Ok, I'm currently on my 4th, fourth, count them 1...2...3...4!, set of front brakes. Why do I seem so mad about this? Well my GLE400 only has 40,086 miles on it! No I don't drive with my foot always on the brake. No I don't tow much (In reality I've only towed my boat about 6-7 times ever). I don't think I drive wild and even if I do, could I really go through 3 sets already? The first 2 sets were replace by an independent person that specializes and only works on MB's and he purchased the brakes from the local dealer. This last time, the 3rd replacement, the dealership did it and they commented that this was little above average but the GLE/ML really goes through brakes. The SA even said, "be thankful you don't have an S class, they go through them even faster." Really? If I had a $95k-$140k-$200k car that went through brakes, I'd be even more pissed than I am now.
So, does anyone else have brake problems?
I really like the vehicle but these brake problems, are an expensive expense if I'm keeping this thing.

 

we had a couple early ML's. brakes and rotors every 12-15k. and we are light brakers. service said they were designed with softer rotors and increased brake assist. wasn't very pleased about that, but if it was true safety then i guess you get what you pay for.

when we bought the '16 i talked with my sales rep and he indicated that they have extended the life, but the engineering is still mostly the same. i'm over 20k now and things still good, so i guess they did make some changes.

now, if you are a hard braker, i believe the system will exponentially increase the force. i do see people coming up to stop signs and red lights and waiting for like the last 15 feet before braking (i exaggerate). ron

and the active lane and distronic may have an impact.

 

 

I should have been a little more specific, rotors are getting replaced too every time and they don’t give those things away! Thanks for the responses.

 

Not the 221, but the 222 does need brakes quite often. Every 10k for aggressive drivers, 20k is normal.

The cars get heavier, faster, something has to give. The brakes are soft to give great performance, the brake assist gives stronger pressure than the driver thinks to give better brake performance. If you hit the pedal quickly, the car applies the brakes harder to predict how much you actually should be stepping on the brakes.

In reality, what's a couple hundred bucks for brakes? They are literally the only thing that can slow your car down safely, you buy these big MB vehicles because of the way they drive, they consume wear items faster than a lesser vehicle, it's just part of the game at this point.

 

i said brakes and rotors each time.

i'm not an engineer, but they may be sacrificial. kinda like a shearpin.

my escalade ext needed rear rotors at 30-40k. service said engineered to apply heavy rear braking to mitigate front end dive. seemed to be working that way on mine.

not to say, however, that there isn't something wrong anyway. i would want the techs to assure me that the pads are retracting correctly. good luck, ron

 

I have a 2015 ML350 4 Matic with original brakes rotors and pad with 50,560 miles on it. Just had it serviced and no one mentioned I need new rotor or pads. I think there is a dash warning light that comes on when you need brakes serviced ( ie pads replaced). Are you getting that light or just having a mechanic telling you , that you need new brakes.?

 

Every time I stepped on the brake, I've seen less shaking than a James Bond medium dry martini. Especially when the brake was applied around 60-65 mph. No lights, warnings, or anyone "telling" me I need brake work. Well other than my wife

 

I have ML350 BT 2014, which is W166.
75K miles on it. Still original front pads and rotors. Rears pads were replaced at 35K still original rotors. Im at PNW we have a lot of hills and mountains.

 

.I have 2017 GLE350 and last week at 10k miles I had to have my brake and rotor replaced by the dealership. Three brakes had 8mm of the pad and one was down to 3mm, They could give me no reason for the abnormal wear for the brake. It was fortunate my car had less than 12k miles when it happens it was under warranty. Because otherwise, I was two days over my one-year ownership marks, which was one of the other criteria for warranty replacement. So I go back at 11k miles to see if the new brakes are wearing unevenly. Never had brakes wear out this fast on any card I've had.

 

Rear brakes? There's a bulletin for uneven pad wear.

They could have covered the rotors under the 24mo/24k miles coverage on them, and consequently the pads.

