SL R230 Hardtop Rattle

[Teridor]

I have been on all the forums having bought a 2005 SL350 R230 with a hardtop rattle .Love the car to bits but the rattle just rear of the headrests drove me mad. Went on all the forums they all talk about this rattle [and there are lots of them even in the USA] and a silicon oil you can buy a 3m Silicon dry oil that you spread on the seals ..But I kept thinking this is a cracking / knocking noise not a rubber grind or rubber unsticking noise ..Its got to be an adjustment or something has worn , I noticed if I pushed down on the roof joint where it meets the rear side pillars it made a rubbing noise telling me that area must be loose and inside thats where the knocking or cracking noise came from . On looking at the pivot bolts I can see cork type washers as though someone else has had a go at it .. Well I kept thinking and when looking at the hinge linkage I could see two sets of bump stops one set on adjustable bolt like you would have under the bonnet to adjust the two front sides of the bonnet . So I marked an upright mark on the rubber bump-stop and with a 10 mm spanner undid the bolt and screwed it out two turns tightened up and then drove it round the block and I thought MMmmm seems a bit quieter but not sure . Got back up with the hardtop to a central position keeping the engine running and adjusted it out two more turns. Went for another drive round our bumpy side roads and guess what all cracking noises gone my smile went from ear to ear as I seen on these forums owners spending fortunes with dealers and not getting it sorted out.Some dealers dont even want to get involved if they have not done one before . So folks give this a try it may be all your problem is . As it was mine... hope Ive solved a lot of SL owners annoying hardtop rattle .Im going to try and put some pics on here with circles around the areas Im talking about .Where you see the red cross thats the one I adjusted .The other I did not touch as it did not look like it was adjustable so just try with the one that takes a spanner marked with a red cross ....GOOD LUCK Terry

 

[television]

Good one on this problem

 

[drmw]

I have the same issue. I tried this today but sadly it didn't fix it, in fact it made the (non adjustable) stop in your last picture stop short of where it should be contacting, so I set them back where they started

I adjusted the eccentric catches for the "hook" lock to the max and this seemed to help. I then adjusted the bowden cables to the max which again helped a little - it does seem though that the other end of the bowden needs to be adjusted too as there is still excess play on the lock. That however seems to involve getting the "headlning" off & adjust at the front - somewhere I'm reluctant to go today with weather a bit hit & miss.

It's really quite infuriating - if I press down on the edge of the main part of the roof at the rear where in connects to the C pillar, there's still some movement (down) with the resultant creaking - if I look inside when doing this, I can see the hinge arrangement moving slightly as if it simply isn't locking tightly enough

 

[drmw]

I've resurrected this because I had another go this weekend to rid mine of the slightest rattle from the centre roof panel.

I lubed all areas per normal, tightened the bowden cables to the max, but still rattled on a bad road (worse with a passenger btw)

I tried the mod suggested and it actually made the rattle worse, but on the basis it was affecting the right area, I adjusted the other way, ie screwed the adjustables in by one and a half turns from the original positions - dramatically improved to the stage of perhaps even gone altogether.

I might try another one turn in if I can hear any noise on the bumpy road when next used.

The issue is easy to see - grab the bit of the roof right above the driver's door glass & it was possible to push it towards the passenger side enough to hear the creak/rattle - movement was microscopic, but I could feel the slightest "give"