GLK-Class (X204) Produced 2008-2014

GLK brakes question, brake users, please suggest....

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Old 11-01-2011, 10:41 AM
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'10 GLK350
GLK brakes question, brake users, please suggest....

Greetings fellow GLK owners!

My wife and I own a 2010 GLK350 4Matik, since late 2009 and ever since it was new, brakes on it are a bit strange.
First they felt a little slippery, compared to other cars in our household.
After 10K miles brake pedal started to travel down a bit, and now at 27000+ miles it is even further down, showing same original symptoms.
MB dealer we got the car from keeps blowing us off, stating that brakes are not under warranty and that everything is normal. Yet when my wife drives other cars, like my daily Ford F150, she always admires how much nicer the brakes are, than her GLK's.
What do you think, any similar experiences?
Old 11-01-2011, 10:47 AM
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Sorry for your problems OP.
Here's are my comments:

1) Have you documented this problem since day 1 with the dealership?
2) Have you called MBUSA to complain about this issue?
3) Brakes are not covered past year 1 of ownership as it is considered normal wear & tear.
4) However, it is not natural for brake pedals to be that low - have they checked the brake fluid & air in the brake lines?

the key thing here is have documentation so you have legal grounds to stand on to get your brakes issue resolved to your satisfaction.

Good luck & let us know how it works out.
Old 11-01-2011, 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by MBNA109
Sorry for your problems OP.
Here's are my comments:

1) Have you documented this problem since day 1 with the dealership?
2) Have you called MBUSA to complain about this issue?
3) Brakes are not covered past year 1 of ownership as it is considered normal wear & tear.
4) However, it is not natural for brake pedals to be that low - have they checked the brake fluid & air in the brake lines?

the key thing here is have documentation so you have legal grounds to stand on to get your brakes issue resolved to your satisfaction.