 

how about only replace the front and rear rotors and pad to ceramic version？

https://icarmix.com/product/inspeed-...uv-c167-coupe/

 

Okay...were brake wear lights on? I just did new pads on the front (front only) of my E63S...not at all a light car. Not at all an easy driver and MANY MANY high speed braking efforts. I have plain *** brembo rotors and EBC red pads....ANYONE saying they need a new set of brakes in 10K is doing something wrong (or the car has an issue). To that...our brakes are cast iron. Every brake rotor on every car for 60+ years has been cast iron (and now ceramic). You think that your brake rotors were designed for your or my car? Hell no, they are stock *** rotor sizes made for many cars and NONE say "Well, this is on a Mercedes, lets make them soft".

Pads can make a hell of a difference and I think MB (and Zimmerman) pads suck....but not every 10K suck, brake dust suck. Something is amiss here...and it is not some sacrificial lamb brake part.

 

But all the bulletin says is to replace the pads if the difference in thickness between the inner and outer pad is greater than 20%.

I had to replace the rear pads at about 65000 miles. The rotors were fine and well within spec so I didn't replace those. The front pads still have a ton of meat on them at 76000 miles.

 

Reading this thread has me astounded. My 2015 ML350 is still on it's original rotors and original front pads. The rear pads were last done in 2019, and done only once. The last time I went to the dealer they said I still have a decent amount of life left on the pads. The rotors they said were still in good condition. I've owned this car since new and only realized recently that the car was still on the original rotors, and it still stops extremely smoothly. I have no idea why the brake wear is a lot worse on the GLE's considering there basically the same as the ML. Gives me more reasons to not buy a newer Mercedes after the 2016 and later cars having a big quality drop and use of cheaper materials.

 

Yes. I changed my 2014 ML350 brake rotors last year. It's more 80k miles. Actually, I didn't feel anything unusual. The Mercedes dealer did a free inspection and said the rear brake discs and pads needed to be replaced. The quote was $1500. So I bought the brake discs and pads myself and spent 4 hours replacing both the front and rear brake discs and pads.

 

Was posted back in 2018...

 

put power stop Z23 Sport upgrade brake kit on all four corners about 15k miles ago... no problems

 

2017 GLE350 4MATIC

I replaced rear brakes at 70k miles and had not yet replaced front brakes after 105k miles when I sold it. Maximum engine braking at all times, drive with the right/skinny pedal and light braking only when necessary.

Outer rear pads still had life remaining. Crappy MB floating rear caliper design causes uneven inner vs outer pad wear.

 

Feels like I might've gotten lucky on this. Rear pads were replaced at 23k miles and front rotors/pads at 36k miles (by the previous owner), but even now at 66k miles, I haven't gotten so much as a squeak, rumble, or wear indicator coming on... despite having the new parts sitting in the garage for months! Maybe my mechanic was trying to shake me down when they told me they were getting low...

 

I bought my 2016 GLE 300d with 27K miles. Then had both rear pads and rotors replaced at 53K due to excessive wear on the right rear only. Brake fluid flush at 63K. NOw at 74K, down to 1mm on each of rear pads and so it's due again!
My other car, an '06 320 CDI had its FIRST set of rear brake pads/rotors at 106K mi!! And I drive that car a lot harder (it's more fun).
Also, the GLE is mostly highway, and the last 20K includes two 2500 mile round trips and two 1500 mi round trips (Oregon to Calif, all highway.) So, about 40% of those miles would barely TOUCH the brakes at all!
Has anyone tried harder brake pads? Or is there an issue with the parking brake dragging? What kind of mileage ought I get with this diesel? Currenly it says my combined mpg is 30.1
I have not noticed any smell of hot brakes, nor any chattering or vibration nor noise from the brakes to alert me to the problem. (The dash sensor light did just come on.)
Would love any recommendations or input! Thanks.

 

Do you always drive with the Distronic Plus cruise control on?

 

I do not have Distronic, and almost never use Cruise Control. Although I may have used it some of the time on the longer road trips, but mostly not my driving style.
Thanks for the thought!!!

 

Cruise control works on rear brakes thats why the question. Maybe a change to ceramic pads is the answer for you. I got 65k miles out of my front pads (non-ceramic) and tbey still had meat left on them.

 

I often use distronic plus and have ceramic pads on the rear axle. Those ATE ceramic pads on the rear axle last about 30,000km