E550-4

My 2011 E550-4 started pulsing about 3 months ago at about 10500 miles (after the 10k service!). Seemed to come on pretty quickly. Fronts are drilled. On recent trip to Canada, I drove freeway 3 hours non-stop. After exiting, I noticed the pulsing was SIGNIFICANTLY more pronounced - pulsing under even minor braking. My passenger even commented on it! Parked the car overnight. Next morning the pulsing was back to only a minor irritant. Seems the prolonged freeway driving (heat?) worsened the problem. Intend to have local dealer take a look. Couldn't locate anything related (yet) at NHTSA site: www.nhtsa.gov

Pntblnk

Definelty want to get this on record with your dealer. If you have a good relationship with him he may go ahead and change them out for you under warranty. They do have the ability to make "special consideration" for you and I would press it. They normally say they can't do anything after 9k but the cost is ~$2500 to replace rotors and pads. Remind them that they just did the 10k service and the problem appeared shortly after, not that you are connecting the two. Make sure they are pulsing strong when you take it in even if that means a 2 hour free way warm up. .

avisys

I think the cutoff for warranty service of brakes is a loosy-goosy thing, very much at the will of the SA.

My SA first said 10,000 (I was at 9100) and then later "adjusted" that to 12,000 miles, a more rational number. I definitely don't believe that 9,000 mile cutoff mentioned here --- sounds like it was pulled out of the SA's ***.

In the OP's situation, I'd demand a runout test of all rotors, with the results, even if I had to pay for it if the results are within specs. (I'll bet the runout is way off, in your case.)

Nuru

Good Point, but even though the transmission is designed to allow one to do this, I would think some combination of using both brakes augmented by downshifting may be the better way to go from a wear and tear perspective..

Nuru

Hmmm, I just saw this on the forum:

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...-deposits.html

np888

My car is doing this exact thing. I have a 2012 E550 Coupe with 6,000 miles on it, every time I brake the steering shudders and the car makes a noise.

I assume this is covered under warranty? I can't believe a $70K car has warped rotars after 5 months.

konigstiger

MBUSA pad & rotor replacement is covered for 12 months/12000 miles whichever comes first.

sharpxia

My 12' E550 brake started same thing after 2k miles, and having sticky brake since the first day, brought to dealer for three times for brake issue, finally they said they have found the issue, I will pick up my car in three days, hope everything is fixed by then. Can't believe a $70K car had that many problems within 2k miles, my 12 years old Honda Accord didn't even had any issue since I bought it. This is my third MB, but maybe my last MB, I am going to try BMW next, just saw the i650 sedan is super nice, and my friend's 3 BMW never had any issue within the first 5 years.

dan1495

If they fix the sticking brake issue please let us know what they did to correct it. Mine has always done the same thing.

E550-4

12k Miles: Rotors and pads replaced - All warranty (after I educated them)

22k Miles: Same dealer confirmed same pulsating brake symptoms. Declined warranty request, but will make replacement at their cost of $356.10 + tax. Seems my second (current) set of rotors & pads still have the problem. Can't wait to find out what full retail cost is.

Both times the pulsating feeling gradually became worse.

FYI
> I maybe had 2-3 hard braking events on this set of brakes. Also, long freeway cruises of 3+ hours seem to cause that warped feel - even on cruise the whole time - BUT problem was gone after overnight rest. Cooled down?
> Only had two other vehicles (out of about 30 I've driven over the years) that warped the rotors. And in each case they were turned to true and the problem never 'resurfaced'. Sorry for the pun.
> Service Advisor said the rotors are made from a soft metal and soft pad compound, "That's how we get the exceptional braking."

2011 E550 sport

Arrie

Its about how you value your time. If you value your time you go with after market rotors and pads and be happy. Forget MB with this stuff. You can't win with them. They know better than rest of the world....

junagui

Bought the car just a month ago from AUTOBAHN BELMONT.
44k miles CPO.
Two weeks after, pulsation appeared when applying brakes at speed of 70mph. got worst as time passes by. Mileage was about 46k miles.
Brought to dealer yesterday ( April 7, 2014 ), Service advisor confirmed discs are about 90% thick , so it could not be the issue. The issue is FAULTY ROTORS , it is the mb rotors that has the problem. They already notified MBUSA , WE ARE JUST WAITING FOR THEIR RESPONSE. Thumbs up to Greg Dicksen for being upfront, let's see how MB WILL respond......
2011 E350 BT WITH SPORTS PACKAGE.
I HAVE BEEN BUYING AND SELLING CARS FOR 33 YRS. AND I WILL HIGHLY RECOMMEND AUTOBAHN BELMONT. GREAT PRICE I do a lot of price research of cars as part of my job, they were the lowest, great sales personnel.

