SLK230 Roof Malfunction

[Stewart Renwick]

My SLK230 (1999 T Reg) Roof sometimes sticks when trying to open or close.
It is always at the same point - the boot lid always opens OK, but the roof will not retract when trying to open / or lift out of the boot when trying to close. If I leave the car for a while then have another try it sometimes works OK. I'm pretty sure it is a microswitch problem, but have returned it to the MB dealer where it invariably works OK. They ran a diagnostic check which proved OK (Because it is an intermittent fault it is hard to detect with diagnostics).

Any advice or help to rectify the problem would be very welcome.

 

[pascal]

Hi Stewart, Welcome to the forum.

Possible voltage drop in battery?

Even with the engine running in an SL, a less than perfect battery can cause such malfunctions.

Before fiddling with the microswitches, I would do a window reset, just to be sure.

Pascal

 

[crt]

Pascal

How do you reset the windows? Where are the microswitches (so that I can try fiddling with them).

I've posted before on the forum about my SLK ('99, T as well) roof problems. It's now been looked at four times by independents and still I have the same problem (as described above - boot lid opens but roof doesn't or stops half way, or won't go back once it is down....).

I've also tried covering all the mechanical parts with WD40 as another poster suggested.

Do you know what the little black electrical component does with plugs in just in front of the roof motor pump?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

 

[Matty H]

Pascal

How do you reset the windows? Where are the microswitches (so that I can try fiddling with them).

I've posted before on the forum about my SLK ('99, T as well) roof problems. It's now been looked at four times by independents and still I have the same problem (as described above - boot lid opens but roof doesn't or stops half way, or won't go back once it is down....).

I've also tried covering all the mechanical parts with WD40 as another poster suggested.

Do you know what the little black electrical component does with plugs in just in front of the roof motor pump?

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

The little black electrical component I believe is a solenoid switch?

 

[blassberg]

Pascal

How do you reset the windows?

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=60588

When fully open, hold the button down for a further few seconds
When fully closed, hold the button up for a few seconds.

This is the proceedure for re-setting the windows after a power cut etc., and varies slightly between different MBs. Holding the button down time varies. You are teaching your window computer where the top (closed) position is, and bottom (open) position is.

 

[colechelle]

hate to say but the windows on a slk are manaul yes electic but you have to hold the button down (not one touch) the back windows are auto they nomalise with the roof every time you open and close, there is a thermal cut on the hyrido motor on temp, ie overheat on the pump and the mtr cuts, leave for 30 min system cools and returns. could have faulty valve in one of rear main lift rams making pump work to hard, as for the little black thing in front of the pump is a 4 pin relay, this is the main relay for the pump as for voltage drop would be very unlikely pump draws 20-30 amp max so you wouldnt be able to start car if battery that low, by what your saying i suspect fault ram or pump....hope some help

 

[crt]

That's helpful, thanks.

Any idea how much it will cost to fix the ram/pump? And who in the south east would do it (other than main dealers who don't seem to know anything about it anyway)?

Thanks again.

 

[colechelle]

where abouts in south east are you,as for cost well its a merc dare i say anymore, wouldnt advise anyone part from MB to do job as the measurments have to be 100% or you can very very badly end up with a world of broken cables feed lines etc let me know where you are down here and will advise you where to take it

 

[crt]

Thanks. I'm having it seen by MB Canary Wharf today. A US forum post suggests the problem is in fact faulty microswitches which need to be replaced (and is a known problem) so that's what I've asked them to do. Not cheap though: £350 estimate.

 

[DaveC]

Same Problem?

Did you get to the bottom of this problem - I tried to open my roof this morning (SLK230K 1998 T) and the boot hinged back but the roof didn't start to move. Sounds like could be the same problem!

(Checked the hydraulic fluid levels in the boot and looks fine! Removed and reseated the 'relay' in front of the hydraulic fluid bottle)

Thanks,

Dave

 

[crt]

Car with MB at the moment. Ought to be back and fixed at the end of the week. One of the switches I mentioned earlier needed to be sent from Germany. They say they are sure it is the switches (but until I pointed out the possibility neither they nor anyone else seemed to know about it).

The link to the US site where I found details of the fix is below:

http://66.249.93.104/search?q=cache:jLjZTWUC19oJ:www.benzworld.org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp%3Ftid%3D1206438+%2799+roof+issues&hl=en

 

[pascal]

I actually thought there was more than just 3 microswitches as they say there.

The purpose of the switches are to tell the computer what state the roof is in.

IE: The two switches on the front tell the computer when the roof is released, so it won't attempt to move when still locked in place.
There is another one on the boot.
The SL has two on the release catches of the back section and another on the stowaway lid. Pretty sure these switches also tell it when the hardtop is placed on top ready for fitting

PS: Thanks Colechelle for the info re windows. The SL automatically opens the windows before releasing front catches.

 

[crt]

You may be right. I'll let everyone know if the fix works when the car comes back from Canary Wharf.

 

[colechelle]

big problems with these roofs are all the moving parts, yes agree with you, all the above are poss and have seen all the above myself and more but the problem you all have is without a star machine connected you cannot tell if swiches are operating or not, seen lot of other problems cause buy owners playing and trying to DIY fault find, as for boot opening and then shutting system down question 1 can you hear see front catches releasing, 2 is the car powering rear windows down ????

 

[miketiley]

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=60588

Thank you for this information i had exact same problem i reset the windows as you explained above .....all working fine now thanks for saving me a a fortune

 

[miketiley]

Thank you for this information i had exact same problem i reset the windows as you explained above .....all working fine now thanks for saving me a a fortune

 

[SteveX]

Did you try the microswitch in the boot?

My old CLK had a problem with the luggage hatch not quite seating right and clicking the switch, so I permanently made the switch active (it's not like I use the luggage hatch much only when on holiday or the boot is full and I know when that is).

W209 is the same. I replaced both gas struts and the ****** thing when reaching maximum travel still doesn't quite click the switch, so that one is permanently fixed back too. I think they are more trouble than they are worth, I get the point of them, but to be honest I always know if I am loading something large in my boot not to put the roof down.