Cabrio Module

[Burger]

I've just purchased one of these modules (won it at a great price on eBay) so I can have one touch roof operation etc. It's the German module not the SmartTop module from the US which is in my opinion over-priced.

The instructions refer to all the wiring being on the drivers side of the car but then all the pictures are of course for a left hand drive car. So, the question is, for anyone that might know, should I be attacking the driver or passenger side of my car? It's a 2007 SL350 for those who don't see my signature

Many thanks.

[richard]

Theres interior and exterior can distributors in passenger footwell wiring duct on RHD cars.

Theres also an interior canbus distributor next to the fusebox in the rear right hand stowage box (same side on LHD and RHD cars).

Look at my SL Distronic retrofit on Mercedes Electronics upgrades, installation and retrofits - theres some pictures there

I suspect the module needs to go on the car's canbus, possibly between the distributor and the wire that goes to the soft-top-control module, so I suspect as thats in the rear of the car it connects to the distributor next to the fusebox - but I am not sure and I guess the instructions may help with that

Cheers

Richard

[Burger]

Thanks Richard, although I'm more confused now. You're right that it needs to plug into the canbus as well as a permanent live feed and earth, but the manufacturer has just replied to me and told me the appropriate connectors are also on the 'drivers side' under the door sill for right hand drive cars. Perhaps they exist on both sides? I know about the connectors by the rear fuse box and may well fit it there.

Regards,

[richard]

There could well be a CANbus distributor in the right side sill ! The rear fusebox gives you power and CANbus and i'd start there ..

R

[Burger]

I successfully fitted it today... very happy so far.

Keep in mind this is the German module from reinhold-engineering not the more expensive SmartTop module from the USA. The installation instructions that come with it suggest it should be installed in the drivers footwell and the CANbus accessed along said cable channel. Unlike the SmartTop module which is installed by the fuses behind the drivers seat. Another major difference is that the cabrio module instructions tell you which cable colours to unplug from the CANbus (brown and brown/black) to put the module in line with. The SmartTop module includes an LED so you can 'test' different CANbus connectors to 'find' the right one.

So I started by removing the door sill trim strip and then the drivers inner kick panel. However, it became obvious I'd have to remove a lot more to easily get to the cable channel, including I suspect the accelerator pedal. The instructions made it sound as though all you have to do is remove the two pieces described and hey presto there's easy access to the cable channel, but even pulling the carpet back as hard as I dare, I couldn't even see it let alone get access to it.

I decided therefore to abandon the instructions and install it by the fuses behind the drivers seat. This was because firstly I'd seen a post from someone who'd done this previously a couple of years ago (but sadly didn't give any info) and secondly because it does seem much easier to gain access. So I removed the rear side trim, the pocket and trim etc. so I had unhindered access. I was delighted to find a brown and brown/black CANbus connector in the strip there.

Using the SmartTop instructions I located and tapped into appropriate +ve and -ve supplies. I put an in-line plug and socket in so the module can be easily removed. I then unclipped and released the CANbus strip, pulled the br & br/bl cable and put the module in line.

NOTHING... zilch... nada. In fact possibly even worse, I noticed the roll over bar warning light didn't extinguish on the dash and door windows went into their full up position even though the doors were open.

Keep in mind this cabrio module doesn't have an LED indicator to indicate the correct connection. The only clue was that it tells you when first connected it is automatically deactivated and in order to activate it you must hold down the phone hang up for 3 seconds or more with the key in the accessory (2) position. When activated it would apparently give a single tone confirmation.

So, I checked the power supply which was showing the right voltage. Then I decided I would need to try other CANbus connectors... so one by one I unplugged them and put the module in line. Each time with the key off and removed. Each attempt seemed to create new 'issues'. The windows went back to their door opened positions but then the boot wouldn't lock etc. No matter what position I put it in, I could not get it to activate.

So I tried calling the company in Germany, knowing of course that they'd probably tell me you're on your own mate... you should install it where we say. No one answered. I searched the web and found a couple of posts from people saying they'd completely failed to get this module to work on SL's. However, I also found some instructions for letting the CANbus reset... something about switch off car, but leave door open for 5 minutes. So I tried this but again nothing. Tried every CANbus position again.... nothing.

I was about to give up when I realised one slight difference in what I'd done versus the instructions. The instructions showed the module being connected to the CANbus before the power... (Thank goodness I'd put that in-line plug and socket in). So I unplugged the power, put the module back on the br & br/bl cable, re-connected the power to the module... and... once again the windows popped back up and no amount of pressing phone hang up would activate it. So, unplug power again, switch CANbus connector to 2nd in the strip, power back on, key to position two... hold phone hang up... and...

It BONGED !!!!!!!

It bloody well worked... amazing! So the problem on the first two attempts was that I'd powered up the module before plugging it into the CANbus. Doing it the other way round I found the correct position.

Tested it a few times to be sure and it worked every time without fail. So now I have remote roof operation from some distance, one touch roof operation on the main switch and I can open/close the roof while moving (slowly). Perfect.

The module does not interfere with any other speed sensitive components (as I've seen suggested in a few places).

Anyway, I thought I'd put all this here so anyone in the future in my position will hopefully find it and learn from my clumsy trial and error.

Regards,

[Burger]

Richard,

Just wanted to say if you're the guy responsible for Mercedes Electronics upgrades, installation and retrofits and please forgive my not knowing being new in these parts... Thank You. I've studied your pages many times and they've provided some seriously useful info.

Regards,

[SL350_SWINDON]

Burger or anyone else please help, I'm trying to fit my module doing exactly the same as your instructions. I'm not seeing any life and hearing no bongs.
Do I plug it into the can bus connection next to the brown/black-brown? I've not tried it yet encase it does damage. :confused

[richard]

If I remember correctly, the CANbus module effectively ends up sat between the rear SAM / soft-top module and the rest of the car

The brown and brown/black can bus wire is the one that goes from the front CAN distributor to the rear one, and thus that is what Burger found in the rear.

One of the issues in RHD SL was that the power wires in the duct are not the same colour as described in the LHD instructions, so again, it is better in the rear where there is a nice fusebox full of permanent power feeds.

I'd check that you have power at the module - having plugged it into CANbus first.

If it is in the wrong position, things don't work properly - depending on what control module you disconnected from the CANbus by mistake !!!

But its been a year since I last did a SL with one of those, so my recall isn't perfect

Richard

[SL350_SWINDON]

Thanks Richard, i'll check out my 12v supply tomorrow when it's light out.

On a separate note, as you're the command expert, is there a way to stop speed sensitive volume? It's driving me nuts that the volume seems to go low when I stop but doesn't rise back up.

[richard]

Its possibly done with Star Diagnosis but I haven't hear of anyone else complain about it, so I suspect you may have a fault somewhere

R