Hi all - wanted to get a sense as to when you all typically get brake pad replacements and how much it usually costs. My current vehicle (2020 GLE 350) is at 3 years and 22k and dealer is suggesting I get them after inspection for around $1100 (front replace pads and motors). Linings on front left are at 3mm and front right are at 4mm. Friend mentioned that it's quite a few mm left, generally should be looking at around 40k and probably should last me another 15-25k of driving so it's still early to be getting them now.
Wanted additional opinions from the experts - would you get them at this stage and is this reasonable pricing? Enclosed is part of the inspection report. Thanks in advance!

 

I am not an expert but I normally change break pads and rotors myself. It is odd that a predominantly rear wheel drive vehicle has worn break pads on the front. If you are break pads have only 3 & 4 mm left than it is the right time to change it. As far as rotors, take a look at the rotor wear indicators (they are round indentations on your rotors). If they are fully gone then you need new rotors, or if your breaks are pulsating, then rotors might be warped.
New OEM GLE350 front break pads are $220, new OEM rotors are $165x2, break pad wear sensors are $17x2, and your dealer probably charges $250 in hour. So $1100 is not that inflated but $900 would be better, as long as you need to replace both break pads and rotors. Or you can go aftermarket parts that are much cheaper or change it at the independent MB shop.

Hope this helps, however as I mentioned it seems odd that you need front breaks on a rear wheel drive vehicle first. Your front tires also show unusual outer wear. It might suggest other issues, like tie rods or ball joints.

P.S. After looking into it further, it seams that front breaks will wear out faster on a rear wheel drive car due to front of the car caring more weight. Sorry for the confusion.

 

Yes, at 3-4 mm it is time to think about getting them changed. Not sure exactly when the sensor will go off (probably around 2-3 mm) and you really don't want to go much below 2, so you could probably pull another 3-5k or so miles before changing them if you wanted to, but don't think you can get another 15k-25k. Not sure where the "40k" you mentioned comes from. Mileage to change brakes is incredibly dependent on the car and the driving situation/style. Some people with certain vehicles who live out in the country will go 80k+ before needing brakes. Other cars driven in suburban/urban areas might barely make 20k.
Also note that some of the driver assistance functions (like lane keeping) uses brakes as well, so a little more wear there.

As Vladimir noted, the rotors may or may not need to be changed. They can be measured and have a minimum thickness stamped on them as well. The Mercedes procedure will be to always change them and the dealer will want to go that route, but it is likely you can safely reuse the rotors at least once, but you'll have to check to be sure.

The drive wheels of the vehicle don't have any impact on which axle brakes wear out faster. That is heavily dependent on the vehicle, size of the brakes at each axle and the bias set up from the factory. Traditionally, front brakes (which do much more of work on most cars) wear much faster than rears, although we are seeing more and more vehicles set up with a little more rearwards bias and the number of cars that have rears go quicker seems to be increasing.

 

You can keep driving until the wear indicator light comes on. Is it on?

$1100 for front brakes is high. Call another dealer or an Indy. I DIY and they can be done for around $400 with OEM dealer purchased parts - pads, rotors, bolts, springs.

Brakes on this car are a breeze. Replace caliper bolts because they are single use.

 

I'd also question replacing rotors. The reason we put up with brake dust on the front wheels is because of softer non ceramic pads.

 

Yeah dealer brake jobs have always been a racket on top of their existing racket. They know most people don’t have the knowledge or time to do it themselves on such an important part of the car, hence the prices that border on outright theft on top of the ludicrous prices they charge to begin with.

I feel sorry for people with ceramic brakes. Replacing those brakes can run into the five figures and cost as much as a nicely appointed used Camry.

 

Strange opinion. Carbon Ceramic rotors easily last 100K miles and are less expensive over time than multi-piece steels brakes. Not that it matters anyway as no GLE has full CCB brakes available. Only the GLE63 has the CCB front option. Worth every penny IMO...
Nobody in this thread discussed CCB's either, only ceramic pads which cost roughly the same as regular pads...

 

Yep it’s a good question. I replace rotors with pads each time, although not strictly required.

 

Well, the specter of $20k brakes jobs, even if it is every 100k miles, is daunting, but it’s all relative and the people buying cars with those brakes probably (A) won’t keep the car long enough to care or (B) won’t blink at that cost. AND, replacing just the brake pads at any dealership is still a monumental ripoff. It wouldn’t surprise me if the dealership charged $2k+ just for pads on vehicles with ceramic brakes just because they can and most people won’t question it and just pay it. If I didn’t have a conscience and heart, I would charge $2k just for pads on cars with ceramics and it wouldn’t surprise me if there are a lot of dealerships out there doing just that…

 

So far I've been seeing the GLE350's needing front brakes (Pads and rotors) around 30k miles. Average cost at a dealership I'd guess around $1200.