Good luck & let us know how it works out.
1) yes, I have previous complaint on record, when car had 14K miles on it. Maybe even at 6K, but not sure. We kept bringing it in for oil and routine stuff and they charged us arm and leg for that, with no complaints.
2) did call yesterday, for the first time and yet to hear back from them...
3)I know, but these brakes were always funny. Right now pad show very modest wear, same for rotors and fluid level is normal.
4) They drove it both times and stated that it operates "normally", I believe that at this point issue is a bit political, so they do not want to admit to having their customer drive unsafe car for over a year, since last complaint. BTW, my wife did get into minor accident, due to her not stopping on time, but it is arguable, of course.
Old 11-01-2011, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by GLKKLG
1) yes, I have previous complaint on record, when car had 14K miles on it. Maybe even at 6K, but not sure. We kept bringing it in for oil and routine stuff and they charged us arm and leg for that, with no complaints.
2) did call yesterday, for the first time and yet to hear back from them...
3)I know, but these brakes were always funny. Right now pad show very modest wear, same for rotors and fluid level is normal.
4) They drove it both times and stated that it operates "normally", I believe that at this point issue is a bit political, so they do not want to admit to having their customer drive unsafe car for over a year, since last complaint. BTW, my wife did get into minor accident, due to her not stopping on time, but it is arguable, of course.
Make sure MBUSA knows about it.
Keep hammering away.
I would get the confirmation of services from the dealership as they will have notes on there. 6K is better than 14K but having it less than a year is helpful for argument purposes.
Old 11-01-2011, 01:14 PM
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Originally Posted by MBNA109
Make sure MBUSA knows about it.
Keep hammering away.
I would get the confirmation of services from the dealership as they will have notes on there. 6K is better than 14K but having it less than a year is helpful for argument purposes.
Got entire maintenance history printed up, however they did not want to give me the most recent invoice, but I got it anyways.
Just had my co-worker drive the car and he immediately said that brakes are funny, they are not catchy right up, like on his 2001 Cherokee, but instead he had to push those a bit deeper and apply extra pressure to stop the car. BTW, he is 280lb, ex-marine, but MB thinks that for my 122lb wife these brakes are just fine...
Old 11-01-2011, 04:12 PM
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I don't know what you mean " the breaks feel slippery"? Every vehicle's brakes feel different. Then MB puts in their "crash anticipation" sensing which makes them feel even different. However, it usually shortens the stopping distance.
At 28000 miles, many MB, which are heavy, have used up their brakes. Have you checked that one of the calipers isn't leaking on to the disk? This would show as a drop in fluid level. If the pedal is down near the floor, leaking fluid or a faulty caliper is a definite possibility.
During assembly, at the factory, it is possible that the pads got some oil on them and they are less than optimal, the brake fluid was air saturated from the vendor or you got a defective caliper. It happens.
Take it to a different dealer, and tell him to check the brakes without telling him your story. Ask him if they seem alright and how much longer until you need to change them. If he says they are bad, you have a case.
When you replace the pads, try Akebono's, They will eliminate dust and last longer.
Good luck
Old 11-01-2011, 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by bop11
I don't know what you mean " the breaks feel slippery"? Every vehicle's brakes feel different. Then MB puts in their "crash anticipation" sensing which makes them feel even different. However, it usually shortens the stopping distance.
At 28000 miles, many MB, which are heavy, have used up their brakes. Have you checked that one of the calipers isn't leaking on to the disk? This would show as a drop in fluid level. If the pedal is down near the floor, leaking fluid or a faulty caliper is a definite possibility.
During assembly, at the factory, it is possible that the pads got some oil on them and they are less than optimal, the brake fluid was air saturated from the vendor or you got a defective caliper. It happens.
Take it to a different dealer, and tell him to check the brakes without telling him your story. Ask him if they seem alright and how much longer until you need to change them. If he says they are bad, you have a case.
When you replace the pads, try Akebono's, They will eliminate dust and last longer.
Good luck
Honestly, I though that with MB I would not have to travel from dealership to dealership, trying to prove them that I am not crazy here. This is more fitting for Mitsubishi owner, or Hyundai enthusiast perhaps.
I spoke to MB customer service lady few minutes ago and she immediately prepped me for a complete blow off, stating that she would talk to the service dep't at the dealership, however if they determined that brakes are fine, then there is very little MB can do about it, unless I want to try another dealership and hope for the best. I told her that we parked it at our home right now and considering this car to be out of commission for daily use, so the longer MB takes to address the problem, the worse it is going to look, when I have to involve attorney's help.
Old 11-01-2011, 07:07 PM
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Its amazing. Most of the people I know with Hondas or Hundais or Toyotas love there dealers. I've had Range Rover for 18 years and the dealers are even tougher. Read the RR bulletin board and see how hard it is to get satisfaction. They hate the dealers but love the trucks. VW is the worst.
Why do Toyota and Nisan rate so high? It's. Not the cars it's the dealers. Don't even ask about the Bently.
The GLK is a nice vehicle. Don't give up! Get the the right dealer.
Old 11-01-2011, 07:29 PM
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Originally Posted by bop11
Its amazing. Most of the people I know with Hondas or Hundais or Toyotas love there dealers. I've had Range Rover for 18 years and the dealers are even tougher. Read the RR bulletin board and see how hard it is to get satisfaction. They hate the dealers but love the trucks. VW is the worst.
Why do Toyota and Nisan rate so high? It's. Not the cars it's the dealers. Don't even ask about the Bently.
The GLK is a nice vehicle. Don't give up! Get the the right dealer.
Actually, I had very pleasant experience with VW, when I had V10 Touareg and that car was milking warranty to oblivion, about $18K in all repairs, until I sold it.
Old 11-01-2011, 07:57 PM
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350 GLK, C280
Its amazing. Most of the people I know with Hondas or Hundais or Toyotas love there dealers. I've had Range Rover for 18 years and the dealers are even tougher. Read the RR bulletin board and see how hard it is to get satisfaction. They hate the dealers but love the trucks. VW is the worst.
Why do Toyota and Nisan rate so high? It's. Not the cars it's the dealers. Don't even ask about the Bently.
The GLK is a nice vehicle. Don't give up! Get the the right dealer.
Old 11-02-2011, 10:49 AM
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The brake pads on this mini SUV are soft because of MBenz marketing research says customers prefer them... I do not... more effort is needed mainly because the brake booster is regulated. Now there have been some successful repairs .... you may wish to explore these threads...https://mbworld.org/forums/search.php?searchid=8126047
Old 11-02-2011, 10:54 AM
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That link doesn't work for me. I wish it did. I'm interested in brake performance. Very interested.

