What is break lining?
How critical is break lining wear?
I have not noticed any change in the way the car runs or breaks. Certainly not squeaking! Message says to visit shop.
Any pictures or diagrams showing break lining?
grutsyam

 

Hello and Welcome to the forum -

Your car has a sensors in some of the brake pads. As the pads wear the brake disc scrapes away the insulation on the sensor which exposes the wire inside. This completes the circuit and you get the message on the dash. The sensor is embedded 2-3mm from the brake pad backing plate so you still have plenty of stopping power. But it means that you should get your brakes inspected and be ready to replace the pads AND maybe the discs. The discs also wear but usually last for 2 or 3 brake pad sets. The discs have a thickness spec and the mechanic should measure the thickness to determine if the disc has reached it's end of life. MB discs are not designed to be turned.

Generally, it is the front pads which need replacement since they wear much faster than the rear. For the best braking performance in everyday use, replace with MB pads and discs.

See the stickie by Gregs210 at the top of this forum for details.

Good luck.

 

I want to change front break pads and sensor (if needed) on my 2001 E320 myself.
I will pick up Meercedes parts and replace them myself.
I have had a bad experience with a greedy mechanic before who seemed to be interested in replacing good parts unnecessarily.
I am looking for illustrated instructions. I have all the tools I need.
Please help with pictures if possible, or line by line instructions.
I also love this new challenge. I have done some light car repair work before and I am looking forward to this one!

 

The sticky I referred to has both pictures and written instructions. The posts later in the thread bring up some of the FAQ's. There are additional stickies on brake repair in the W210 section of the benzworld.org site.

Step one would be to determine which pads need replacement. To do so remove a front wheel (maybe both) and a back wheel and examine the brake pad at the edge of the disc. On some pads you will see a plastic coated wire entering the pad material. Is it at the wear surface? Then those are the pads that caused the warning. Measuring the thickness of the disc requires a vernier caliper and a couple of small magnets. Why magnets? Because a lip forms at the very edge of the disc as it wears. To measure the thickness behind the lip you need to 'build up' the thickness for the vernier caliper to clear that lip. Any small magnets about 1/4" thick will be fine. Measure the disc with magnets attached. Then measure the magnets together. Subtract magnets to get disc thickness. Sounds harder than it is.
Minimum thickness on the front is 26mm and on the back 10.5mm. If your discs are very close (+0.1mm) to the limits then plan on replacing them at this time

Now you know if you need to replace discs and which pads you need. You will also want a liter brake fluid, new sensors (one per wheel with sensor about $1/ea) and MB brake grease (one per wheel about $2/ea) to eliminate squeaks. You can get what you need from autohausaz just enter your car info and select pads with sensor holes. Pagid and Textar are OEM compound pads. On the back pads check for 1 or 2 guide pins. Probably will be 2. Brake fluid is DOT 4 LV or DOT 4+ (same thing). You'll also need a T45 bit for the front guide bolts (under plastic plug), a 9mm box end wrench for the bleed valve and a length of clear 3/16" ID vinyl tubing to direct the old fluid into a container.

BTW, someone once said that a car that won't start is an inconvenience but a car that won't stop is a death-trap.

So if you have a soft pedal after doing the brake job, DON'T drive the car until you have bled the brake system and the pedal is hard.

Hope this helps get you started.

 

Please don't take offense but reading your first post and then your second.....I'm not sure you are ready to take on a dyi on probably the most critical part of your car without some direct supervision by someone qualified to do the job.

 

That's a sensible warning -- your *life* depends on those brakes!

Maybe you should fill out your User CP, so we know what you are driving and where you live. Possibly, one of us may have a suggestion for a good independent shop that isn't "greedy."

If you *are* going to do the job, then it would be good to have someone to give you some guidance and inspect the work you do. That's what I did when I first did a brake job.