Sound system and boot opening on an SL400 R231.

[Nemo20]

I picked up my SL400 (2016) this week. Despite having an SL500 previously, there's plenty of things that have changed or are different. I'm trying to find my way round what it can and can't do from a controls perspective!

Sound system. It has a Harmon Kardon Logic 7 system installed which I'd held out for, having had a Mercedes basic audio system before which sounded dreadful, probably the worst sound system I'd had in any car! Despite managing to find the surround sound/balance/equaliser set up in the menu, I cannot get any sound out of the rear and side speakers. The sound is all coming from the front and gave me a headache driving it back home. Could there be a fault with the wiring etc or is there a set up within the menu that I haven't found? Surround sound does not channel any sound out those speakers, whether it's on or off.

Boot opening. I still can't believe it, but despite the hefty price tag on this car when new, am I right in thinking that boot opening 'assistance' is an extra that I appear not to have? So the only way to open and shut the boot is standing next to it and doing it manually? No boot opener on the key fob, no button inside the car and certainly not the wave your foot underneath it as shown in the manual. Have I gone backwards some decades to a time when the only way to open a boot was by hand? The boot lid is very heavy too, so I'm thinking I might need new gas struts, which I also had to replace in my old SL as they clearly get worn out lifting that heavy boot lid.

Other than this I'm sure I will enjoy it, but definitely need some help to get it optimised for sound, comfort etc!

 

[Blobcat]

A manual boot opening is far better for long term ownership… loads of problems with motors and hinges seizing

 

[Nemo20]

Yes the more to go wrong I understand, but it's very basic to have not even something on the fob to release it.

I've found that turning off the surround sound is marginally better and have now got some sound out the back speakers, so they are working, but it's not enough. I found a digital manual online mentioning balance and fader, but my car does not have the fader. Balance can change the sound from side to side, but without the fader it appears I can't change the sound from front to rear.

 

[sl500amgsport]

I picked up my SL400 (2016) this week. Despite having an SL500 previously, there's plenty of things that have changed or are different. I'm trying to find my way round what it can and can't do from a controls perspective!

Sound system. It has a Harmon Kardon Logic 7 system installed which I'd held out for, having had a Mercedes basic audio system before which sounded dreadful, probably the worst sound system I'd had in any car! Despite managing to find the surround sound/balance/equaliser set up in the menu, I cannot get any sound out of the rear and side speakers. The sound is all coming from the front and gave me a headache driving it back home. Could there be a fault with the wiring etc or is there a set up within the menu that I haven't found? Surround sound does not channel any sound out those speakers, whether it's on or off.

Boot opening. I still can't believe it, but despite the hefty price tag on this car when new, am I right in thinking that boot opening 'assistance' is an extra that I appear not to have? So the only way to open and shut the boot is standing next to it and doing it manually? No boot opener on the key fob, no button inside the car and certainly not the wave your foot underneath it as shown in the manual. Have I gone backwards some decades to a time when the only way to open a boot was by hand? The boot lid is very heavy too, so I'm thinking I might need new gas struts, which I also had to replace in my old SL as they clearly get worn out lifting that heavy boot lid.

Other than this I'm sure I will enjoy it, but definitely need some help to get it optimised for sound, comfort etc!

If you turn the prologic off you should hear sound from the door speakers, the sub woofer is built into the footwell. I left prologic on and could hear the rear speaker on certain surround recorded tracks (not many out there you may need to seek one out to test...).

The sound system takes a little getting used to but the more you turn up the more you get back!

If I remember correctly there was a boot release button on the key fob but it only unlatches the boot. The boot lid is heavy which is why the SL is designed for men not ladies or boys ;-). The foot wave was an optional extra event on the £109k SL500!

Not sure if there is a difference between the sound system on the 400 to the 500 as I know the 400 was designed to play engine sounds through the stereo fuel to the lack of the V8...

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[Nemo20]

If you turn the prologic off you should hear sound from the door speakers, the sub woofer is built into the footwell. I left prologic on and could hear the rear speaker on certain surround recorded tracks (not many out there you may need to seek one out to test...).

The sound system takes a little getting used to but the more you turn up the more you get back!

If I remember correctly there was a boot release button on the key fob but it only unlatches the boot. The boot lid is heavy which is why the SL is designed for men not ladies or boys ;-). The foot wave was an optional extra event on the £109k SL500!