 

Few people keep high performance cars from new to 100k miles and if they track their car regularly, that level of wear is reached at a fraction of the mileage.

Not an issue for normal use for anyone and I don‘t see people getting hosed on pads.

We had the pads replaced on our E63s with CCB’s I can tell that they charged something like $400 or so for the front pads.

Also, if ever the time comes to replace the rotors, it’s easy to save money and just switch to steel rotors. Girodisc makes rotors for that and nothing but the pads need to be swapped. Calipers are fully compatible.

Let’s not create issues when there are none

 

thanks everyone for the responses. very helpful. i'll probably wait until the light comes on and get a bit of it in before considering replacing them. will look to provide an update if i manage to find a dealer that's offering cheaper pricing than the $1200 quoted or an independent shop.

 

My brake indicator just went off this week and the Chicago dealership quoted by $1100 for front pads and rotors. My car is driven almost exclusively in the city and only has <13K miles in the ~3 years that we've owned it. I'll be pulling off the wheels to check the rotors before deciding if I'm going to replace them. Genuine MB front pads will cost ~$200 on FCP Euro.

Does anybody know where I can find specs to the car? Specifically, what is the original and min thickness of the front brake rotors? Also, how much force should the caliper bolts be torqued? Thanks in advance!

 

Attempting an at home brake job in Chicago as well. Did you find the specs you were looking for? Needing them too 🙂

 

We just had the 40K B-service on our 2020 GLE350. Dealer recommend brake pad replacement, the original pads at 3mm. $500 for pads only, apparently the rotors are OK.

 

My local MB dealership quoted me over $1,400 plus tax for replacement of the front rotors and brake pads. They actually recorded a video showing the worn rotor and pads, and I have no doubt I need this done within the next month or so. The rotors are just about the minimum thickness that's stamped, and the pads are visibly worn. I just sourced a set of cross drilled rotors and ceramic pads from Rock Auto for $154 plus tax and shipping. I avoided the brake / rotor kits as they tend to be more expensive (surprising but true). I've done a brake job on my GLE43 so i pretty much know what's involved. So, with a few hours' investment of my time on a slow weekend, I plan to save around $1,200.

 

when you or someone change the pad, would be nice to have view or steps .

 

I would like to see pictures/videos too if someone does decide to do it.
I previously done brakes (rotors and pads) on my 08 Nissan Rogue, following the FSM (Factory Service Manuals), does Mercedes has a similar documentation somewhere?

 

Could you post manufacturer name and part number or a link to the parts you selected?

 

Google much? Second Google hit, 35 minutes of pure V167 brake replacement enjoyment. Spoiler alert: same as all floating caliper MBs and BMWs for the past 10+ years.

 

I received the "FPV" rotors from Rock Auto and was quite disappointed. They were in fact cross drilled like the OEM rotors, but the swept area where the pads meet the friction surface was only 2.25 inches and the OEM rotor had a 3-inch band. I was very uncomfortable with having the pad overlap the rotor. Over time and normal wear, my thinking is that this offset would create a 'step' in the pad which would undoubtedly lead to other issues. I setup a return for the rotors and sourced these from a dealership in Chantilly VA. The rotors were priced at $131 each plus shipping, Will report back when the job is complete.

Genuine MB Brake Disk Ventilated 167-421-10-01-07

 

Wrong part number ordered by the customer, or wrong part number presented by the seller as a fit for the vehicle.

 

Just to clarify:
The holes on Mercedes ventilated discs are cast in, not cross drilled.

It's a more expensive process, but drilling on a disc creates stress risers and potential issues with the disc.

If you are buying the brakes for performance, not appearance, skip the cross-drilled offerings.

 

Completed the full front brake job today in about 1.5 hours. Actually took more time to clean all the brake dust that stained my garage floor. The amount of black powder dust surprised me, especially when removing the 21 mm caliper bracket bolts. As a word of caution, do not attempt the job without a decent battery powered impact wrench. I used a Ryobi 1/2” impact wrench which is absolutely needed to remove the caliper bolts and makes removing wheel lug nuts a breeze. You will also need a T30 torx wrench to remove the locking screws on the rotors. In addition it helps to turn the steering wheel to the left when doing the RHS brakes and the opposite way for the drivers side. The spring clips that attach to the pads are a little tricky. You need to set the bottom of the pad first and then snap the top into place. Also when compressing the pistons to accept the new pads be prepared for a little brake fluid to drip from the relief vent (this is normal). Since I never tripped the brake wear sensor I was able to reuse the existing sensor (passenger side only) even through I ordered 2 new sensors just in case. Finally I recommend you consider using a tarp to protect your floor or driveway (I wish I had done this). The job is by no means difficult, just take your time and enjoy the results. Hope this helps.

 

Well done. WIS calls for siphoning (turkey baster or siphon hose) out some brake fluid from the reservoir to avoid overflowing when compressing the caliper pistons.