SKYKING44

My first set lasted 12,000 miles. Major pulsing. Replaced rotors and disks under warranty.
I now have 58,xxx miles on car, 46,xxx on rotors and disks. At last service tech said all looked good.

The MB brakes are hard to figure out. I guess some are good, some bad.
My driving style has not changed.

FWIW

stale-bread

Had this problem at exactly the same mileage when I purchased my CPO. They would not replace the rotors/pads due to being within spec. I've read prior posts that MB USA only replaced these while under 10k. I had front rotors and pads replaced at an indy shop with OEM at 52k and it really is night and day. Hopefully you fair better.

konigstiger

Actually 12,000/12 months (whichever comes first) however, if a bulletin releases with VIN or production range (i.e.: modified parts) one may successfully argue no cost replacement past this period.

thefisch

front pads and rotors were changed on my11 e550 by previous owner at 40k. 10k later it's mine and I haven't noticed any pulsating. The only issue is a squeal sound at low speeds - under 10mph like in the parking lot.

GOMAch

Hello all...


Just read this forum, should have checked this out 2 years ago. I have a MB 2012 E550 Coupe and I just took it into the dealer with the same issue of warped rotors for the 3rd time no less!! It only has 24K miles. I have been in the vehicle field for over 30 years and never have had or heard of rotors going out so fast. While turning my car in yesterday to the dealer I had an epiphany and at the same time my service writer said the same thing I was thinking, the E550 is a V-8 405 HP twin turbo high performance engine that produces so much heat from under the hood, one can literally feel the intense heat coming up from the vehicle while at a stop. What if all that heat plus combination of everything I have read about MB rotors in this forum have a to do with the warping.


I just read an issue by thefisch - The only issue is a squeal sound at low speeds - under 10mph like in the parking lot.


I also had the same issue and took it in for that and they couldn't figure out what it was...Finally problem solved. its a spring in the rear brake that is making the sound and they replaced it.

Arrie

So you think all the problem is the brake squeal? You need to read way more.


And I cannot think what spring there is in the rear brakes to make the sound as in my car there is no spring in the rear brakes, nor in the front either. At least there were none when I did the pad change myself and to my knowledge nobody has been doing any brake jobs on my car since.

KingDaddy

Did you have any squeeking as a result of the warped rotors?

JLK9006l

I have replaced rotors on my car (dealer) before 10,000 miles due to pulsing stop. This has happened three other times. 85,000 miles on car, and I just replaced at 75,000 miles and again at 80,000 miles. Repair shop got rotors replaced by MB under warranty but MB said no more. Claimed I drive with my foot on the brake, really. I am going to trade for a new car and it will not be MB. I am going to complain to MB of North America as I agree this could be a safety issue and I want to be on record. They have a problem and need to fess up.

belarus27

the problem is in brakes , they have pagid , textar and jurid oem manufactures of brake pads , i got new rotors and pagid pads and i had squiling within 50 miles of driving , thought it could be defective pads , send old ones back put new ones on , and guess what? ....squiling , so i then bought JURID (also more expensive tho) pads , and been driving around a year with no problems.
so it really is a manufactures issue. just my experience , thanks

oggie

I think it could be the OE pad being too aggressive. You may want to consider using OE rotors with TRW pads. I have 95,000KM on the car and i don't have warping issues.

ckbenz

I have a 2010 E550 That i drive around 10,000 miles per year. Each year the rotors have warped. I had a CLK 500, Jag XF and Acura CL same mileage each year no problem. From what i see online this is definitely a design flaw on several Mercedes models. Now the big question is it a safety issue as well and another case of German car manufacture deceiving the public.
Each year they have covered under warranty this year they are saying no.
Class action? Might be time we all get together on it. Since I own large internet company I may build a sign onto call for a class action petition website. Along with a call for an investigation of Mercedes for a cover up that is obviously going on with several models. Shame on them for not learning from Volkswagen you cant hide it forever!Trump will hunt them down for sure
I highly suggest sell your Mercedes stock like today!

thefisch

If you're talking class action, probably better to go for the faded wood issue. More w212 were effected and higher price point for repair.