Not sure if there is a difference between the sound system on the 400 to the 500 as I know the 400 was designed to play engine sounds through the stereo fuel to the lack of the V8...

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Prologic? What is that, as I haven't stumbled across anything with that name?

Maybe the exhaust noise I can hear is indeed being played back through the speakers to make me feel as if I'm in my old V8.........

Re the key fob - the picture in my manual of the key fob does indeed show a boot release button, and describes it, but my key fob doesn't have that button. Hence it appears to be an optional extra in this case!

 

[sl500amgsport]

Prologic? What is that, as I haven't stumbled across anything with that name?

Maybe the exhaust noise I can hear is indeed being played back through the speakers to make me feel as if I'm in my old V8.........

Re the key fob - the picture in my manual of the key fob does indeed show a boot release button, and describes it, but my key fob doesn't have that button. Hence it appears to be an optional extra in this case!

Sorry logic 7, prologic is official Dolby Surround logic 7 is their copy....

Sounds like you have some sort of copy key the original definitely has a boot release, take it up with the dealership!

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[Nemo20]

Sorry logic 7, prologic is official Dolby Surround logic 7 is their copy....

Sounds like you have some sort of copy key the original definitely has a boot release, take it up with the dealership!

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I have two identical keys, so I’d be surprised if they weren’t the originals, but it does seem strange. The dealer I bought from is beyond useless, but I might well now visit a main dealer to investigate. I have asked for the original vehicle spec, but after promising it numerous times, the dealer still hasn’t sent it over.

 

[sl500amgsport]

I have two identical keys, so I’d be surprised if they weren’t the originals, but it does seem strange. The dealer I bought from is beyond useless, but I might well now visit a main dealer to investigate. I have asked for the original vehicle spec, but after promising it numerous times, the dealer still hasn’t sent it over.

If you post your vin number we may be able to fi d the spec for you on here...

I can only compare against my old R231 SL500 (2014) so there may have been a key change..

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[Nemo20]

If you post your vin number we may be able to fi d the spec for you on here...

I can only compare against my old R231 SL500 (2014) so there may have been a key change..

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I eventually contacted the guy who did the admin on the day I collected and he sent me over the spec immediately for which I thanked him. Actually did what he said rather than the complete and utter hot air that came from the salesman. He just reinforced my utter dislike of used cars salesmen! There’s no mention of any sort of boot opening, keyless go etc so it appears I have a very basic, open boot manually car.


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[Nemo20]

Back to the sound system which as yet I’ve made no progress with. With a mooch around the internet, we found this long thread on a US forum. I’m glad but frustrated to find that there are many of us with exactly the same problem! Not sure what the solution will be from the many posts in this thread, but hopefully there’s something that will work without huge expense. Some posts discuss engineering mode and making adjustments so if that’s possible that might be the start point.

SL550 back speakers PROBLEM SOLVED! - MBWorld.org Forums

SL-Class (R231) - SL550 back speakers PROBLEM SOLVED! - So, as some of you know from several posts here, due to the surround sound the rear speakers don't produce much sound unless listening to a DVD-Audio disc. There is no front to back volume adjustment either, again due to the surround sound...

mbworld.org

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[sl500amgsport]

Back to the sound system which as yet I’ve made no progress with. With a mooch around the internet, we found this long thread on a US forum. I’m glad but frustrated to find that there are many of us with exactly the same problem! Not sure what the solution will be from the many posts in this thread, but hopefully there’s something that will work without huge expense. Some posts discuss engineering mode and making adjustments so if that’s possible that might be the start point.

SL550 back speakers PROBLEM SOLVED! - MBWorld.org Forums

SL-Class (R231) - SL550 back speakers PROBLEM SOLVED! - So, as some of you know from several posts here, due to the surround sound the rear speakers don't produce much sound unless listening to a DVD-Audio disc. There is no front to back volume adjustment either, again due to the surround sound...

mbworld.org

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I just found this, maybe your rear speakers are blown as they charge £2900 to upgrade to the HK system...

Harman Kardon Audio Upgrade for SL Class 231 - Braybrooks

Retrofit Harman Kardon to Mercedes SL Class for superior sound. Using genuine Mercedes parts we can retrofit this premium sound package

braybrooks.co.uk

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[Nemo20]

I just found this, maybe your rear speakers are blown as they charge £2900 to upgrade to the HK system...

