Can differential cause pulsing when braking?
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2
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From: Burnsville, MN
2010 GLK-350, 1998 E430
Can differential cause pulsing when braking?
My 2010 GLK is in the shop again for the 3rd set of brakes in 4 months. I am pressing the dealer to fix this once and for all. I had read in the forums that there might be a manufactoring issue with the rotors. While I am unsure of this the dealer is now saying that the front differential needs replacing and that is causing the problem. I have never heard of such a thing. While I can understand the differential might be damaged as the result of the bad rotors but want to make sure I understand this possibility before I tell the dealer they are nuts. The differential is under lifetime powertrain warranty so this is not really a cost issue. So, has anyone heard of this before?
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
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From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
Unless you drive 20k miles every month, it doesn't sound like a disc problem. Unlikely you would get three sets of soft disc spread over 4 months. Is it just the disc on one side? if so, it maybe a force vectoring differential problem. However, sounds more like a bad caliper problem not releasing or an anti-lock brake problem applying pressure to one side while driving due to a faulty pickup or bad processor.
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21
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From: Oxnard, California
2018 GLC 300 4Matic, '69 Nova 350
Pulsing when braking
Had the same issue with pulsing when braking on a recent trip from SoCal to Reno last week. I figured I had overheated brakes and warped rotors. Took GLK to dealer yesterday and found bad Brake Booster... Getting replaced at 30K miles... Will post updates once completed....
Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 190
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2014 GLK250, 1983 Caterham super 7
Brakes issues will not damage a differential. I had the same issue on a 2004 Honda Accord as did a close friend who owned the same yr and model Accord. We would go through a set of front rotors every 15,000 miles. Having grown tired of this. I opted to buy an after market set of rotors from Brembo. That cured the issue. The factory Honda rotors didn't have enough air flow in the center of the rotor and would not disipate heat fast enough. The Brembo OEM replacement rotors were also cheaper than the Honda factory set.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 422
Likes: 61
From: South East US.
2015 GLK350
Brakes issues will not damage a differential. I had the same issue on a 2004 Honda Accord as did a close friend who owned the same yr and model Accord. We would go through a set of front rotors every 15,000 miles. Having grown tired of this. I opted to buy an after market set of rotors from Brembo. That cured the issue. The factory Honda rotors didn't have enough air flow in the center of the rotor and would not disipate heat fast enough. The Brembo OEM replacement rotors were also cheaper than the Honda factory set.
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 861
Likes: 38
From: Philly area
350 GLK, C280
A bad control system for 4-Matic can wear out the brakes. Mercedes uses the brakes to torque vector (see http://techcenter.mercedes-benz.com/...ic/detail.html Click more detail half way down the page) not individual clutch packs on each half axle.
So, Yes, the diff can cause brake disc wear but it is probably more specifically the program or what you drive on.
So, Yes, the diff can cause brake disc wear but it is probably more specifically the program or what you drive on.
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Joined: Jan 2013
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
A bad control system for 4-Matic can wear out the brakes. Mercedes uses the brakes to torque vector (see http://techcenter.mercedes-benz.com/...ic/detail.html Click more detail half way down the page) not individual clutch packs on each half axle.
So, Yes, the diff can cause brake disc wear but it is probably more specifically the program or what you drive on.
So, Yes, the diff can cause brake disc wear but it is probably more specifically the program or what you drive on.
^ This.
