jlim

Hi, just received this warning this morning. But there was no indicator either front or rear. I searched the forum and didn’t find anything about it either.

I find it strange that it wore out so soon coz I bought it as a CPO with around 16k miles on it. I’ve put in approx 20k miles and I don’t drive in stop and go traffic. The paperwork on the CPO indicated the brake pads were changed (I don’t remember if it was both front and rear or just one axle in which case prob the front).

Looking at the mileage, does it seem it is a bit premature? I suppose 36k may be ok if one of the axle wasn’t changed during the CPO process. But if both front/rear were replaced, I feel 20k additional miles if a bit premature for brake pads to have worn out.

Thoughts?

mustbebenz

Welcome to the big time spendy world of MB GL ownership, lots of wear on tires and brakes accompanied by lots of overpriced parts and labor. Find the local independent who actually knows this stuff, or DIY using forum and YouTube resources of which many exist for X166 and W166, same process even if parts differ.

EdyCol

With weight of GL brakes will be major expense. They are on X5 for example too. I manage to get more because I use engine braking (dowshifting) a lot. You might try to use manual downshifting more to extend life of pads and rotors.
Forget OE MB parts. Get online replacement pads like ATE, Textar or Pagid. Akebono I believe is OE supplier and I personally consider them POS. I drove recently GL 450 (2015) and was not impressed with brakes. I think MB went with ceramic pads (same like BMW recently) to satisfy people who complained about dust on wheels. Problem with that is drop in performance.
Since I will buy GL (or GLS) in the end of 2018 or in 2019, I was looking price of parts and brake parts online for GL are similar to BMW X5. I found Textar pads for $90 on Ebay, and rotors are around $200 for pair of front ones. Check stores like FCPEuro, ECStuning etc. they sometimes have sale. I for example bought pair of front Brembo rotors for X5 on FCPEuro on sale for $120 for BOTH! You cannot go better then Brembo.
If yous tick to OE parts, it will be expensive. One thing to take into consideration is that with ATE and Textar (unless ceramic) you will have dusting on the wheels, but you might increase sensitivity of brake pedal.
If yous till do not want dust on the wheels go with Akebono pads, Textar EPad or ATE ceramic (ATE ceramic is ridiculously expensive, at least for BMW).
If you are DIY inclinced, changing pads is super easy, especially front ones, and you will save a lot. If you are apprehensive to do brake job by yourself, find good indy that knows Euro cars. Not because of brake job (any mechanic can do that) but good Euro indy mechanic might be useful later when you need some more complex intervention.

captivabenz

My GL 350,new Michelin’s at 42,000 and new rear brake pads and rotors at 43,500 mi. $750 at a local shop, all is well...

silkysmooth_96

I had 44K miles on mine when I did them. Warning came on around 42K miles. Does sound early for yours, but the wear indicators likely aren't going to lie. All depends on how it's driven I suppose. Mypads were down to maybe 2mm on some of the rear ones. Either way, better plan to get them done soon if it's telling you! It was a SIMPLE job to DIY if you're handy with cars at all and have a few tools (read up on tools needed first). I changed rotors and pads all around as the rotors were barely within spec. no point in having to change rotors half way through a pads life and incurring all the costs again.

EdyCol

captivabenz

New discs, rotors, sensing wire, brake fluid exchange, and labor for both rears.
the tires, from Costco, $950 installed.

jlim

Thanks for the helpful info. Mysteriously the warning went away. I went to the menu looking for messages and it is not there. Need to dig up the paperwork to see which axle brakes were changed during the CPO process. As I said, only 20k miles since purchasing. Seems a bit premature to me. My other vehicles over the years, well past 60k miles before brakes needed replacement.

I'm handy as I've changed brakes pads on 3 different vehicles before this (Japanese made though - Honda, Acura, Mazda) and worked on various maintenance items. I've no intention of doing it with the GL and will do to a shop to have them do it for me. Getting old .. and not wanting to waste a weekend doing it.

Anyway, will see if the CPO paperwork does indicate which axle brakes were replaced. Maybe I could pressure the selling dealership in doing something as if they did replaced all 4 corners, no way they are worn out in 20k miles with my driving habits.

jlim

Ok. Found the paper work. Front disk, brake pads and sensor were replaced in the CPO process. But only 1 side. Darn. Should have looked carefully before buying coz I would have them replaced the other side as well.