Wayne
Old 11-02-2011, 01:28 PM
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Sorry the link doesn't work.... go to the GLK Forum Main Page, then go to the top right corner and click onto the Search Forum... then type in "Brake Issues".... then read on.... Good luck!
Old 11-02-2011, 04:10 PM
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I owned 9 VW's with 6 different dealers, 3 of the VW's were used. I have had dealers replace clutches in a Sirocco and catch wires in the bell housing, leave the oil fill cap off on Rabbit (fills engine compartment with oil), trim the idle with the mixture screw (car with a carb) and many other things. The only dealer I liked was in Philadelphia back in 1966. Clutch job back then cost $35. The last draw was the VW representative who said, "the reason the left front fender turned grey from metalic green was because we took it to too many car washes". Only the fender turned grey. Then also the coil packs were not covered under the drive train warranty.
That was it. No more VW's
Old 11-02-2011, 06:47 PM
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Originally Posted by bop11
I owned 9 VW's with 6 different dealers, 3 of the VW's were used. I have had dealers replace clutches in a Sirocco and catch wires in the bell housing, leave the oil fill cap off on Rabbit (fills engine compartment with oil), trim the idle with the mixture screw (car with a carb) and many other things. The only dealer I liked was in Philadelphia back in 1966. Clutch job back then cost $35. The last draw was the VW representative who said, "the reason the left front fender turned grey from metalic green was because we took it to too many car washes". Only the fender turned grey. Then also the coil packs were not covered under the drive train warranty.
That was it. No more VW's
VW's.... ?
Old 11-05-2011, 05:59 PM
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Originally Posted by GLKKLG
Greetings fellow GLK owners!

My wife and I own a 2010 GLK350 4Matik, since late 2009 and ever since it was new, brakes on it are a bit strange.
First they felt a little slippery, compared to other cars in our household.
After 10K miles brake pedal started to travel down a bit, and now at 27000+ miles it is even further down, showing same original symptoms.
MB dealer we got the car from keeps blowing us off, stating that brakes are not under warranty and that everything is normal. Yet when my wife drives other cars, like my daily Ford F150, she always admires how much nicer the brakes are, than her GLK's.
What do you think, any similar experiences?
The brake issues have been floated around here for a long time. I can tell you from experience that many of the brake feel issues have been resolved when the 20K bake service is performed by MB. Have you had this done? I am not saying that it will cure your symptoms but is a necessary service. I know there are some who will argue that MB just wants to take your money but it is very important and it MAY help to resolve your issue.
Old 01-23-2012, 09:26 PM
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2 years later, after 3 visits to the same dealer who sold us that GLK new, our brakes got fixed by a totally different dealership, without a word.
Brakes got bled and flushed. Apparently original fluid had some issues, where it created gas bubbles over time... I had to pay for the service, since MB is such a good supporter of their product and never admits their fault.
We still like the car, overall, but with such nasty aftertaste, we'll try BMW next time.
Old 01-24-2012, 10:02 AM
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I have always been impressed with the brakes on my GLK, more so than the steering but that's been covered elsewhere. Much less so the dealer. When I told them that no air ever came out of one of the center dash vents the general manager's comment was. "It's operator error." I fixed the stuck flapper myself. Had many other issues with them. I've gotten the impression that their attitude is- You bought the cheapest car we sell and probably will never buy another so get lost. I hammered them on the JDPower questionaire I got and received a follow up questionaire about my problems but I don't know who ever sees that. Never heard another word.

