I have 95 sl 500 convertible. top is down and wont go up. what kind of hydraulic fluid does it take and is it located under the spare. i hear electrical working just not enough push. please advise

There could be Low hydraulic fluid level in pump reservoir. That should be located around your spare tire.

Check the tops hydraulic lift pump fluid level, if it is low check for leaks under the car in the rear.

Top needs to be up when top is down the Pistons extend with fluid showing it is low and if you fill at that time when you close it the Pistons will go back in and fluid will run out and possible cause of a leak

check fluid hear pump run

The control module has set a fault and it will have to be reset. They are sensitive to voltage & must have 12 volts to operate properly.
The windows and top will need to be resync. I cannot find any information regarding the diagnostic procedure for the roof .. it states there is a procedure to diagnose the fault with the number of flashes the switch makes .. a dealer may be your best option on this fault .. I hope this helps some.

Almost all power convertible tops are electric over hydraulic. The ecectric motor runs a hydraulic pump. The pump pushes fluid to the cylinders that work the top. Most are located behind the rear seat backrest. Either remove the rear backrest or access the motor/pump from the trunl. It will be shaped like a cylinder. At one is the electric motor, at the other end is the hydraulic reservoir. At the end of the reservoir is a rubber plug. With the top down, remove the plug and fill it with tran fluid till it over flows. replace the plug and cycle the top up and down as far as it will go. Repeat the process till it will take no more fluid. A turkey baster with a piece of vacuum line makes a good filler tool. With that said, you must find the leak. You may have a leaking pump, hydraulic line or cylinder. RNever replace one line. Do them all. Always replace cylinders in pairs.

Good luck, Karl at aoksales.com

the hydraulic fluid may be low. the pump is located in the right side of luggage compartment. it has a plastic fluid reservoir which often has hair line cracks near the mounting screws. fluid seeps through cracks. reservoir needs to be replaced.

The rear windows are controlled by a timer in the top's ECU. If
the rear windows stop fully closing before your top is closed, the
problem MAY be with top's hydraulic system.

Check your top's hydraulic reserve tank for low fluid level. Lack
of fluid will greatly delay the top's closing sequence, leaving
those rear windows partially open.
Your top's hydraulic pump system is located beneath the right side
of the cubby/storage box behind the front seats. Raise the cover
and you'll see a removable trim panel on the right side. The pump
is behind that access panel.

You can use power steering fluid to top off the tank, but don't
fill it above level indicator line. You may have to add more fluid
after you cycle the top up and down to get the air bubbles out of
the lines.
It could also be a relay. On a 95 the relays that are in the trunk above the battery.
Perhaps, just switching the relays might prove which one is failing..

I had the same problem. One day I opened the hydraulic resevoir under the spare tire to check the level of the hydraulic fluid and voila' the top started to work fine. It opened and closed perfectly. It has worked fine now since July. The only thing I did was open the resevoir. Perhaps there was some kind of air block!

I solved my own problem by accident! I checked the hydraulic fluid under the spare tire and voila' the top started to work fine! It has worked perfectly now since July!