NuBenz

So, the annoying "squeak" in my brake pedal came back. Last time, the dealer found air in the brake lines. The system was rebled and all was well.

Until now. The squeak returned and this time, no air was found in the lines! The problem was traced to a bad hydraulic brake pedal accumulator (?).

It was replaced and all the lines were rebled. By the way, replacing the accumulator
completely changes the way the pedal feels and the way it actuates the brakes. I have much better control over the grabby nature of the SBC system.

All is well now. Arrrgh... the price of technology!

etenn

You mention the "grabby nature of the SBC system". I have 15,000 miles and I have never noticed any grabby or even unusual brake feel.

I know many people have posted that the brakes were hard to get used to...but I never experienced this. I wonder if the problem you describe above has anything to do with it. Maybe others that thought they brakes were strange have the same problem.

Ed

STKLAW

Was it kind of a "tinging" sound when you put on the brakes? If so I had the same thing happen right after I got my car. They said it was normal. It went away so I didn't say anything about it but I have heard it again. If this squeak you heard was like an electronic "tinging" let me know, please. The way they said they found out it was normal was to drive a demo they had and said it did the same thing.

And yes my brakes have been touchy from the beginning. Your's were and now they're not? Thanks for any help.

NuBenz

Let me clarify my experience.

1. The SBC brakes have always been "grabby". Meaning, barely touching the brake pedal leads to a pretty stout amount of braking force. It was really difficult in the beginning to smoothly modulate the brakes without jerking the car around a bit, especially stopping at traffic lights.

2. Then, the brake pedal starting squeaking. When depressing the pedal, it sounded like you stepped on a little mouse (poor mouse! ) in the car, just underneath the pedal.

3. This squeaking noise was separate from the soft faint electronic "beeeeep" I hear when barely depressing the brake pedal, which I imagine is part of the electronic control of the SBC system.

4. I took the car in and air was found in the brake lines (go figure). The entire system was bled and reprimed. I got the car back and WOW! The brake pedal felt totally different. The pedal was much more firm, and I had better control over the brakes. I was able to drive much more smoothly.

STKLAW

But you still have the electronic beeeping sound?

NuBenz

Let me clarify my experience.

1. The SBC brakes have always been "grabby". Meaning, barely touching the brake pedal leads to a pretty stout amount of braking force. It was really difficult in the beginning to smoothly modulate the brakes without jerking the car around a bit, especially stopping at traffic lights.

2. Then, the brake pedal starting squeaking. When depressing the pedal, it sounded like you stepped on a little mouse (poor mouse! ) in the car, just underneath the pedal.

3. This squeaking noise was separate from the soft faint electronic "beeeeep" I hear when barely depressing the brake pedal, which I imagine is part of the electronic control of the SBC system.

4. I took the car in and air was found in the brake lines (go figure). The entire system was bled and reprimed. I got the car back and WOW! The brake pedal felt totally different. The pedal was much more firm, and I had better control over the brakes. I was able to drive much more smoothly. In addition to this, the little electonic "beeeep" had disappeared under light braking, but was still present at heavier braking forces.

5. All was fine for a while, until I noticed that the pedal was getting a little mushy again. Also, it was getting harder to control the car smoothly again. THEN, the pedal started to squeak AGAIN. This time, no air was found in the brake lines. They tracked the problem down to a bad hydraulic brake accumulator, which was replaced. All the lines were re-primed.

6. Currently, all the squeaking is gone, but the little electronic "beeep" is back more frequently. It's not annoying, but you can hear it, if you really pay attention (meaning, my wife
never hears it! ). Brake control via the pedal is improved and feels almost like when I got the car back after they found air in the brake lines.

I hope this is the end of my squeaky brake saga...

NuBenz

Yep, I still have the real faint beeping sound. It's only present for a split second right when you step on the brake pedal. It really doesn't bother me at this point.

I understand that other folks have this same type of electronic beep when they step on the brake pedal.

cmaustin

Thanks for the info. My brakes just started to give the exact same squeak noise you talked about. I’m taking it in next week. I’ll let you know if my ”brake feel” changes. Wouldn’t mind them being less “grabby”. No matter what I do, there’s always a very slight jerk at the end of a stop.

NuBenz

It sounds like you're having the exact same issue I had. Replacing the hydraulic brake accumulator has improved pedal feel and response, along with getting rid of the annoying squeaking sound. I think the air in the brake lines was a separate issue...


Good Luck!

cmaustin

Got my car back. They replaced the SBC Hydraulic Unit. No more "whoop" sound. Not sure if the brakes feel different. I got a C class loaner so my "feel" is off.

Let me tell ya. If you want to appreciate your E class, drive a C for a couple days. Don't get me wrong, the C class is a nice car but everything about the E is better. The buttons, the center console, the controls layout, the way it drives, the leather, everything is better. Much better. Of course it costs almost twice as much.

bmms8

the new E is better, but new C came out in 2001? i think, so it isnt up to par with materials and stuff, we got a c230 loaner once, and we loved it, kind of underpowered, but good deal for the price, it was a 96 model too