Last edited by 420tee; 01-24-2012 at 01:43 PM.
Old 01-25-2012, 02:28 AM
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Originally Posted by bop11
I owned 9 VW's with 6 different dealers, 3 of the VW's were used. I have had dealers replace clutches in a Sirocco and catch wires in the bell housing, leave the oil fill cap off on Rabbit (fills engine compartment with oil), trim the idle with the mixture screw (car with a carb) and many other things. The only dealer I liked was in Philadelphia back in 1966. Clutch job back then cost $35. The last draw was the VW representative who said, "the reason the left front fender turned grey from metalic green was because we took it to too many car washes". Only the fender turned grey. Then also the coil packs were not covered under the drive train warranty.
That was it. No more VW's
My brother handed me down his old 83' Scirocco Wolfdsburg edition in 1988 with over 100K miles in it. I drove it through high school, college, and work to 260,000 miles. It died on the freeway three times but I just kept patching it. I finally traded it in and got $200 in the mid 90s.
Old 01-25-2012, 09:52 AM
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Cool

Originally Posted by GLKKLG
2 years later, after 3 visits to the same dealer who sold us that GLK new, our brakes got fixed by a totally different dealership, without a word.
Brakes got bled and flushed. Apparently original fluid had some issues, where it created gas bubbles over time... I had to pay for the service, since MB is such a good supporter of their product and never admits their fault.
We still like the car, overall, but with such nasty aftertaste, we'll try BMW next time.
I am glad that you finally have brakes working up to the GLK standards. Did the original dealer ever drain/bleed the fluid? Sorry if this was mentioned earlier. I lost track.
I would contact MBUSA in writng. Detail the whole mess. CC: The original dealer as well as the new bealer who actually cured the problem. If you get the usual follow up questionaire do the same on it. I think there is space for written comments.
I hope you are loving your "new" brakes!

Wayne
Old 02-07-2012, 02:16 AM
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Originally Posted by GLKKLG
2 years later, after 3 visits to the same dealer who sold us that GLK new, our brakes got fixed by a totally different dealership, without a word.
Brakes got bled and flushed. Apparently original fluid had some issues, where it created gas bubbles over time... I had to pay for the service, since MB is such a good supporter of their product and never admits their fault.
We still like the car, overall, but with such nasty aftertaste, we'll try BMW next time.
Glad it got fixed. When I read post #1, I was thinking air in the brake lines or worn out pads are usually symptions for soft brake feel.
Old 02-12-2012, 10:22 AM
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I am one of the folks who are having problems with the brakes on my 2012 GLK, my dealer did many things, none of them resolved the issue, I do believe that miles, 5000 now, have helped true the surface of the pads to the rotors, that helped a vast amount, my awareness of the problem has helped the most in my style of driving the car.
Some have speculated that "softness" of the pads are the cause, It would be just the opposite, soft pads are very dusty, offer short life, but stop well, the softer the better friction. I guess it is just "the nature of the beast"
Old 02-12-2012, 01:11 PM
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Clutches and brakes are similar in nature. They want to be driven gently for the first few hundred miles to let them seat properly. If you don't and you abuse or are excessive you will glaze over the material and in most cases will not stop the vehicle properly. Hard vs soft brake pads, have no doubt that hard brake pads will stop better than soft. Iron composite rotors are also the culprit. Different compositions make for better or worse braking. Ceramic brake pads will stop better than conventional pads. That's why Brembo brakes and rotors are the choice of many sport and exotic cars. They stop better and work better with very little dust. There are a couple of sacrifices, cost and possibly a little noise but are by far much superior.

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