AMG Line brakes
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Joined: Mar 2026
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2023 C300 4Matic Sedan AMG Line
AMG Line brakes
Hey all, this is my first Mercedes and I can't be happier. I do have a question about the brake pedal fee. When I was test driving the car at a Mercedes dealer, the brake pedal felt squishy and took longer than I thought to engage the brakes. I test drove it side by side with a BMW 330 M Sport, and those brakes had superb initial bite when depressing the pedal slightly. The C300 took much longer to engage the brakes. I asked the salesman about it, and they had the brakes checked by the maintenance department, and said everything was good. I thought this couldn't be how an AMG Line package brakes would feel, and figured I could fix it later. It wasn't a deal breaker as I figured they weren't telling the truth and I loved the rest of the car more than the BMW.
Since I bought it, I've done more looking on the web to see if this is true. What I've come up with is that it uses an engine brake to recharge the 48V battery on initial press and doesn't actually engage the brakes. When you press harder, the brakes engage, and that's when you feel it.
Is this everyone else's experience? To me it feels like there is air in the brake lines and it needs to be flushed.
Since I bought it, I've done more looking on the web to see if this is true. What I've come up with is that it uses an engine brake to recharge the 48V battery on initial press and doesn't actually engage the brakes. When you press harder, the brakes engage, and that's when you feel it.
Is this everyone else's experience? To me it feels like there is air in the brake lines and it needs to be flushed.
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2023 C300 4Matic Sedan AMG Line
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Joined: Jun 2025
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From: SoCal, USA
C300
They may feel weak when you start to press but boy howdy do they work when you really press. To me it looks like MB wanted it this way (why, I couldn't tell you) because there have been lots of comments from lots of people about it. It's not just your car.
But when I had an emergency situation, they really worked. You can trust them, just realize that at the top of the pedal throw they won't do much.
But when I had an emergency situation, they really worked. You can trust them, just realize that at the top of the pedal throw they won't do much.
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Joined: Nov 2018
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From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
Every regular non-AMG Mercedes-Benz I've ever driven has various degrees of terrible brake feel. As said above, they do stop the vehicle in an emergency, but the initial pedal travel feels like it's not connected to anything. Drive an S Class or an EQS and it's way worse than in the C Class, but it's the general feel of Mercedes brakes. As I understand it, it's for the comfort of the passengers. Grabby brakes make a car more jerky when slowing down, upsetting the passengers. Every time I drop off my AMG for service and get a regular MB loaner, I almost rear end somebody for the first couple of miles. It's unnerving how there's practically no brake action at first. If you want proper brake feel, you need to drive at least a C43. AMG fixes this in their cars. AMG line unfortunately is mostly cosmetic and some minor hardware upgrades. BMWs are inherently sportier cars even in non-M disguise. A 330 M Sport is more comparable with the C43, but even the non M Sport models have better brake feel. Just a different philosophy. Mercedes-Benz are luxury first, sport second if at all, unless you step up to proper AMG models.
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Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 88
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From: SoCal, USA
C300
I agree that the C300 is a luxury car more than it is a sports sedan. I really didn't want a sports sedan, so the C300 suits my needs. It does go fast, corners well, is nimble, and stops quickly. But if you are looking for racy racy it isn't the right car for you. I haven't driven a 43 or 63, though I did have a loaner C300 AMG and didn't see the need to trade mine in for one. 
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2023 C300 4Matic Sedan AMG Line
Thanks for all the replies. I have a 2017 Mustang GT with a 6-speed, so that's my fun car. I didn't get a 330i because I wanted luxury over the sports car feel. It's just something to get used to with the brakes and it'll be interesting to see what happens when I go between driving the Mustang with Brembo's and the Mercedes this summer.
And yes, when you stomp on the brakes, they grab hard, just a bit of getting used to the long pedal travel.
And yes, when you stomp on the brakes, they grab hard, just a bit of getting used to the long pedal travel.
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Out Of Control!!
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 11,539
Likes: 5,398
From: San Francisco Bay Area
2019 C63CS
Thanks for all the replies. I have a 2017 Mustang GT with a 6-speed, so that's my fun car. I didn't get a 330i because I wanted luxury over the sports car feel. It's just something to get used to with the brakes and it'll be interesting to see what happens when I go between driving the Mustang with Brembo's and the Mercedes this summer.
And yes, when you stomp on the brakes, they grab hard, just a bit of getting used to the long pedal travel.
And yes, when you stomp on the brakes, they grab hard, just a bit of getting used to the long pedal travel.
MBWorld God!
Joined: Dec 2019
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OP, I noticed there is a setting that might help.
In the vehicle section>Driving>active distance assist DISTRONIC> you can choose the braking based on drive program/comfortable/dynamic.
Set it to dynamic.
In the vehicle section>Driving>active distance assist DISTRONIC> you can choose the braking based on drive program/comfortable/dynamic.
Set it to dynamic.
Last edited by W205C43PFL; May 25, 2026 at 04:51 PM.
