R231 2019 SL500 drivers door window sharp corner causing significant injury - any ideas?

[IcyMike]

Hello,

I've just joined the site and this is my first post. I've owned a number of Mercs over 30 years from C, E, SLK, S etc and have just bought my dream car, a 2019 SL 500. In 2 weeks I've managed to rack up 2500 miles driving on the continent! A beautiful and exception machine.

Except when it bites me...

When parked on a slope, not front/back, but side to side, and space is limited, the glass window of the drivers door has managed to catch me severely and caused now 7 large purple bruises about 3 inches long, photo attached. The door is heavy, and the point of the glass catches me in my stomach with some force, when there is limited space to enter when someone else parked close.

It put me down on the ground the last time and I've become very wary of this.

Have other members experienced this, and how best to avoid this please??

Many thanks,

Mike

 

[SL63 Mark]

I have an R231 SL63 and the window has never caught me. What are you doing ? Maybe take a little more time when entering/exiting ?

 

[sausage]

One year in a SL, which I garage after every use. I have parked in some tight spots and not had a similar experience. Nor do I see how this is unavoidable.

So I tend to I agree with SL55 Mark above, take more time. Perhaps park it the other way in the left/right slopes so that you are getting out on the high side, or the low side - whichever is the opposite of what you were doing.

 

[Blobcat]

Possibly drop the window from the key if you’re in such a tight spot

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Through exiting the car in a space not large enough to do so safely . Self inflicted harm .

 

[rorywquin]

Welcome to the forum.

5 years of ownership. No issues but I can imagine how this would happen. The long doors on these cars does make it tricky to get in and out if the door cannot be opened wide enough.

I assume this is a roof closed, window up situation. Is the drider’s door on the high side or low side?

As others have suggested wind the window down
or park somewhere else,
or park the otherway round
or learn from your mistakes ... 7x now.....


Install a SmartTop. You can open the roof and have the windows go down while you are approaching the car and I find it a lot easier to enter/exit with the roof open. However being parked on a sideslope might not be ideal for the roof mechanism.

 

[IcyMike]

Thanks everyone. Yes, I thought I'd learnt too but sometimes in a rush - I'll be doubly cautious and window down when necessary. All obvious and thanks for not saying so!
Thanks for suggestion of SmartTop also, that seems a great idea in any event.

 

[LostKiwi]

Point the key at the door handle when locking or unlocking and hold down the relevant key. The window will open or close as long as the key pressed. If getting out just lower the window fully, get out then as above point the key at the door and hold down the lock button.

If in a tight spot it also makes getting in/out easier.

 

[00slk]

I had similar experience of injury when getting in and out of my 1959 Chevy Belair when i owned it, except with the knee hitting very heavily against the stupidly designed windscreen/front door apertures.
After doing this twice I'd learnt my lesson