GL350 rear brakes HELP!!
02-23-2019, 10:08 PM
#1
GL350 rear brakes HELP!!
Hi all. Was doing brakes on my wife's 2015 GL350. I was hurrying, got sloppy and screwed up.
Basically - after retracting the electric emergency brake while the left rear caliper was off I accidentally pressed ok at the steering column to exit the pad replacement mode before the job was complete. The electric e-brake motor extended the piston for the pad.
I thought crap, let me try that again. Tried it again and rather than retracting, the piston extended even further. I now have an error on the dash saying "condition not met" and I can try retraction/extension again. In my infinite wisdom I think, oh it's probably a screwjack on the motor let's screw it back on. Removed e-brake motor. Could not get the piston to attach regardless if the direction I turned the shaft. Of course I didn't stop there. I then thought, hey- maybe if I remove the circlip holding the shaft behind the piston I can push it in and get it to attach. Yeah that didn't end well. Brake fluid exuded from where the shaft to the motor was. It took some doing, but I got the shaft back in the hole and the circlip reattached without much fluid loss. However, the shaft still doesn't seem attached to the piston because rotating the shaft does not move the piston.
I am an idiot. I turned a 30 min job into something much more complicated.
Questions:
1. How do I reattach the brake piston to the shaft which connects to the e-brake motor?
2. If I get it reattached, how can I reset the system to place the Pads in the correct position?
3. Do I bleed before or after #2 above?
I'm not normally a "hack" like this and I could kick myself. Any and all help is appreciated.
Basically - after retracting the electric emergency brake while the left rear caliper was off I accidentally pressed ok at the steering column to exit the pad replacement mode before the job was complete. The electric e-brake motor extended the piston for the pad.
I thought crap, let me try that again. Tried it again and rather than retracting, the piston extended even further. I now have an error on the dash saying "condition not met" and I can try retraction/extension again. In my infinite wisdom I think, oh it's probably a screwjack on the motor let's screw it back on. Removed e-brake motor. Could not get the piston to attach regardless if the direction I turned the shaft. Of course I didn't stop there. I then thought, hey- maybe if I remove the circlip holding the shaft behind the piston I can push it in and get it to attach. Yeah that didn't end well. Brake fluid exuded from where the shaft to the motor was. It took some doing, but I got the shaft back in the hole and the circlip reattached without much fluid loss. However, the shaft still doesn't seem attached to the piston because rotating the shaft does not move the piston.
I am an idiot. I turned a 30 min job into something much more complicated.
Questions:
1. How do I reattach the brake piston to the shaft which connects to the e-brake motor?
2. If I get it reattached, how can I reset the system to place the Pads in the correct position?
3. Do I bleed before or after #2 above?
I'm not normally a "hack" like this and I could kick myself. Any and all help is appreciated.
02-23-2019, 10:25 PM
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
I feel for you mate.
Someone on the w166 forum just had this happen last week.
i don’t know at all what to do, nor do I encourage you to follow my advice but this is some info I found.
I found some info across the net from Subaru and Audi forums that have had the same thing happen.
Most say carefully and make sure to be clean to use a c clamp and gently push back in.
I’ve added links.
“
Solution: Use a c-clamp to gently push the piston back in, being careful not to let any dirt/debris in the system. Then bleed the brake system to get out any air, playing special attention to the problem caliper. (Thanks mickey, xenonk, turnin, magnus, weiner!)
I was trying to replace my front pads and one of the caliper pistons fell out. A little brake fluid came out with it. This really sucks since I have a road trip tomorrow. Can anyone tell me the easiest way of getting the caliper piston back in?
Please be as detailed as possible, step by step; I did mess up a pad replacement overall
Thank you!
__________________”
https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...here-any-fixes
https://www.rangerovers.net/forum/7-...opped-out.html
the other solution is to rebuild it. Or buy a new caliper.
Someone on the w166 forum just had this happen last week.
i don’t know at all what to do, nor do I encourage you to follow my advice but this is some info I found.
I found some info across the net from Subaru and Audi forums that have had the same thing happen.
Most say carefully and make sure to be clean to use a c clamp and gently push back in.
I’ve added links.
“
Solution: Use a c-clamp to gently push the piston back in, being careful not to let any dirt/debris in the system. Then bleed the brake system to get out any air, playing special attention to the problem caliper. (Thanks mickey, xenonk, turnin, magnus, weiner!)
I was trying to replace my front pads and one of the caliper pistons fell out. A little brake fluid came out with it. This really sucks since I have a road trip tomorrow. Can anyone tell me the easiest way of getting the caliper piston back in?
Please be as detailed as possible, step by step; I did mess up a pad replacement overall
Thank you!
__________________”
https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...here-any-fixes
https://www.rangerovers.net/forum/7-...opped-out.html
the other solution is to rebuild it. Or buy a new caliper.
02-23-2019, 10:27 PM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...epair+kit,1720
since you did scree up so far. I would say cut your losses and order a new caliper. I wouldn’t want to cause more damage with dirt and so forth in the caliper by forcing it.
