for a long time I was plagued with a top that worked off and on. Drove me and others crazythat had tried to find this pain in the neck. The roll bar worked ok 90% of the time. Everything finally quit. As it turned out. Even though the 30amp fuse looked perfectly fine. the fuse behind the screw that attached it to the fuse box had a complete meltdown and it wasn't making contact with the fuse box even though the screw was tight,so the red and white wire coming off the fuse box to the pump wasn't getting juice. Replaced with a wire in 30 amp chevy style fuse holder, much better.

 

Is that fuse box in the trunk? I'm having trouble with my soft top. Itgoes upand locks up by the sunvisors but then it just stops working. The back half of the roof and the "cover" stay open.

 

I don't think it's the fuse.
the top and roll bar are on thesame fuse. but, yes it's in the trunk. it doesn't look like the rest of the fuses in the holder. It looks like a heavy foil metal strip. your problem isprobably in the sensors, which are really on/off micro-switches.It sounds like it's the bow top sensor which is attached to the bow cylinder. The bad news is, if that is the problem you can't buy the switch separate from the cylinder and the cylinder is $700.you might be able to find a used one, that's a big maybe. you can check the switch continuity by taking out the rear storage compartmentand remove the drivers side cover. remove the decorator metal cover hardware where the top goes into the compartment, there only one screw there under the metal flap, becareful of the seals.remove the one large headed phillips screw from the cloth covered side panel and lift up on the cover with roll bar up, remove the rear windowheater wire from its holder.almost straight down from where thetop defrost heater wire come to the side panel is wire connector in a holder right next to where fourhydraulic lines connect. disconnect wires and check continuity on the wires going up with a battery test light or ohm meter. when the bow top is down there should be no continuity. ifyou lift thebow top all the way vertical you should show continuity, if not the switch is bad or the switch holder could be bent. I bent mine twice replacingthe bow cylinder. lift up and down on the bow and watch the switch to see how it works in relation to the cylinder. the switch can beremoved from the cylinderwithout removing the cylinder when the bow is vertical, the switch is attached withthree small phillipsscrews just above and forward of the top main cylinder. I disconnected the main cylinder piston from the top to get at it easier. there may be away of repairing the switch without replacing the cylinder.It's a simple switch.Bob Terry has some procedures for checking all the switches over on the benzworld.org site.His is the most reliable source of information. if you have a printer go get the info. you need there. where as my fuse was part of my problem, as it turned out my controller was bad too. it's on the way to bba-reman (re-manufacturing) right now to get rebuilt.

 

I have a 99 129 SL500 with some issues. I had hard codes of 130, 134, 135, all soft top modules related. I sent the unit to BBA reman it came back with the same hard codes. Got it back today (5-14-08).

All installation procedures from the best of my knowledge was performed 100%. Fresh battery. Synced windows, etcc.. Still having several other codes that clear, 124, 96, 97 133 114, 050. I think those are all codes that are generated from the issues with the hard codes.

The roll bar (Amber) light is always on as is the two red arrows on the roll bar bar switch in the center console.

This is after sending it to BBA. I thought it may be a syncronization issues. But we have tried everything. We can unplug the module for a few minutes plug it back in and it will work for a little while.

Operationally it seems that when you let the top back through the whole cycle that the motor will keep running as long as you keep your finger on the soft top button (same thing with the roll bar button (Keeps running). It seems the soft top doesn't know it's through it's cycle or reached the end of it's cycle thus throwing all the soft codes.

Anyone seem similiar issues? Even after a supposed rebuild? Wondering if brookings had success with their rebuild?

 

they have the controller now, they should have it back in a week. I'll keep my fingers crossed. you sure look like you have some bazaar problems. Have you taken her into a MB shop for a diagnostic?

 

I had the local Mercedes dealer send out their mobile tech. He said the controller was bad. This was after I got it back from BBA. He stated that it's possible we installed it incorrectly.
Meaning installed it with a low battery, or spiked it in someway. I sent the unit back and it came back to BBA with the same issues once reinstalled. With the hard codes not resetting it makes me think it is a bad controller since the codes will not clear at all. However, my other thoughts are that it could be a switch that is not telling the controller that the cycle is ended. Or else a microswitch not telling the top that the cycle has ended.

Some I found odd was we are able to do some actual values on the top and when the top is up I am being told that the rotary switch on the left is open and on the right is closed. I would assume these two should both say closed when the top is up (or both say open) but not both rotary switches saying oppisite values. The last few hours I have beencompletely unable to communicate with the unit which could be controller related or could possibly be my testing equaipment (A Launch X431 machine). The issue is baffleing to say the least.