Mercedes-Benz CLK - How to detect a water Leak In a Soft top | W209 / A209

Customer complaint: Water in the soft top compartment or in the trunk.
The water pocket must be investigated closely. First connect the battery to the charger.
Work area for this repair: The rear end of the vehicle on both sides.
The painted side panels must be covered with appropriate padding.
Note: This is to prevent damage to the surface of the car!
The soft top can be folded out to see where the damage is.
When the rear part of the soft top with the rear window is in the vertical position, ...
... the water pocket can be seen at once and the tear is clearly visible.
Before commencing the repair work, the two flaps must be fastened ...
... onto the rear cover for the soft top compartment. Otherwise you could get caught on them.
The following tools and materials are required for the repair: ...
... 6 metal clips, part number: A 208 779 0070 ...
... one plastic strip, part number: A 209 778 0933 4049 00 1 ABS ...
... and the repair kit for the water pocket, part number A 209 778 07 96.
You will also need: a hammer, the appropriate screwdrivers, ...
... a spike, a riveter and double-sided adhesive tape.
A cordless screwdriver would also be useful.
Use this first to undo the topmost screw fastening the headliner.
If the tab does not want to come undone straight away, simply help it with the screwdriver.
The screw on the other side must be undone as well.
The fabric cover can then be carefully pulled out of the frame.
Make sure your hands are clean! Dirt on the headliner is very difficult to remove.
The connections for the rear window are now exposed.
All the nuts can now be removed.
Then separate the plug connector for the rear window heater.
Loosen the window from the frame with gentle blows and remove upwards.
Replace rubber seal of rear window after every removal to prevent the entry of water.
In order to reach the water pocket, the side fastening frame must be detached too.
To do this, remove the 5 nuts.
The rubber seal between the frame and the flap ...
... can now be pulled out carefully.
The soft top is attached to the frame at various points.
Have a close look at these points because the soft top must be detached from the frame completely.
Lots of elastic straps hold the water pocket. These must be detached too.
The only bolt is located on the underside of the plastic skirt.
The other elastic straps are fastened with rivets.
Use a screwdriver to carefully knock out the rivets.
Here, too, the soft top is attached to the frame by a rivet and a tab.
Remove the rivets holding the water pocket on the frame using the spike.
The hem of the water pocket contains a plastic strip that protrudes at the bottom.
This strip will probably be destroyed when removing the rivet.
The replacement part is ready and the plastic strip can be replaced.
Another piece of fabric tape must be removed.
The plastic cable attached to the frame must be unhooked.
At the side the soft top is glued to the frame. Simply pull it away from the glue.
The soft top section at the B-pillar must also be detached.
First move the soft top to the vertical position.
Then just pull out the rubber seal at this point.
Pull the glued part away from the frame and lower the roof again.
The frame fastening of the water pocket contains this plastic strip.
Pull out the strip. Fold up the fabric top.
On the inner frame there are three rivets that hold the water pocket from inside.
These rivets must be removed too.
Take care not to damage the cable that runs alongside the upper rivet.
The little plastic cable you just removed from the frame ...
... is fitted with a plastic guide. Detach it and keep it safe.
The plastic guide will be needed again when installing.
The old water pocket is cut away from the fabric roof and the new one glued in.
To avoid damaging the fastening straps on the inside of the soft top when cutting or gluing, ...
... they must be masked with strips of adhesive tape.
Leave 2.5 centimeters showing for gluing in the new water pocket.
Use a pen to mark a dotted line to cut along.
Now the water pocket is carefully cut away.
The cut along the dots must be straight.
If all goes to plan, the cut edge now looks like this.
The repair kit includes a paper template.

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