I would check via vin if this indeed fits your car.
https://www.mbwholesalepartsonline.c...per-1664230381
since you did scree up so far. I would say cut your losses and order a new caliper. I wouldn’t want to cause more damage with dirt and so forth in the caliper by forcing it.
I would check via vin if this indeed fits your car.
https://www.mbwholesalepartsonline.c...per-1664230381
Last edited by kombifan; 02-23-2019 at 10:33 PM.
02-23-2019, 10:59 PM
#4
Thank you both. I had considered the c clamp, but not attempted it yet. I feel good about the cleanliness of the area. The seal around the piston did not break or come loose. I just had some fluid exit the rear. That being said, I may order a caliper anyways. We will see. Even if I do, I'm wondering if I will get the same error message. Tomorrow will be an adventure!
Last edited by Rafster; 02-23-2019 at 11:02 PM.
02-23-2019, 11:01 PM
#5
MBWorld Fanatic!
02-24-2019, 09:44 PM
#6
Update :
Its fixed - in spite of my visions of having to get this thing towed to the dealer while riding shotgun with my tail between my legs.
Here's what didn't work. A code scanner could not clear the "Conditions not correct" error noted in the pad replacement menu nor the Park brake error annunciator dash light. I cant remember the brand of this scanner, but it didnt work.
Here's what I did.
1. You may recall I had reinstalled the shaft which connects to the parking brake motor. (This was driver side rear by the way.)
2. Reinstalled old caliper and rotor on driver side rear.
3. Bled both rear brakes.
4. On the passenger rear, I removed the parking brake motor and manually turned the shaft to allow for the piston to be pushed back in.
5. Using c-clamp, pushed both pistons back in
6. Reinstalled park brake motors both sides. (Did not pump brakes)
7. Reinstalled OLD pads on calipers and reinstalled old rotors, then reinstalled calipers to test system.
8. Entered pad replacement mode. No joy. Errors still present.
9. Removed calipers, pads and rotors both sides. Replaced pads and rotors with the new ones. My thinking was I may as well have the new parts installed.
10. Entered pad replacement mode. Error still present.
11. Pumped brakes, tested brakes, topped off brake fluid resevoir.
12. Set parking brake. Passenger side worked, driver side did not.
13. Test drive, bedded brakes.
14. Returned home. Attempted to set parking brake. It worked.
Best I can tell, the drive time and/or multiple stops allwed the system to "reset."
If I had to do it over again it would go like this.
Bleed brakes. Remove park brake motors. Manually set replacement mode. Push piston back in. Replace all parts, button up. Test drive.
YMMV, but it worked for me.
And the moral of the story is - do not enter pad replacement mode while the brake caliper is removed!
Its fixed - in spite of my visions of having to get this thing towed to the dealer while riding shotgun with my tail between my legs.
Here's what didn't work. A code scanner could not clear the "Conditions not correct" error noted in the pad replacement menu nor the Park brake error annunciator dash light. I cant remember the brand of this scanner, but it didnt work.
Here's what I did.
1. You may recall I had reinstalled the shaft which connects to the parking brake motor. (This was driver side rear by the way.)
2. Reinstalled old caliper and rotor on driver side rear.
3. Bled both rear brakes.
4. On the passenger rear, I removed the parking brake motor and manually turned the shaft to allow for the piston to be pushed back in.
5. Using c-clamp, pushed both pistons back in
6. Reinstalled park brake motors both sides. (Did not pump brakes)
7. Reinstalled OLD pads on calipers and reinstalled old rotors, then reinstalled calipers to test system.
8. Entered pad replacement mode. No joy. Errors still present.
9. Removed calipers, pads and rotors both sides. Replaced pads and rotors with the new ones. My thinking was I may as well have the new parts installed.
10. Entered pad replacement mode. Error still present.
11. Pumped brakes, tested brakes, topped off brake fluid resevoir.
12. Set parking brake. Passenger side worked, driver side did not.
13. Test drive, bedded brakes.
14. Returned home. Attempted to set parking brake. It worked.
Best I can tell, the drive time and/or multiple stops allwed the system to "reset."
If I had to do it over again it would go like this.
Bleed brakes. Remove park brake motors. Manually set replacement mode. Push piston back in. Replace all parts, button up. Test drive.
YMMV, but it worked for me.
And the moral of the story is - do not enter pad replacement mode while the brake caliper is removed!
The following users liked this post:
Eugene74 (09-25-2022)
02-24-2019, 10:24 PM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
Glad it worked out!
And next time don't exit the pad replacement mode till the jobs done!
And next time don't exit the pad replacement mode till the jobs done!
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07-08-2019, 10:35 PM
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From what I have read, the front caliper is "conventional" and straightforward. The rear caliper, with the electric parking brake, needs special attention. Google might be your friend in this case. Rear brake pad and rotor replacement is a commonly performed maintenance task.
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In attempting to replace my rear passenger brake pad I retracted and then reset the ebrake without the pads in and have push the piston out what is your advice for getting it back in?
