reluctant cabrio boot lid.

[strikey377]

the boot lid on my mothers '62 reg cabrio has a persistently sticking boot since about 6 months "old". the supplying main dealer has been unable to rectify this as it is essentially intermittent. if the boot has not been used for a couple of days it will only open a couple of mm at the first , second or sometimes third attempt. each time you can hear the solenoid and catches operating but it will not open. once it has been opened it operates as it should. I have fully lubricated the catches with white spray grease but am reluctant to start adjusting them for fear of throwing anything further out. if it were just a mis-alignment of the catches surely the boot would not release first time all the time? open to any suggestions as a starting point for diagnosis.

[10:45PM]

You need to leave any cover panels off (if that's poss on a451, I cant visualise it right now) , so when you come to try it when it's been resting for a day or so you can get a multimeter at the lock connections, so you can see whether the full 12v supply is getting to it when an open command is initiated (BEFORE you press the open.)

The other alternative is to just replace (and thus eliminate) a common failure point, the lock itself.
I just did that on a passenger side door lock on my ma's beetle, when it had been resting for a few days, it could take over a dozen unlock commands to finally get it to unlock.. Sorted the problem.

[strikey377]

thanks for the suggestion. looking at it I think you have to disturb the alignment of the locks to strip the interior panels out. it feels like its both catches are not releasing , so perhaps its the pull from the solenoid rather than the catches themselves , what's the chances of two going crook? (I assume from putting my ear to the tailgate that there is a single solenoid mounted low in the panel operating the catches via cables?)

assuming the solenoid isn't getting 12v , what would be the next course of action?

[strikey377]

as an update , ive thrown a firm email at Mercedes (I couldn't find a direct email contact for smart uk for love nor money) , so see what they come back with in the meantime!

[strikey377]

mercedes customer services came back to me. they were unable to offer ANY technical assistance but assured me that the fault will be taken seriously and resolved. they would contact the supplying dealer and arrange for the work to be completed. my mother happened to call in to the dealer by chance after this but they were yet to hear from Mercedes but she was told that once a complaint is held on the system it HAS to be resolved. whilst the sales manager was trying to persuade my mother to buy a new smart (no chance....too damn ugly) she asked him to open the boot which they had said was not faulty...6 attempts later it opened!! just waiting for a call to get the car in to the dealer now....and the body shop for warranty corrosion work....this one is in no way as good as the previous two smarts!!

[57dibbs]

I often have the problem with my Cabrio, and had the same with the previous one, I've found it to be a problem with the seal sticking rather than the latch.
I brush a bit of talc on the seal every now and then and the problem goes away.

[pas55]

Same here find it is the seal not the latch

[strikey377]

an application of a little light vinyl & rubber dressing does seem to have solved the issue...certainly at the moment. not heard anything from Mercedes yet but either way its a pretty poor job that they couldn't sort this out in 3 YEARS..especially if it is as simple a fix as this!

[strikey377]

update..... the "quick fix" lasted for four months before another tiny smear of dressing was required again... can most certainly live with that!

the bigger story is that over a combination of this issue (which was never resolved by Mercedes South West despite firm assurances by their customer services that it would) and my mother being mucked about over a corrosion warranty claim (said they would honour claim , told mum to take it to bodyshop for assessment...80 mile round trip...left her waiting 6 weeks... then refused claim) , smart/Mercedes have now lost a loyal customer. not that they are worried about one lost but my mothers treatment has been diabolical , I wonder if it would have been the same if she was a potential £100k+ amg buyer and not an oap buying a new smart every 3 or so years??? shoddy Mercedes , very shoddy!!

[57dibbs]

I can't say I've been overly impressed with Mercedes South West (Taunton) I always get the impression they'd rather not be dealing with Smarts.
Maybe it's different with 452's, but as the don't do a CDi I won't be having one.

[strikey377]

this was truro branch. my late step father had 3 mercs on the trot from them...the last a sl just before he passed away and this is my mothers third smart but none of this seems to count for anything. their staff just don't seem to give a t0$$ these days , the service manager was so disillusioned that he quit and has opened up nearer to us as an independent....no guesses where the car will be going for annual servicing from now on , especially as the difference between his rates and what she was being ripped off on their "service plan" would pay for several very nice meals out in the year!!!