Brakes stick after wash
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 327
Likes: 20
From: USA
2015 C300 RWD Sport Premium
Brakes stick after wash
On Saturday I hand washed my C300 sport. Car sat in the garage for a couple days until I left for work this morning. I released the parking brake put the car in reverse and nothing! I put the parking brake back on and released it again, put it back in reverse and gave it some throttle. Still nothing! I couldn’t move forward because I only have about a foot of clearance in the garage. Finally I gave it about 50% throttle and I heard a HUGE POP! I thought I left my transmission on the floor. Turns out the water in between the pads and the rotors dried up over the weekend causing the brakes to stick. Scared the hell out of me!
Make note: If you don’t plan on using the car for a couple days after washing. Don’t let the water sit there. Take the car around the block. Dry out those pads!
Make note: If you don’t plan on using the car for a couple days after washing. Don’t let the water sit there. Take the car around the block. Dry out those pads!
Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 236
Likes: 2
C400
Where are you located? Sounds like the water in there might have froze a bit if you happen to be in a cold climate. Otherwise, never experienced something like that on any of my vehicles but I do always tap the brakes a couple of times as I'm pulling the car back in the garage to help dry them off a bit. 
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 327
Likes: 20
From: USA
2015 C300 RWD Sport Premium
Where are you located? Sounds like the water in there might have froze a bit if you happen to be in a cold climate. Otherwise, never experienced something like that on any of my vehicles but I do always tap the brakes a couple of times as I'm pulling the car back in the garage to help dry them off a bit.
I'm in Florida. It was a cold 80 degrees over the weekend Lol. It happened on my BMW a couple times. But never this bad.
Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 236
Likes: 2
C400
Lol, yeah guess it wouldn't have froze! Odd, never had something like that happen to me before and I've left the car sitting for over a day before after washing. Although I don't normally engage the parking brake on my vehicles, just put it in park.
Super Member
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 561
Likes: 4
From: UK (South West)
2015 C220 AMG Line Bluetech.
I know, Hand (Parking) Brakes do tend to "grab" onto discs a little.
I find it worse if I have used a wheel/rim cleaner, when washing. I tend to take the car for a short spin, before packing away - saves the discs from oxidising.
I find it worse if I have used a wheel/rim cleaner, when washing. I tend to take the car for a short spin, before packing away - saves the discs from oxidising.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 327
Likes: 20
From: USA
2015 C300 RWD Sport Premium
That parking brake drives me insane. I wish I could shut that auto apply feature off. I have no need for the parking brake to be applied every time I pull into the garage.
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Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 327
Likes: 20
From: USA
2015 C300 RWD Sport Premium
That's crazy! I'm always parked on flat roads. Brake automatically applies all the time
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 457
Likes: 16
From: Columbus, GA
'25 MB GLE 450, w/airmatic
How do you tell if the parking brake is being applied automatically. I have never set it not seen/heard any indication of it being applied automatically.
If it does apply automatically, and you don't know that, what happens if you apply the brake...are you actually releasing the brake?
If it does apply automatically, and you don't know that, what happens if you apply the brake...are you actually releasing the brake?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,822
Likes: 33
From: Whitefield, NH
2015 C300 Sport: Palladium, Premium, Multimedia, Leather, BLIS
The parking brake disengages automatically when you engage a gear and give it some throttle. The parking brake will engage automatically if you are on a hill and press the brake pedal firmly ... that's the hill hold feature.
Normal engagement of the parking brake requires a push of the brake button.
Normal engagement of the parking brake requires a push of the brake button.
