Shaking brakes 2016 S550...help please
12-24-2016, 09:38 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Shaking brakes 2016 S550...help please
Hi Everyone,
I am new here and was hoping for some input. I bought a new 2016 S550 last February and since then the front rotars and pads have had to be replaced 3 times due to excessive shaking while braking between 60 and 80mph. I have about 15k miles and it seems every 5k miles the brakes need to be replaced. This last time the dealership said it was because my tires had zero tread on the inside edge and made me replace all 4 tires...and then they still felt the shaking and now they are replacing the rotars again.
Has anyone else had this experience with their car? Are 15k miles normal for replacing the perelli tires...i guess the car did not come alligned? What should i do about the brake problem...just let them replace the rotars every 5k miles?
The car is currently at the dealership waiting for rotars from germany according to the service department.
I love this car but dont know what to do about the brakes. Help please
I am new here and was hoping for some input. I bought a new 2016 S550 last February and since then the front rotars and pads have had to be replaced 3 times due to excessive shaking while braking between 60 and 80mph. I have about 15k miles and it seems every 5k miles the brakes need to be replaced. This last time the dealership said it was because my tires had zero tread on the inside edge and made me replace all 4 tires...and then they still felt the shaking and now they are replacing the rotars again.
Has anyone else had this experience with their car? Are 15k miles normal for replacing the perelli tires...i guess the car did not come alligned? What should i do about the brake problem...just let them replace the rotars every 5k miles?
The car is currently at the dealership waiting for rotars from germany according to the service department.
I love this car but dont know what to do about the brakes. Help please
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Ruby Camarillo (11-01-2020)
12-24-2016, 09:49 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Where do you feel the shaking? In the steering wheel or the seat?
12-24-2016, 10:24 PM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
Since this seems to keep reoccurring it might be due to well heated rotors being directly exposed to large amounts of cold water (say during washing) which may warp the rotors causing a vibration (felt in the steering whee)l when at speed while the brakes are being applied.
12-24-2016, 10:25 PM
#4
Newbie
Thread Starter
It feels like the shaking is in the front end of the car. It is not the seat but the entire car seems to shake when i step on the brakes at highway speeds. I dont think i feel it in the steering wheel but it might be there as well. I didn't pay that much attention. The dealership said the roaters are wearing unevenly.
12-24-2016, 10:28 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
Possibly one caliper sticking.
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Nice Ride (12-26-2016)
12-25-2016, 06:10 PM
#6
I am new here and was hoping for some input. I bought a new 2016 S550 last February and since then the front rotars and pads have had to be replaced 3 times due to excessive shaking while braking between 60 and 80mph. I have about 15k miles and it seems every 5k miles the brakes need to be replaced.
12-25-2016, 07:14 PM
#7
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2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
Some additional information, please:
1. How many years have you been driving?
2. What was the make/model of your previous car?
3. Have you ever had this problem with other cars you have owned or leased?
4. What general area do you live in?
1. How many years have you been driving?
2. What was the make/model of your previous car?
3. Have you ever had this problem with other cars you have owned or leased?
4. What general area do you live in?
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12-25-2016, 08:53 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
I am 35 and have been driving since i was 15. In the last 10 years i typically average 15k to 18k miles a year. My immediate past car was a 2007 chevy malibu...lol...but my past cars prior to that were a Lincoln navigator, infiniti g20t, jeep grand cherokeet limited, lexus LS 400, mitsubishi 300gt vr4 and an infiniti I30t. I have always owned my cars and have never experienced anything like this in any other car so i really dont think this is related to the way i drive. I am also mostly driving on the highway so there is not much stop and go in my weekly driving. I am in the tampa bay area of Florida...not a whole lot of traffic and it is pretty flat land.
