Rear brake wear
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 87
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From: DC Area
Mine: 2008 E350 4Matic --- His: 2014 E 550 4Matic
Rear brake wear
Have 71,800 miles on my 08 E350 4Matic. Took it to the dealer for routine oil change and had them check the brakes since I'm still on the original set and winter is coming. Was told rear brakes were worn with "about 500 miles left on them" and front were fine. No warning lights have come on about brakes in car. Any one have any explanation for why the rear brakes needed to be replaced before front? The car is driven mainly highway miles. Thanks.
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
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From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
There is a wear sensor that triggers alarm. If only 500 miles then why didn't sensor trigger alarm ?
My guess they are thin but if you have over my guess. .125 they will run long enough to get you home so you can pull the wheel off and see the pad. You could photo/measure then post and ask the forum.
I smell a "rat" here somewhere if they tell you 500 miles left. Sounds like a lets scare them into brakes..
My guess they are thin but if you have over my guess. .125 they will run long enough to get you home so you can pull the wheel off and see the pad. You could photo/measure then post and ask the forum.
I smell a "rat" here somewhere if they tell you 500 miles left. Sounds like a lets scare them into brakes..
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 15
From: Louisiana
03 E500 and Corvette
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 12,516
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From: Charlotte NC area
2019 WS222 S450 4-Matic / 2007 W211 E350 4Matic (Sold) / 2008 X164 GL320 CDI
You must be very gentle on your brakes.
Gentle braking will often wear the backs more then the fronts.
While the fronts provide most of the braking, especially under hard braking, many cars are biased so the rear provide initial light braking for a more comfortable stop. (Less nose dive).
I am guessing that this is true of our E's.
Being a "VettDvr", I would guess that whole gentle braking thing is not in your reality. 
Gentle braking will often wear the backs more then the fronts.
While the fronts provide most of the braking, especially under hard braking, many cars are biased so the rear provide initial light braking for a more comfortable stop. (Less nose dive).
I am guessing that this is true of our E's.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 42
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From: Greenville, SC
2013 W166, 2014 W212, 2011 W212, 2004 W211
+1
My driving style avoids hard stops when at all possible. In all my cars I replace the rears more often than fronts. I've also heard that the pad material is softer in the rear pads.
My indy just said my W211 with 62K miles will likely need new rear pads soon but the fronts look like they'll go much longer.
My driving style avoids hard stops when at all possible. In all my cars I replace the rears more often than fronts. I've also heard that the pad material is softer in the rear pads.
My indy just said my W211 with 62K miles will likely need new rear pads soon but the fronts look like they'll go much longer.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: DC Area
Mine: 2008 E350 4Matic --- His: 2014 E 550 4Matic
Thanks. Since the car is driven on the highway 75+ miles a day 4 days a week (infrequent hard stops) and only used in city driving 1 day a week, I suppose I am pretty gentle on the brakes. Glad to hear others with a similar driving style have the same experience. I had the dealer go ahead and replace them. The cost was significantly less than what it cost to replace the rears on our BMW, so I can't complain.
The fronts still look good (also on the originals there too) so to those that thought maybe the dealer was trying to rip me off, I would think if that were the case they would have wanted to replace the fronts too to get the most $$ out of me.
The fronts still look good (also on the originals there too) so to those that thought maybe the dealer was trying to rip me off, I would think if that were the case they would have wanted to replace the fronts too to get the most $$ out of me.
Last edited by BenzBee; Nov 23, 2013 at 07:11 AM.
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