Help!!! I just got my 1992 500SL last October with the hardtop installed. I removed the hardtop the other day, just as the manual instructed. When I hit the switch to raise the top everything was fine until the roof reached the windshield, then stopped. In the owner's manual, there was a highlighted paragraph with instructions to manually pull the roof to the windshield if the latches don't engage by themselves. Since the paragraph was highlighted, I assume the previous owner must have run into this problem. Anyway, that worked and the top finished closing seemingly fine. But, the next day when I went to lower the top, nothing happens except for the red light blinking on the top switch. Any ideas???
Hi,
I had problems with my 91 300SL like you the red light blinks annoyingly when it feels something ain't right! I've a feeling the top may well have gone up because ity was happier letting you close it before it deciding to show you something is wrong!
Your best bet is to search this forum for soft top operation threads, The soft top is the only thing on the car which you can read fault codes from without any tools! The system makes the soft top switch flash out fault codes, which correspond to specific problems. There are 30 different codes, so the system is quite specific at telling you what is amiss! Basically if the switch flashes 20 times, code 20 corresponds to a particular fault.
Look at the soft top operation threads here and it explains how to get the codes to flash out. All you will need is a paperclip or perhaps slightly better a wire with two banana plugs.
My problem was ABS brake system related. The front left wheel was not giving a speed signal to the soft top controller, I had a break in a wire to a front ABS sensor. If you're ABS light isn't coming on it will most probably be a switch sticking or something like that.
I'm not a huge expert on the system but if I can help with giving code descriptions PM me.
Vehicle: 1992 500 SL ; 2001 BMW 525i Sport, 1998 Harley Road King
Location: Carlsbad, CA
Posts: 287
Yes, a couple ideas to start with. I have the same car.
1. I ALWAYS have to help the soft top latch when it gets to the windshield. That is not an abnormal situation, so don't think you forced something you shouldn't.
2. Most likely, your battery may be a little low. It doesn't take much for the top to decide not to operate as it does sense battery voltage available. The exact same thing as you describe happened to me last week. I had not driven the car for about a week. I turned the ignition on, but did not start the cart. The top would not move and the switch just blinked at me. I started the car and kept the engine at about 1500 rpm. I activated the switch and the top worked perfectly.
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Mike
When you turn your car on, does it return the favor?
As stated, if there is not enough battery to start or complete the soft top cyscle there will be problems. To make sure this doesn't happen have your car running and the battery charging when trying to engage your soft top.
When I combined the Sticky's I was concerned that people would not read them as before and I think that has been happening on a frequent basis so I may need to make some changes at http://www.benzworld.org/forums/r129...ew-thread.html
Welcome to the R129Forum and please know that the problem that you are expierencing happens quite often. Please read the blue Sticky at the top of the forum. Especially 'soft top control module'.
I started the car and kept the engine at about 1500 rpm. I activated the switch and the top worked perfectly. 
Linear Mode
