to get held up with a customer for an hour asking questions and not getting paid.
A technician / mechanic, what ever he likes to be called in a main dealership, has to book out X amount of hours work per day. That is why if a job is booked in and the flat rate time for doing the job is 10 hours and the mechanic does the job in 6 hours, you will still get charged the 10 hours and the mechanic will also book 10 hours.
It is the mechanics incentive to book as many hours a week as he can and also the more cars of the same type he works on, he will get quicker and know all the shortcuts in doing his job.
Only the mechanic and the dealer will benefit from this and not the customer.
If you find a decent independent garage they normally will only charge you for the time spent on your vehicle, but you have to look at it another way, if they dont know what they are looking for then it may take them 3 times as long to find the fault.
Saying that if i ever get a problem with my cars or motorbikes I never take it to a main dealer, I fix it myself.
Thats the best thing about being a mechanic / technician:D

Same as that.. If I can't fix it, I try not to buy it.. Getting Harder to do that and takes me longer. Modern shite and business models. Wot to do.
 
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PAW500

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Hi Guys, I appreciate I am late to this thread, I have noticed a loud creaking noise on the hinges on my cab when the back panel raises and drops in the process. No broken clips yet. I cant see anything causing this as the mechanism is free from any deviation. However looking at the hinges, they seem to be pretty much made of plastic parts. I think over the last 3 months of hot weather and the car being parked in the sun. There could be some heat expansion causing rubbing and I am sure eventually breakage as the plastic get brittle over time. I will wait for some temperature drop and moisture in the air and see if the noise reduces. The car is 10 years old albeit with 35k on the clock so Its not had a hard life.
 

Blobcat

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Hello and welcome

Silicone spray is your friend, apply it liberally
 

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