[board57796]

Hello everybody,

I've had my SL for a few months now and I am amazed and how trouble free it has been especially when compared to the first few months of ownership I had with my BMW E38 750iL.

A couple quick questions: the most concerning thing I have noticed is a very loud "clunk" sound that can be heard AND felt from my front suspension, but it ONLY happens when I begin moving forward after having gone in reverse, and vice versa. The suspension is silent while turning, over bumps, etc. It only clunks (just once) say if I reverse out of a parking spot, and when I go to move forward to leave the lot, it will "clunk" as if something is popping back into position that was moved while going in reverse. I have searched, but most of the posts I found were people who had issues with bumps, corners, etc.

The second issue is with the soft top. Again, I have searched but have not found the answer. One day I had the windows and roll bar up, but top down. I went to put the soft top up when I parked, and everything seemed normal until it came time for the windows to roll up at the end of the sequence. They would not roll up, but the roll bar went back up (like it had been before the top was raised) and then the roll bar was stuck up and windows would not roll up. I somehow got the roll bar back down and that know functions normally again, but ever since, the windows will not roll up at the end of the top raising sequence, and if the top is up, the soft top switch flashes and I get the "ding ding" for the first few seconds of driving. The top/windows go down fine and the windows with roll back up at the end of the LOWERING sequence, but not the RAISING sequence. Luckily it isn't a huge deal, since I can just raise the windows via the regular window switches. It is more of an annoyance than anything. I tried unplugging the battery for 30 minutes but that didn't help. Is Mercedes the only place I can go to get the faults read on the soft top module?

Thanks in advance, sorry for the novel.

 

[12pack]

The clunk could be a few things. First thought would be the top bearing things the struts mount to.

 

[degeja]

Try syncing the windows- has to be done after disconnecting battery

in the manual it says hold drivers window up button for 2 sec after closing-
I found at least 8 seconds needed

 

[Playdrv4me]

lynns, I think he means that it is something that needs doing IF the battery has BEEN disconnected, not that you have to disconnect the battery to perform the sequence.

 

[lynns]

lynns, I think he means that it is something that needs doing IF the battery has BEEN disconnected, not that you have to disconnect the battery to perform the sequence.

Thanks! you make sense. It's late for me. Good night.

 

[lynns]

The second issue is with the soft top. Again, I have searched but have not found the answer. One day I had the windows and roll bar up, but top down. I went to put the soft top up when I parked, and everything seemed normal until it came time for the windows to roll up at the end of the sequence. They would not roll up, but the roll bar went back up (like it had been before the top was raised) and then the roll bar was stuck up and windows would not roll up. I somehow got the roll bar back down and that know functions normally again, but ever since, the windows will not roll up at the end of the top raising sequence, and if the top is up, the soft top switch flashes and I get the "ding ding" for the first few seconds of driving. The top/windows go down fine and the windows with roll back up at the end of the LOWERING sequence, but not the RAISING sequence. Luckily it isn't a huge deal, since I can just raise the windows via the regular window switches. It is more of an annoyance than anything. I tried unplugging the battery for 30 minutes but that didn't help. Is Mercedes the only place I can go to get the faults read on the soft top module?

Because your car is a MY02 I believe your Roadster Soft Top (RST) has thrown a DTC. So you may need to find an Indy who has a MB STAR Diagnostic System (SDS) and pay him/them $50-$100 (or free if you smile and they are kind) to read/erase your RST code that has your RST controller confused. After he erases the code, via the right side engine bay 38 PIN diagnostic port, your windows will go up after you raise or lower the RST.

 

[Lighthouse]

Check fluid level and potential leaks right away

... if the top is up, the soft top switch flashes and I get the "ding ding" for the first few seconds of driving. The top/windows go down fine and the windows with roll back up at the end of the LOWERING sequence, but not the RAISING sequence. Luckily it isn't a huge deal, since I can just raise the windows via the regular window switches. It is more of an annoyance than anything. I tried unplugging the battery for 30 minutes but that didn't help. Is Mercedes the only place I can go to get the faults read on the soft top module?

Having a sophisticated Indie or the dealer read codes with Star Diagnosis is convenient, but we may be able to troubleshoot this one in DIY - you want to familiarize yourself with the soft top hydraulic system, anyway.

What you are describing is usually indicative of the controller perceiving that the rear locks haven't latched all the way. You really want to check out the front and rear locks for fluid leaks, anyway, because the seals that fail are under pressure during the locking process. Also, the locking process in the front and rear usually takes the most pressure, so it may well be that your pump is running low on fluid, or that it cannot build enough pressure on account of leaks.

First step: do a visual inspection for hydraulic fluid leaks and check the fluid level in the pump (under the spare tire). I'm attaching below a diagram that shows the location of all cylinders. The same diagram is on the bottom left corner of our website, and it's interactive: click on a cylinder, and you get more info plus a link to removal instructions. R129 SL-Class Parts Diagram - Top Hydraulics, Inc

The removal instructions always tell you in the beginning how to check for leaks.

If it's not a leak, then go through a few more DIY steps, or you have the codes read before the next DIY steps if that's cheap enough and convenient for you.

Unplugging the battery for only 30 minutes will not usually make any difference, btw, even if there are error codes that are "only" confusing the controller. "Hard codes" do not get erased by unplugging the battery, and what I would call "chatter" gets erased only if you unplug the battery (negative terminal!) at least over night.

Hope this helps,

-Klaus

[email protected]

 

[board57796]

Thank you Klaus for the detailed response. I went and checked my fluid level today and this is what I saw

It is kind of hard to tell because the lines are not level with the ground, but it looks like I am just about at the minimum. Could this cause the locks to not engage properly? There are no obvious signs of leaks and the top operates perfectly (knock on wood) except for the very end where the windows don't roll up. I ordered 2 liters of the hydraulic fluid to flush the system.