greenm

Took my wife's '05 ML500SE to the dealer yesterday to address the brake squeal problem. At first, the SA said "they all do that", until I gave him the TSB on this. They tried lubricating the pads, as per the TSB. Brakes still squealed. The ML has 8k miles on it, and this started at about 7k miles. They ended up replacing all 4 rotors, and installed new pads on front and rear. All covered under warranty, which surprised me, as I thought brakes were not covered.

sosh

Mine were all replaced numerous times before I reached 3000 miles. The only thing that corrected it was when MB came out with a new type pad in I believe 03. However in cold weather they still squeal until warmed up. I am surprised that yours squeal as I would have assumed they have the latest pads

flanders

My new '05 ML500SE had brake squeal for the first 700 miles or so; now at 2000 miles and no squeal. Just had it in for the initial service with no changes.

Darkmann

Mine are still squealing. You're right though, it squeals mostly when it's cold. It doesn't really bother me that much at the moment, but I bet the final solution would be to replace pads and rotors.

sosh

Its only going to help for a short time. At least thats been my experience. Most likely will not do it when weater warms up.

Edmond Young

Similar situation, I had my pads replaced at 7000km, been squealing until now at 13000km. Got the truck back from MB in Canada today, the final words were no cure at the moment - all V8 ML's squeals at cold temperature, some what -5C (or 10F) and below. The rotors are pretty ugly but they said changing them won't help. Let me know if yours work!

greenm

Sad to report that the new pads & rotors are already squealing. The ML is garaged, but temps here have been in the teens, so I'll wait till Spring to see if the warmer weather helps. Anyone know if any of the aftermarket pads such as Axis are any better regarding noise?

rnkc

That is NORMAL to all ML, I have to use the word “NORMAL” because both dealer and I had put enough effort trying to fix my ML55 (included polish rotor, replace pad, replace rotor) they are all under war. Until 20KM or 1 year, whatever comes first.
And to the point, I told Mercedes “” F#$@ it “” and force myself to bear with it and tell everyone that is normal.
So get your brake pad and rotors replace before 20Km or his first B-day then buy yourself a ear-plug on his b-day and stick with it….. “”sigh”””

///AMG55

Yo, listen up this is the ultimate quick fix for all the ML Class pieces of carp out there. Take a can of WD-40 out of your garage and spray it all over inside the wheel mainly onto your rotors, try to get inside your brake calipers if you can. This should solve your problems for at least two-three months winter time maybe less do to all the crap and salt that gets into the brakes. Quick fix for a huge problem that these cars have. Peace

rizwan

Won't spraying WD-40 (a lubricant) into your rotors and pads make them slippery and therefore ineffective?

KILLERLEXUS

that would be dangerous to get WD-40 on your rotors..wont it prevent you from stopping ir you get your rotors slippery?what do you mean by spraying the whole wheel?

///AMG55

There is only a slight slippery feel to depressing the brake pedal for first 1-10 meters. Quickly augmented by applying more pressure to brake pedal. No way is your braking power going to be effected short/long term. Your brakes are the strongest part of your car! Don’t be a *****. Just do it.

MBTech_MD

Sorry guys.. There is no fix for this. New hardware is not the problem

Pads cause brake squel nothing else. People get really pissed sometimes when i tell em "its normal all ml's do that" But its sad and they do.

I just feel bad for people who get there brakes changed at the local garage and they dont use the MB special stop squel lubricant we use prior to installing the pads.... Then you talk about ear pearcing squel

jimmysanjuan

I had the dreaded squeal as well, but not anymore. I do my own brake work and replaced the stock pads with Porterfields (R4S) and replaced the rotors with Brembos. I use the MB stop squeal paste as well. No more squeal. You can get both direct from Porterfield. I live in the area and pick them up from their shop in Costa Mesa, CA but they ship everywhere. While you're at it, change your brake fluid to the blue Motul that they use, higher boiling point.

No more brake dust, no more squeal, same stopping power.

blackcube

Brake squeal is a Porsche problem as well. There is an old story floating around of a German mechanic sent over from Porsche in the late '70's to train on certain procedures concerning the 928. He was always amazed that "Germans do not care if the brakes squeal if the cars stops. Americans do not care if the cars stops as long as the brakes do not squeal".

I'm ordering some brake lube from Porterfield on Monday.

mldisappointed

My wife's 2003 ML500 (55,000 miles) has had a long history of squeal problems. They began day 1, requiring clean/reapply antisqueel compound, then shortly thereafter a repeat, followed by resurfacing of rotors. All on a new vehicle with less than 8000 miles on it.

We were charged $700 to replace the pads and resurface rotors again at 15000 miles, a shockingly short period to an old guy like me who remembers years passing between such events.

The new pads were squealling again within 2000 miles, followed by 2 more trips to the dealer (fruitless effort, of course).

I then installed EBC Green pads, which halted the squeal. Wife sabotaged the good news by complaining about brake dust to the dealer, who spotted the aftermarket pads (EBC supplies pads to Mercedes race cars, but they aren't good enough for our cars - not!) and convinced her they needed replacement for safety reasons ($350 changed hands). The truck had 30,000 miles on it at that point.

At 45,000 miles it was time to once again change pads, and I had convinced my wife that the dealer was licking his chops this time due to the fact that it was about time for new rotors as well ($1500 or so).

I personally installed Italian made Brembo rotors and EBC Green pads, and we're 10000 miles without squeal. I cleaned the new rotors with brake cleaner and scuffed them down with a rough scotchpad. I also used a permatex brand antisqueal compound and oem shims.

Far as I'm conderned, Mercedes needs to recall these cars and put good brakes under them. The odds of my replacing this SUV with another Mercedes product after this are exactly zero. My wife likes the vehicle, but it is one big disappointment for a guy who lived in Germany for 3 years and always wished he could afford a Mercedes.

mldisappointed

RenaultFreak

I'd rather let them squeal thankyouverymuch

Leslie Burkitt

Dear All,

I live on the island of Margarita off the coast of Venezuela and might as well live on a Desert island for the help i can get from Mercedes Benz the company and its cartel of dealers.

After more than 16 months my mechanic has partially completed the renovation of my power transmission system but now we need spark plugs, petrol pump and filter, as well as 4 new wheel sensors and a new battery.

Before i am tempted to drive both my car and myself off the cliffs near Isla Margarita Golf Club, can any fellow forum member help me locate anything else i need without so much stress and time lost.

I also need a new igntion security key and a batch of other things i would like to buy.

Please please someone help me and quickly please !!!!