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Help! 01 E430 4Matic won't move, Serious brake problems

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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 02:58 PM
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2013 CLS550 4Matic
Help! 01 E430 4Matic won't move, Serious brake problems

For the past month the brake pedal has felt funny. Somedays it would be super soft the next it would be normal again. I did some searches and found nothing. Now this morning the pedal was super sensistive. I went inside a store came back out, turned the car on and BAS, ESP, ABS visit workshop messages came on. The brake pedal is 100% stiff. I could barely move the shifter to reverse but when I did the car would not even budge. I can tell the calipers are completely locked. I have made a bunch of phone calls no one has heard of it happening and I could not find a similar problem upon searching. My theory is that the fluid is too low so it is preventing me from moving the car and tripped all the warning lights to come on. I am getting the car towed to a local shop to have them look at it. Please if anyone has any idea what the deal could be let me know. Its a 2001 E430 4Matic with 107,000 miles. Even if I go back and the car will move I am not going to take a chance by driving it. Thanks.
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 04:26 PM
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06 CLS55 Renntech stage 5, 04 CL600 ( will miss ),02e55 , 11 R350
I have little experience with 4 matics , but I am wiling to bet that it MAY have something to do with the situation ... it is very rare that all for discs/ calipers will lock up . If your fluid is too low , that should not cause the pedal to be stiff , the pedal will sink more . Pop the hood , check the Brake fluid level . Even if one or two pistons are stuck and not retracting ...it would be unlikely to happen on more then one , MAYBE two pistons. I am glad though that you are set on not driving the car even if it moves ...stupid question.. did you check the parking brakes ?
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 05:18 PM
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Sounds like you might have a problem with the ABS. Under certain conditions it locks the pads to the rotors as a safety feature.
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 11:13 PM
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Went back to the car hours later before work and turned it on. No more warning lights but visually all four pads were still squeezed. Just talked to the towing guy and he said he had a real hard time getting the thing on the flat bed cause all four were solid locked. Some people say it could be the master cylinder and locked up as a preventative safety deal. I hope these guys tomorrow will be able to conclude something.
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Old Sep 13, 2011 | 11:15 PM
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Originally Posted by maxwerks
I have little experience with 4 matics , but I am wiling to bet that it MAY have something to do with the situation ... it is very rare that all for discs/ calipers will lock up . If your fluid is too low , that should not cause the pedal to be stiff , the pedal will sink more . Pop the hood , check the Brake fluid level . Even if one or two pistons are stuck and not retracting ...it would be unlikely to happen on more then one , MAYBE two pistons. I am glad though that you are set on not driving the car even if it moves ...stupid question.. did you check the parking brakes ?
sure wish it was just the parking brake, thanks though.
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