12-25-2016, 09:16 PM
#9
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I am 35 and have been driving since i was 15. In the last 10 years i typically average 15k to 18k miles a year. My immediate past car was a 2007 chevy malibu...lol...but my past cars prior to that were a Lincoln navigator, infiniti g20t, jeep grand cherokeet limited, lexus LS 400, mitsubishi 300gt vr4 and an infiniti I30t. I have always owned my cars and have never experienced anything like this in any other car so i really dont think this is related to the way i drive. I am also mostly driving on the highway so there is not much stop and go in my weekly driving. I am in the tampa bay area of Florida...not a whole lot of traffic and it is pretty flat land.
I have ever heard. Brake rotors for a current model car should NEVER even come close to being out of stock in ANY country, let alone the USA. Good luck and
Merry Christmas,
Streamliner
12-25-2016, 11:21 PM
#10
I am 35 and have been driving since i was 15. In the last 10 years i typically average 15k to 18k miles a year. My immediate past car was a 2007 chevy malibu...lol...but my past cars prior to that were a Lincoln navigator, infiniti g20t, jeep grand cherokeet limited, lexus LS 400, mitsubishi 300gt vr4 and an infiniti I30t. I have always owned my cars and have never experienced anything like this in any other car so i really dont think this is related to the way i drive.
I understand that you think you understand the components on the car. However, you are driving a relatively high powered HEAVY car with rather stout brakes. Brakes that when used as if the car were a sports car can generate considerable heat in the rotors. Not letting the rotors cool properly causes a lot of the kind of problems you wrote about in OP. In order to let the brakes cool properly, you need to let them cool without any brake pressure on the rotors. This, invariably, requires planning ahead.
I am also mostly driving on the highway so there is not much stop and go in my weekly driving. I am in the tampa bay area of Florida...not a whole lot of traffic and it is pretty flat land.
12-26-2016, 08:07 PM
#11
Newbie
Thread Starter
I understand what you are saying but i dont claim to be any type of expert driver or high performance driver and i definately dont understant the complex mechanics of a car, although i wish i did. What I am doing is what i would claim is normal everyday driving to and from work and would expect this car to be able to tolerate it without needing the rotars replaced every 5k miles. If this car cant tolerate leaving my house, getting on the interstate and driving for 30 min and exiting off the interstate to pull into work 5 days a week then they should say that when you test drive and buy it. Usually when i come to a stop i do keep my foot on the brake otherwise i will keep going and bump into the car in front of me?? What else should I be doing? Switching to park or neutral every time i stop?
If it really is my driving then i would think there are other people who have a similar driving pattern that should be having the same problem. I cant be the only one who drives to and from work on the interstate 5 days a week in a S550.
I love this car and dont want to get rid of it but if it is not made for my type of driving i might be forced to trade it.
If it really is my driving then i would think there are other people who have a similar driving pattern that should be having the same problem. I cant be the only one who drives to and from work on the interstate 5 days a week in a S550.
I love this car and dont want to get rid of it but if it is not made for my type of driving i might be forced to trade it.
12-27-2016, 01:32 AM
#12
OP, you are not along. I remember seeing the warped rotor question many times in the past years.
Without seeing your car, it could be caused by many reasons -- following is a good article (from Tiretrack.com) that goes through all aspects of causing a rotor to warp.
If you have some time, try to read the whole article... and hope it could help you troubleshoot the exact problem in your case.
Best regards,
Without seeing your car, it could be caused by many reasons -- following is a good article (from Tiretrack.com) that goes through all aspects of causing a rotor to warp.
If you have some time, try to read the whole article... and hope it could help you troubleshoot the exact problem in your case.
Best regards,
Per TireRack FAQ:
The main symptom of warped rotors is a pulsation felt in the pedal when brakes are applied. If the vibration is also felt in the steering wheel or in the dash of the vehicle, it’s more likely a completely different problem: brake judder. A simple run-out measurement will confirm the diagnosis.
What is brake judder?
