1999 Soft top was stuck down and roll bar stuck up!
I checked my car with a valet at dinner on Thursday night with the top down.
The weather was nice and I didn't think to put the top up.
When I came from dinner I noticed the roll bar in the up position.
I asked the valet why was it up and he said he tried to raise the top and it went halfway up and stopped. When he went to lower the top, the roll bar popped up.
Needless to say, I was p/o and talked with the manager. We never could get it to automatically go up so I had to manually raise the top with the roll bar up.
I took the care to my local MB shop. He hooked it up to his computer and had the roll bar working in 2 minutes. We manually raised the top and then it also worked automatically.
He said the codes had to be reset and it could have happened whether the valet or I raised the top.
He charged me $40 and I was on my way inabout 20 minutes.
Is this a common problem for the R129?
Will not holding the red button while in process cause this problem?
Will not holding the red button while in process cause this problem?
Thanks
Thanks for giving us so much information. I can't remember the last time someone posted a question to the Forum that was so detailed that we could help them without asking for more information. Good job.
Now to answer your question. I have seen this before. But I wouldn't go so far as to say it is a common problem. I'm glad to here that you took your car to the Stealer and they immediately read the codes and were able to diagnose the problem and fix it for $40.00. I can't tell you how many times I have suggested this to Forum members but I believe they are reluctant to use ther local Dealers for fear of being riped off. IMHO, I believe that it was a wise call on your behalf to do what you did. If they would have said that you need a Convertible Top Control Module that may have been the time to come back to the Forum and do a Search to find out that you can get a rebuilt one for about $300.00 from bba-remaninc.com with a lifetime warranty vs. $1200.00 at the Stealer. And you probably could install it yourself. If you would like to read more about the Control Module may I suggest that you try an Advanced Search Entire Post for 'top control module'.
Yes, if the valet didn't raise the top according to the Owners Manual this could have happened.
I have a 99sl500 ,I had the hard top on for about a month ,after removal of the hard top tried to raise the soft top but nothing happens ,the top switch keeps blinking and also the windows do not go down. I can make the windows go down by pushing the window switch also the roll ba works OK . any ideas? many thank
I have a 99sl500 ,I had the hard top on for about a month ,after removal of the hard top tried to raise the soft top but nothing happens ,the top switch keeps blinking and also the windows do not go down. I can make the windows go down by pushing the window switch also the roll ba works OK . any ideas? many thank
I have a feeling that one or more of your latches, probably the rear, is not correctly positioned. May I suggest that you follow your Owners Manual on how to manually raise your soft top. After doing it manually, with a second person, I think you will find that everything will be back to normal. If that doesn't answer your question you may need to disconnect your battery, wait 30-60 minutes, the reset several systems by following http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129...ml#post2371141
Don't know if this is relevant or not but I had a similar problem with my 1992.
Replaced the 2 top locking cylinders and then proceeded to cycle the top and rollbar a few times to purge the air.
After 3 times it stopped in the locked position with the rollbar up.
The soft top redlight just blinked when I tried to lower it and the rollbar switch did nothing , although when you turn the key on, the red lights inside the switch flashed momentarily which told me it must have power.
Tried the "holding the switches for a while" trick but to no avail.
Checked all the fuses and gave them a little tweak to make sure of good contact
Disconnected the battery for about 1 hr but still no action.
Tracked down the sequence for clearing the 16 pin diagnostic code ( Thanks Bob Terry !! ) and found it had quite a few codes.
Spent the time to clear them all , which can take a while when it blinks 20-24 times and guess what?
Once they were all cleared, everything worked again..
Thanks to the forum as I had visions of an expensive trip to the dealer..
Don't know if this is relevant or not but I had a similar problem with my 1992.
Tracked down the sequence for clearing the 16 pin diagnostic code ( Thanks Bob Terry !! ) and found it had quite a few codes.
Spent the time to clear them all , which can take a while when it blinks 20-24 times and guess what?
Once they were all cleared, everything worked again..
Thanks to the forum as I had visions of an expensive trip to the dealer..
Cheers
Ken
Ken, thanks for the follow-up information. This will help the next guy with a 1990-1994 R129.
Ok, I have read the threads. On my '97 320sl the first problem was that the top warning light and horn would sound after I put the top up. Usually it could be silenced by pushing on the switch to activate the lift system. If I parked the car in the sun I would again have the problem. To me it seemed to be a limit switch problem. Took it to mb for service and told them of the problem. They said I needed the $1200 controller based on the computer codes.
This seemed ridiculous given the symtoms so I lived with the annoiance. Several yrs pass and then one spring I remove the hard top and the soft top will now not go up. Do manual extension and therafter it will go up automatically. This has been this way for two springs now. The warning system has now degraded to the point that no amount of button actuation will get the warning to stop. Discovered it stops on its own after 15 sec(?).
Finally my plastic wind has gotten to point it needs to be replaced. The canvas is perfect as the top down 6 mo a yr and never in the sun.
Here are my questions:
1. BBA reman only lists a 93 controller. will that work on a 97? Do I need a new controller?
2. I note that the top is two piece, can I replace the back portion only or in the alternative have it removed so that the plastic window can be replaced?
3. Is there something better(glass) than the plastic?
Any help would be greatly appreciated. Don
Last edited by newfdog : 03-23-2008 at 12:19 PM.
Reason: typo
1. BBA reman only lists a 93 controller. will that work on a 97? Do I need a new controller?
2. I note that the top is two piece, can I replace the back portion only or in the alternative have it removed so that the plastic window can be replaced?
3. Is there something better(glass) than the plastic?
Don, welcome to the R129 Forum. Yes there are better plastics to be used to replace your rear plastic windows. There is of course no glass replacement. You need to ask yourself how much longer you are going to keep your car when deciding how to replace and the cost associated. Yes, you can have the rear section of your soft top replaced but you need to take into account a possible color difference between new and 1997. There are more than several VERY LONG posts on the topic of replaciing the tops and/or rear section and/or just windows.
Please read R129 - Soft Top replacement, recommendations? - and new soft top 99SL and $6,800 for soft top replacement and R129 - Soft top manufacturers and Robbins Auto Top Company convertible tops
Hey guys I dont know whats wrong with my softop, I went in the car today to try to put the top down and nothing happens, the rollbar doesnt move up or down and there is no blinking in the rollbar button at all and the softop when pressing the button doesnt do anything but blink. There is no sound from the motor at all. This is the first time since this happend I looked in the trunk and I checked that there was oil in the hydraulic pump and it looks as if its full so I dont think thats the problem. I am not mechanically inclined so if anyone can help me Please try to let me know in basic terms as far as what to do. I was wondering if theres something I can do to test the fuses but I looked in the engine compartment and I didnt see any fuse for the softop. If theres any of you guys that can help me I would really appreciate it, its funny I bought this car just a couple of months ago and I really purchased it just to use it for the summer with the softop down and now that the weathers getting kind of nicer this happens, damn this sucks!
EDIT: Please search before starting a new topic: This particular question has been covered so many times and very recently again.
Redliner.
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Last edited by RedLiner : 03-24-2008 at 06:22 PM.
Reason: Topic moved to similar thread
1992 300 SL (RED) 88k
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