It was listed at $870 for pads, disk and sensor including labor.

EdyCol

jlim

Need a bit of an advice. To re-cap, the check brake pads indicator came on. Most likely it's front brakes. My CPO paperwork says they did 1 side of the front axle (pads, rotor, sensor). So most likely it is the other side that needs replacement and not both side. I've driven approx 20k miles since purchased.

I got a quote from Indy shop but they are not using OEM parts. Was told either Bosch or Textar. I'm guessing Textar. Question I have is, should I have them replace both sides of the front so they all match even if one side is still good? What about rotors? Ok with 1 side OEM and the other aftermarket? Or just change all the fronts so they match?

Dreamszalone

Textar is the company which makes Mercedes OEM Brake Pads......The only thing you buying from Textar is you getting same pads without the MB Logo on it.

jlim

Yes, I read as much that's the case. I guess it's ok. After doing additional reading, it seems the sensor is only 1 per axle and for the front, it is the right front and rear brakes, it is the right rear. Since my CPO paperworks says they did replace the sensor, brake pads and rotor on 1 side, I guess it is the front right one then since a sensor was replaced. So, again after 20k miles, they need replacement again? I know it is all based on driving habits, but having only changed my previous vehicles around 60k miles each time for brake pads, seem strange this is needing brakes so soon at 20k additional miles.

Though it won't surprised me that the selling dealer actually did the left front but erroneously put in changing the sensor as well in the paperwork.

In any case, I'll just have them change both front/left side. After all, they are quoting me around $372 labor included versus $800 (pads only) + 2 hr labor (at the dealership).

fabbrisd1

There are many choices in brake pads and brake rotors out there - unusual in this case because I have not seen any Mercedes dealer just replace "one side only" of either front or rear axle/set.

The GL OE pads are made by Hella Pagid - and not made by TMD Friction Pagid aftermarket brand and not made by TMD Friction aftermarket Mintex brand....

jlim

Hi Fabbrisd1, thanks for the info. Here's the screenshot of the part of the work order the dealership provided to me of what they did before I purchased the car.

It says (2) Brake Disk, (1) Sensor, (1) Disk Brake. Perhaps they did change the brake pads on left/right, sensor on the right, and only the rotors on 1 side (the side that is causing the pulsation).

Now that I'm seeing this, it makes no sense the quote I received over the phone from the dealership (part's guy). Based on this, job #3, at $870.20, it included the rotor for 1 side for $206. Subtracting this, it should have been $664 (should be less if considering less labor). Still expensive and more than the indy I brought there this morning ($372), but no where close to $800++ plus labor he told me over the phone. I think the quote must have been for front + rear brake pads which makes more sense since it would be $800+ for OEM parts.

Also I noticed they also performed a brake system flush. Is it needed or necessary in the GL? In my past cars (Honda, Mazda, Acura) whenever I perform brake pads and rotor replacement, I've never done brake flush.

mtm

Looks like they replaced everything in the front - both front rotors, both sides pads (they show as quantity 1 because pads are only sold as pairs) and one sensor.

Brake fluid should be flushed regularly. It absorbs condensation and becomes corrosive, wearing components and seals in the system quicker.

jlim

Yeah, you are right. I should have looked up the part numbers. The (2) above is for the rotors and not pads as I wrongly assumed Feel like a dolt now. So $800+ with labor included wasn't so bad after all. It's that parts guy who called me up from the dealership who gave me wrong info. Told me the front brake job cost $800+ (just for parts) and labor is extra. And that did not including the rotors. I put in a request for a brake job quote and they had the parts guy called me rather than the service guy.

Anyway, the local indy I dropped off called me this morning. Told me it was the rear brakes. So, at least this makes me feel better that the selling dealership did replaced the front and after 20k miles, they are still ok. So rear sensor came on after 36k miles.

jlim

Dropped off my vehicle for the A3 service and asked them about the brake job prices since what I got over the phone seems out of whacked. The quote I got from the dealer is as follow:

Front Brakes + Rotors = $990 ($750 without rotors)
Rear Brakes + Rotors = $798 ($640 without rotors)

Just some reference numbers for others who may be looking in the future. The indy place I went to, I paid $360+tax+shop charges for the rear pads (no rotors).