New brake pads need a smooth, clean surface to lay down an even transfer film. Residue from the previous pad compound on the surface or an uneven transfer film from overheating the new pads will cause the pads to grip-slip-grip-slip as they pass over the rotor surface under pressure. The resulting vibrations and noise telegraph and amplify as they pass through the suspension and steering components of the vehicle. This vibration and noise is known as brake judder or brake shimmy. This is often misdiagnosed as a warped rotor. If caught early enough, this can be fixed by cleaning the rotor surfaces with 200 grit garnet paper followed by spray brake cleaner to remove any compound buildup on the rotors. Then the pads should be re-bedded following the manufacturer’s instructions. Normally this will eliminate the judder and noise issues.
The only way to confirm a rotor is warped is to measure run-out with a dial indicator gauge. Most shops are equipped with this measuring tool and can check the bare rotor run-outs on the vehicle. If your installer says a rotor is warped, be sure to ask them for the run-out numbers on the rotor as well as the run-out numbers on the hub under the rotor. The new rotor should also be checked for excessive run-out using a dial indicator gauge once it is mounted and before the caliper and pads are installed. If a rotor has excessive run-out of over .004" (.10mm) it should be replaced.
All brake rotor manufacturers will require run-out numbers when processing a warranty claim.
Excessive run-out of the hub could indicate worn wheel bearings that need to be replaced or debris trapped between the rotor and the hub surface. Both of these can cause excessive run-out and pulsations in the brake pedal. Once the hub and bearings are checked, the new rotor should also be checked for excessive run-out using a dial indicator gauge.
Brake rotors do not warp from heat, even when driven by the most aggressive traffic officer. Instead, they wear unevenly. This uneven wear is caused by the brake pads themselves as they intermittently touch an out-of-true rotor. The root cause of the uneven wear is one of two things: either the rotor was installed out-of-true with the hub, or the tire was improperly torqued to the hub during the last tire change.
All of this is important for fleet managers because their vehicles have the tires removed frequently and the pads and rotors replaced frequently. You won’t solve a problem caused by wear if you treat it as a problem caused by heat. Instead, fix the rotor installation or wheel lug nut torquing.
The problem of pedal vibration, incorrectly called rotor warp, occurs 3,000 to 5,000 miles after the brake or tire change. Because it is caused by uneven rotor wear, not the rotor warping like a potato chip from heat, you can’t solve this wear problem by better control of the heat, i.e., by the use of specially processed rotors or drilled and slotted rotors. Instead, you solve the wear problem by fixing the shortcuts in rotor installation or the improper lug nut tightening.
By taking a few steps, the fleet manager can easily, quickly and permanently fix the pedal pulsation problem. First, for each rotor change, verify the runout of the rotor, and then do one or two quick things to have it less than 0.002 inch, which is the OE spec for most vehicles. Two, for each tire and wheel change or rotation, torque the lugs in a star pattern using either a torque wrench or torque stick. Those two steps will virtually eliminate premature rotor wear, period.
Think about it this way: What are your conservative officers doing to their cars to “warp” the brake rotors in less than 5,000 miles? They don’t get the brakes warm (350 F), let alone patrol-hot (600 F), and never pursuit-hot (850 F). Yet their rotors are warping? No. They are not warping. They are unevenly wearing during the times of zero brake pedal pressure, and your officers are not doing anything to either prevent it or cause it.
Cheers
The main symptom of warped rotors is a pulsation felt in the pedal when brakes are applied. If the vibration is also felt in the steering wheel or in the dash of the vehicle, it’s more likely a completely different problem: brake judder. A simple run-out measurement will confirm the diagnosis.
What is brake judder?
New brake pads need a smooth, clean surface to lay down an even transfer film. Residue from the previous pad compound on the surface or an uneven transfer film from overheating the new pads will cause the pads to grip-slip-grip-slip as they pass over the rotor surface under pressure. The resulting vibrations and noise telegraph and amplify as they pass through the suspension and steering components of the vehicle. This vibration and noise is known as brake judder or brake shimmy. This is often misdiagnosed as a warped rotor. If caught early enough, this can be fixed by cleaning the rotor surfaces with 200 grit garnet paper followed by spray brake cleaner to remove any compound buildup on the rotors. Then the pads should be re-bedded following the manufacturer’s instructions. Normally this will eliminate the judder and noise issues.
