Waterdog3

The "check brake pads" warning came on a few weeks ago. Yesterday my car had some other issues. I'm guessing unrelated. Since it was at the dealer I asked for a quote on the front brakes. Came back with $330. I thought that was cheap so I asked what was included. Just changing the pads was the answer. I asked if they at least turn the rotors. Nope, was the answer. So I had them do the job. I've never had the breaks done on any car where they didn't at least machine the rotors. I usually replace them. Any one else here experience this. The brakes seem fine and my wallet is not as light as I expected it to be.

JohnnyC

dealers never turn rotors.

rocky raccoon

There is a minimum thickness specification for brake rotors. If you change pads before they make contact with the rotor it is most often not necessary to turn the rotors unless they are also warped. Some brake shops may turn them or suggest replacing them as a matter of policy to upsell the brake job.

Replacing brake pads is one of the easiest jobs one can do easily at home.

cetialpha5

Did you ask them what the thickness of the rotors were? There's a minimum thickness but I'm guessing that it was thick enough for the job. Brakes are real easy for the front. Akebono pads are less than $100 and pretty much any indy shop that advertises brake jobs could have done it, anywhere from $59 to those $99 specials on brake jobs. For that price I also hope the flushed the brake fluid, but maybe they didn't and expect you to get it done when you do a service B. Also I believe the brake warning comes on when you hit about 25% of pad left so the rotors could have been fine as the pads didn't get all worn down to where they would destroy the rotor if you didn't have a warning light as on other cars.

Anyway if you read the old threads, lots of people try and get away with not replacing the rotors if they're thick enough. I was able to do it on my W211, but not on the W212 as the rotors were clearly too worn for a pad slap.

Waterdog3

I just found it odd. He did say the rotors were fine from a thickness level. I'm still surprised Mercedes would do it that way. I have done some research and found it's common for BMW to just replace pads until the rotors get to thin.

DFWdude

Do W212s use the physical stick wear sensors inserted in the pads, or do they measure the pad thickness some other way?

I'll buy some Akebono pads when needed (they're great on my C-Class), but I also need to know if I will need sensors, too.

cetialpha5

It's the same basic physical stick sensor setup as the W211. There's one in the rear and one in the front. If you don't get a warning light on the dash, you can just reuse the old sensor. I think the front pads came with two and none for the rear. They didn't quite fit so I reused the existing one. Once it wears down there's a short which gets reported on the dash as worn brake pads.

SoCal208

You are right on. MB dealer ONLY replace the pad or replace both rotors & pads, they do not turn the rotors. MB dealer replaced my ML350 (front pads, even NO WARNING light yet) @ 29K miles, no rotors turn. I asked my SA : he said the rotors are good for 2 sets of pads, no rotors turn.

kajtek1

I am still rechecking the design, but from the rumors and my observation, the W212 sensors are inserted about 4 mm from the pad end, when old designs were 2 mm.
The final difference is that on old design, touching sensor triggered brake light immediately, when on W212 computer program calculates the remaining pad thickness and gives you light later on.
MB makes thinner rotors for last 40 years and they don't have "meat" for turning.
I never kept the cars for that long, but seems I can make about 500,000 miles on factory rotors. YMMV

Mak621

cetialpha5

Rotors for the E550 are more than the E350 so it should be even cheaper for E350 owners.

Dnasty

You can usually get away with a few pad changes before you have to change the rotors depending on your driving habits and condition of the rotors. Mercedes has never machined or turned rotors in my experience they always replace them when they are too thin.. even the independent mechanics typically won't machine a german car rotor.

Arrie

It is good you have honest dealer service. In general turning the rotors is a scam for the garages to make money for something you do not need. If the rotor has worn unevenly, like they pretty much all do, it means the rotor has unevenly worn rings around it in the surface. If the lowest points in the worn rings is still above the minimum thickness for the rotor there is no need to machine it or change it.

I have never had my brakes serviced anybody else but myself and never had rotors turned. When on some older cars way back the rotors got thin I just replaced them but turning the rotors never crossed my mind. It is totally unnecessary thing to do.

The only time rotor needs to be turned is if the rotor is warped causing pulsati0n in the brake system.