Soft Top Emergency Operation
Soft top emergency operation
If the soft top cannot be automatically closed, check the following:
- Is the luggage cover engaged in place?
- Have the roll bars been released? If so, lower the roll bars manually?
- Is the trunk lid closed?
- Is there sufficient on-board voltage?
- Start the engine if necessary.
These messages will also appear in the multifunction display.
If automatic operation still does not function properly, you can close the soft top manually.
This procedure should be performed with great care by two persons.
Manually closing the soft top is a complicated and technically demanding procedure. Close the soft top manually in emergency cases only. Otherwise, visit an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center. Please read the instructions fully before beginning operation and only undertake it with another person and if you feel fully capable of performing the tasks involved.
Warning! It is important that a second person helps you. Otherwise, you could become trapped or injured.
Remove any wristwatches or jewelry such as rings or bracelets. Otherwise, they could get caught in the vehicle mechanism, causing personal injury to yourself or damage to the vehicle.
Always use the grips provided as indicated. Otherwise you could injure yourself.
- Engage parking brake.
- Lower the side windows.
- Lower rear head restraints.
If the rear head restraints cannot be lowered using the rear head restraint lowering switch, the roll bars may have been released.
- For safety reasons, remove SmartKey from starter switch.
- Open the trunk.
- Remove the trunk floor cover.
- Take the two straps for soft top emergency operation out of vehicle tool kit.
- Take hex wrench out of its storage location in the storage well casing.
- Open the left side trim panel in the trunk.
- Pull locking mechanism [1] out until it stops and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a turn.
- Make sure the locking mechanism does not retract again. If this happens, pull the locking mechanism out again and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a turn.
- Fold the right-hand side of the trunk floor away.
- Detach trim [2] along the perforation.
- Pull locking mechanism [3] out until it stops and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a turn.
- Make sure the locking mechanism does not retract again. If this happens, pull the locking mechanism out again and rotate it approx. one-quarter of a turn.
- Insert hex wrench [4] into screw [5].
- Turn hydraulic pump screw [5] counterclockwise one revolution with hex wrench [4].
! Do not operate the soft top switch with screw [5] in the opened position, otherwise the hydraulic pump could be damaged.
The soft top storage compartment hinges are located on the left and right of the space between the soft top compartment cover and the trunk seal.
- Pull the two levers [6] apart and fold levers [6] of soft top storage compartment hinge [7] forward on both sides over the detent position.
- Pull strap [8], supplied in vehicle tool kit, behind soft top storage compartment through hinge [7].
- Bring strap together in front of hinge.
- Pull the side with the handle through the loop on the opposite side.
- Pull strap between soft top storage compartment hinge and soft top compartment.
- Secure second strap to second hinge in the same manner.
! Do not pull the straps when the trunk is open.
- Place both straps on soft top compartment cover.
- Take hex wrench out of trunk.
- Close trunk lid.
You will only have access to the trunk again when the emergency operation has been completed.
Do not place the SmartKey in the open trunk. You may lock yourself out. Vehicles with KEYLESS-GO*: To prevent a possible inadvertent lockout, the trunk lid will open automatically if a SmartKey with KEYLESS-GO* is recognized in the area of the rear shelf or inside the trunk.
! The trunk lid must remain closed during the next steps in the procedure. Otherwise the trunk lid and the soft top compartment cover may come into contact with one another and be damaged.
Warning! At this point, the remaining procedure needs to be done by two people. Otherwise you could be injured.
- You and your assistant should each take one of the straps by the handle.
- With a strong, simultaneous tug on the loops, pull soft top compartment cover upward and out to the rear.
- One person should stand on the left side of the vehicle and the other on the right side.
Warning! In the next step, you and your assistant should each take hold of the soft top compartment cover as shown in the illustration. Both of you should use your free hand to support yourselves on the edge of the trunk lid as shown in the illustration. If either you or your helper assume a different position, one or both of you could be trapped or injured.
- Pulling the cover back in one smooth motion, lift soft top compartment cover [9] into a vertical position until it stops.
! Make sure the soft top storage compartment hinges do not fold down during this procedure. Otherwise your vehicle could be damaged.
- From left and right sides, reach into soft top compartment underneath edge of soft top [10].
Warning! Do not place your hands near the upper windshield area, trunk lid, or between soft top roof panels and hinges while the soft top is being raised and locked. Serious personal injury may occur.
- Lift soft top out of soft top compartment and pull it forward to windshield frame [11].
- Take off protective cap on the inner side of the soft top.
- Insert hex wrench into soft top locking mechanism screw.
- Turn the soft top locking mechanism screw with hex wrench clockwise in direction of arrow [12] as far as it will go.
- The clasp will open and the soft top will engage audibly.
- Turn the soft top locking mechanism screw with hex wrench counterclockwise in direction of arrow [13] as far as it will go.
The clasp will close and the soft top is now locked onto the windshield frame.
! Make sure you turn the hex wrench counterclockwise as far as it will go. Otherwise the soft top may not lock properly.
- Lift material tensioning frame [14] into a vertical position.
- Lower soft top compartment cover [15].
! Make sure the soft top compartment cover [15] does not collide or make contact with the material tensioning frame [14].
- With the palm of your hand, press the window in material tensioning frame [14] until it is positioned on the soft top compartment cover [15].
- You and your assistant should press soft top compartment cover [15] forward and down with the palms of your hands until it snaps into place in the guide. Place your hands on the areas indicated by the arrows.
At the same time, gently press material tensioning frame [14] down with the palms of your hands.
Warning! Position hands as indicated by arrows so that when you press soft top compartment cover [15] forward and lower material tensioning frame [14], your hands cannot become trapped.
- Insert hex wrench into soft top locking mechanism screw.
- Turn the soft top locking mechanism screw with hex wrench counterclockwise in direction of arrow [13] as far as it will go.
The soft top is locked onto the windshield frame.
! Make sure you turn the hex wrench counterclockwise as far as it will go. Otherwise the soft top may not lock properly.
- Have the soft top operation checked at an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center as soon as possible.
! If, after completing the soft top emergency operation, the trunk cannot be opened using the remote trunk lid release switch in the driver's door, the trunk lid release button on the SmartKey, or the trunk lid release handle in the license plate recess, press the soft top compartment cover down again as described above.
Do not open the trunk with the emergency key, as this could otherwise damage the trunk lid and the soft top compartment cover.