The only way to confirm a rotor is warped is to measure run-out with a dial indicator gauge. Most shops are equipped with this measuring tool and can check the bare rotor run-outs on the vehicle. If your installer says a rotor is warped, be sure to ask them for the run-out numbers on the rotor as well as the run-out numbers on the hub under the rotor. The new rotor should also be checked for excessive run-out using a dial indicator gauge once it is mounted and before the caliper and pads are installed. If a rotor has excessive run-out of over .004" (.10mm) it should be replaced.
All brake rotor manufacturers will require run-out numbers when processing a warranty claim.
Excessive run-out of the hub could indicate worn wheel bearings that need to be replaced or debris trapped between the rotor and the hub surface. Both of these can cause excessive run-out and pulsations in the brake pedal. Once the hub and bearings are checked, the new rotor should also be checked for excessive run-out using a dial indicator gauge.
Brake rotors do not warp from heat, even when driven by the most aggressive traffic officer. Instead, they wear unevenly. This uneven wear is caused by the brake pads themselves as they intermittently touch an out-of-true rotor. The root cause of the uneven wear is one of two things: either the rotor was installed out-of-true with the hub, or the tire was improperly torqued to the hub during the last tire change.
All of this is important for fleet managers because their vehicles have the tires removed frequently and the pads and rotors replaced frequently. You won’t solve a problem caused by wear if you treat it as a problem caused by heat. Instead, fix the rotor installation or wheel lug nut torquing.
The problem of pedal vibration, incorrectly called rotor warp, occurs 3,000 to 5,000 miles after the brake or tire change. Because it is caused by uneven rotor wear, not the rotor warping like a potato chip from heat, you can’t solve this wear problem by better control of the heat, i.e., by the use of specially processed rotors or drilled and slotted rotors. Instead, you solve the wear problem by fixing the shortcuts in rotor installation or the improper lug nut tightening.
By taking a few steps, the fleet manager can easily, quickly and permanently fix the pedal pulsation problem. First, for each rotor change, verify the runout of the rotor, and then do one or two quick things to have it less than 0.002 inch, which is the OE spec for most vehicles. Two, for each tire and wheel change or rotation, torque the lugs in a star pattern using either a torque wrench or torque stick. Those two steps will virtually eliminate premature rotor wear, period.
Think about it this way: What are your conservative officers doing to their cars to “warp” the brake rotors in less than 5,000 miles? They don’t get the brakes warm (350 F), let alone patrol-hot (600 F), and never pursuit-hot (850 F). Yet their rotors are warping? No. They are not warping. They are unevenly wearing during the times of zero brake pedal pressure, and your officers are not doing anything to either prevent it or cause it.
Cheers
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12-28-2016, 08:18 PM
#13
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Thread Starter
Thanks all. A great article and i will make sure the mechanic reads it. I got an update today that the parts wont be in until the end of February, which is crazy to me so i put a call into mbusa.
02-14-2017, 01:51 PM
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Op you should be able to drive the car normally like you are doing and I do not think it is you're driving style nor should that be an issue, this is a $100,000 car that should be accommodating of many different types of drivers including you. This car needs to be re-purchased by your dealer if they cannot get this right and I agree that you should hire an attorney if you get to that point.
if this very expensive car is so sensitive that you have to have a certain style of driving it then it is not worth $50,000 brand-new
if this very expensive car is so sensitive that you have to have a certain style of driving it then it is not worth $50,000 brand-new
10-24-2018, 02:05 PM
#18
Member
I have had this issue twice in my prior vehicles (none of which was MB). First one was due to taking it through automated car washes after brake heavy driving, which warped everything off (wife...). Second was due to living in high elevation and having to drive to pretty much sea level to get access to highways and other civilized roads, driving down hill with the foot on the brake pedal (as opposed to actually using gears, wife again...). They pretty much both resulted in major judder on the steering wheel mostly, which ended with us changing the rotors and the pads eventually... You can argue you do not have to change both, but once it is open why not? That fixed the issue for our vehicles rather immediately... Good luck on yours.