Harman Kardon Audio Upgrade for SL Class 231 - Braybrooks

Retrofit Harman Kardon to Mercedes SL Class for superior sound. Using genuine Mercedes parts we can retrofit this premium sound package

braybrooks.co.uk

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Pretty sure there’s sound coming out, just not enough for me to hear anything over than the exhaust ‘noise’ from the back. A £3k upgrade definitely won’t be on my wish list…


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[SL63 Mark]

The remote boot opening you describe is part of the "keyless go" package, which was an expensive option, not all cars have it. In fact, in my years of looking at R231 SL adverts, I would say most SL400s do not have it. My 2016 SL63 does not have it. To me, it was not a deal breaker. I had it on the SL55, and after a few years, things stopped working.

Make sure the boot lid struts are replaced. The boot lid was unbelievably heavy on mine when I bought it, Mrs. 63 could barely lift it. it is much lighter with new struts. Your car is the same age as mine, and the struts will need replacing by now.

I have the HK stereo, and the sound is superb. There is a way of changing the sound balance front to rear ("fader") which I found in a secret sub-menu, but it did not make much difference. Remember it is a two seater, and the rear speakers are designed to be fairly quiet. Most of the sound does come from the front. That is the way our ears point.

Enjoy the car for what it is, rather than missing what it does not have.

 

[Nemo20]

The remote boot opening you describe is part of the "keyless go" package, which was an expensive option, not all cars have it. In fact, in my years of looking at R231 SL adverts, I would say most SL400s do not have it. My 2016 SL63 does not have it. To me, it was not a deal breaker. I had it on the SL55, and after a few years, things stopped working.

Make sure the boot lid struts are replaced. The boot lid was unbelievably heavy on mine when I bought it, Mrs. 63 could barely lift it. it is much lighter with new struts. Your car is the same age as mine, and the struts will need replacing by now.

I have the HK stereo, and the sound is superb. There is a way of changing the sound balance front to rear ("fader") which I found in a secret sub-menu, but it did not make much difference. Remember it is a two seater, and the rear speakers are designed to be fairly quiet. Most of the sound does come from the front. That is the way our ears point.

Enjoy the car for what it is, rather than missing what it does not have.

Yes I’d worked out now that the boot option was on the keyless go system. No bad thing to not have it from a security perspective but when you’ve had something for over 12 years in two different cars it was a shock to realise it’s optional on such an expensive car. It hadn’t occurred to me that it wouldn’t have it.

I noticed straight away that the boot lid was too heavy; I replaced the struts on my previous SL so I’ll do the same on this one.

At this point I can’t describe the HK sound system as superb, so something has to change for me to get it to something I am happy with, whether that’s just fiddling with bass/treble or something more.

I’m certainly enjoying the roof down when the weather obliges, then I’m not really listening to the sound system!


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[PHUNN]

Just read your post about the boot and it's unpowered surprise....
My key(s) look the same as yours. There are only the lock/unlock features.
I, too, came to our R231 SL350 AMG via an SL500 R230 and share your chagrin that a boot lid which is powered enough to get out of the way when the roof is raised and lowered nevertheless remains somnolent when you want to simply put something in the boot!!
Maybe that's why our American cousins call it the 'trunk' lid.
It certainly weighs the same as an elephant....

 

[Monday]

Just read your post about the boot and it's unpowered surprise....
My key(s) look the same as yours. There are only the lock/unlock features.
I, too, came to our R231 SL350 AMG via an SL500 R230 and share your chagrin that a boot lid which is powered enough to get out of the way when the roof is raised and lowered nevertheless remains somnolent when you want to simply put something in the boot!!
Maybe that's why our American cousins call it the 'trunk' lid.
It certainly weighs the same as an elephant....

My SL400 is the same, 2 button key. I think there is also an internal release button but it only releases the lid, doesn't lift it. My R230 had a boot release button on the fob but again, it only released the lid so not much use really. I don't think keyless go was an option in 2016?

I have only seen R230/231 with full powered open/close in YouTube vids of US spec cars.

 

[sl500amgsport]

My R231 SL500 only released lid from fob, same as the E53 AMG.

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