05-26-2019, 10:15 PM
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[QUOTE=Rpapab;7004836]Hi Everyone,
I am new here and was hoping for some input. I bought a new 2016 S550 last February and since then the front rotars and pads have had to be replaced 3 times due to excessive shaking while braking between 60 and 80mph. I have about 15k miles and it seems every 5k miles the brakes need to be replaced. This last time the dealership said it was because my tires had zero tread on the inside edge and made me replace all 4 tires...and then they still felt the shaking and now they are replacing the rotars again.
Has anyone else had this experience with their car? Are 15k miles normal for replacing the perelli tires...i guess the car did not come alligned? What should i do about the brake problem...just let them replace the rotars every 5k miles?
The car is currently at the dealership waiting for rotars from germany according to the service department.
I love this car but don't know what to do about the brakes. Help please[/Q........................I have a 2016 s550 that i love too...22300 miles, just had to change my 4 rotors and pads ..im very disappointed.. my front p-zeros chg'd at 10000 miles . MB did not take responsibility .. I tempted to wright to the owner of the dealership ..... my rotors were lipped and grooved..
I am new here and was hoping for some input. I bought a new 2016 S550 last February and since then the front rotars and pads have had to be replaced 3 times due to excessive shaking while braking between 60 and 80mph. I have about 15k miles and it seems every 5k miles the brakes need to be replaced. This last time the dealership said it was because my tires had zero tread on the inside edge and made me replace all 4 tires...and then they still felt the shaking and now they are replacing the rotars again.
Has anyone else had this experience with their car? Are 15k miles normal for replacing the perelli tires...i guess the car did not come alligned? What should i do about the brake problem...just let them replace the rotars every 5k miles?
The car is currently at the dealership waiting for rotars from germany according to the service department.
I love this car but don't know what to do about the brakes. Help please
[/Q........................I have a 2016 s550 that i love too...22300 miles, just had to change my 4 rotors and pads ..im very disappointed.. my front p-zeros chg'd at 10000 miles . MB did not take responsibility .. I tempted to wright to the owner of the dealership ..... my rotors were lipped and grooved..
05-26-2019, 10:16 PM
#20
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2016 S550 brake rotors
...I have a 2016 s550 that i love too...22300 miles, just had to change my 4 rotors and pads ..im very disappointed.. my front p-zeros chg'd at 10000 miles . MB did not take responsibility .. I tempted to wright to the owner of the dealership ..... my rotors were lipped and grooved..
05-27-2019, 01:29 PM
#21
MBWorld Fanatic!
I have a 2015 S550 with the sport package and I just changed my front rotors and pads at around 33K miles. Probably could have got another 3K out of them but had the time and parts. Did the job myself, very easy to do. Took around 2 hours for the front two including the flush. Parts were around 450.00 for pads, rotors and HW kit along with sensor. Dealer wanted 1600 which is a complete rip off. These cars are very easy to work on if you have a basic set of hand tools and a floor jack. No shuddering or shaking on the new set up and the old set up was true and vibration free all the way until I replaced them. The other benefit of doing it yourself is you can select the pads you want. I went with the ceramic low dust ones from Brembo and so far not dust. Factory pads are dust monsters.
05-27-2019, 09:48 PM
#22
MBWorld Fanatic!
I have a 2015 S550 with the sport package and I just changed my front rotors and pads at around 33K miles. Probably could have got another 3K out of them but had the time and parts. Did the job myself, very easy to do. Took around 2 hours for the front two including the flush. Parts were around 450.00 for pads, rotors and HW kit along with sensor. Dealer wanted 1600 which is a complete rip off. These cars are very easy to work on if you have a basic set of hand tools and a floor jack. No shuddering or shaking on the new set up and the old set up was true and vibration free all the way until I replaced them. The other benefit of doing it yourself is you can select the pads you want. I went with the ceramic low dust ones from Brembo and so far not dust. Factory pads are dust monsters.
09-07-2020, 10:42 AM
#23
