msaldi

As a first time poster, please excuse the first 75% of this post

First I'll rant, then the questions.

Just picked up my 19,000 mile, 2000 ML430 from the dealer. Dropped if off because the pad sensor light just started flickering.

With 19,000 miles and 15 months of ownership, had rear pads replaced for a not insignificant $286.55. They also mentioned the fronts will need the same treatment in 1000 to 2000 miles. This car has 19,000 miles on it!!!

I have a few problems with this and am getting the "what you can't afford it?" and "obviously you are a new merc owner" looks from the dealer. "This is within the expected life" to quote the service manager.

Problems are:
-Front Rotors warped at 10,000 miles, replaced at N/C under warranty. I am fairly certain this will be my last free set from this dealer.
-The brakes have squealed since new under all conditions and in both directions. Neighbors (and Buick driving Dad) are certainly impressed with my $50K SUV!
-Sensor began to flicker on Tuesday, by Saturday (75 miles later), dealer says rotors were already beginning to score.
-Dealer won't even listen to an appeal for warranty claim.

As this is my 12'th MB in 20 years of driving (I drive the '99 C43 (with 77K on the original set of pads!), the ML is for the wife), can MB possibly be happy with this? Do they even care? Are the engineers working on a fix? Do they have a fix or secret warranty that my dealer doesn't know about or care to share with me? Should I just budget $600.00 a year for maintenance while still within my "bumper to bumper" 50K warranty the salesman made such a big deal about?

Left a few messages today with the Dealer to have the rep call me, and I have checked, my phone is working just fine.

OK, done with my rant.

On to the questions

Has anyone else seen such short brake pad life?
Am I crazy on this, or are you also unhappy about it?
Does everyones ML announce itself at every stop?
Is this the same Mercedes that made all of my other Mercedes? Not meaning Alabama vs. Germany, but MBNA of yesterday vs. the MBNA of today.

Searched the archives, and most seem to experience 35 to 40K on a set. Hesitiate to use aftermarket for warranty concerns.

Stop me before I trade it for the E wagon she really wanted!!

Kar don

I had my original brakes on my 99 320 ML for 22K. Within this period the brakes did squeal a lot and the dealer changed the front pads at 10K to remedy this. It worked for about a week then came back. The dealer then applied an anti-squeal compound to it, that lasted about 6 months. I took it back to the dealer at around 15K to complain again, and they said this is normal with mercedes to have a loud squeal. Then at 21K i took it in for my B service and they did the usual (didnt touch the brakes) and they called me a week later to inquire about how my service experience was. I kindly told the lady (general manager) that my brakes have been squeaking since 10,000 miles and that I wanted them to be fixed. She then asked if the dealer looked at it and I told her I had been back for the same problem 3 times. She then said that she heard that mercedes had an updated rotor for the vehicle and that she would order me 4 new rotors and pads free of charge. I have had these new rotors and pads since 22K and I have only an occasional squeal, (usually when turning sharp and braking) happened about 5 times since the new rotors were installed. My ML now has 34K on it and the brakes still have 70% pad life left (according to dealer). So just have persistance and maybe try another dealer. Good luck!

msaldi

Thanks much for the detailed response. As a point of detail, do you think the dealer or MBNA ate that cost?



Sorry, more rant coming...I....just....caaannnnnnt.....stop. Just psyching myself up to leave message #5

I can only be shocked by the dealer on dragging their feet on going bat for me with the manufacturer. They well know I buy 2 new cars every 3-4 years and the C43 lease is up in Feb '02. A shame they are 1 mile from the house. Next servicing dealer 25 miles away.

The Dealer certainly didn't build the thing, but they sure know (I hope) that I'll look at other makes before I just re-up my lease 9 weeks from now. If it were my business I would be all over MBNA on at least giving me a call.

It's MBNA acting like Chrysler that's grinding at me.

I just can't get past the casual "you need brakes, it will cost, not covered by any warranty" casual attitude of the counter rep. I still don't believe they can justify in their own minds that this is "normal"

I lovingly remember the good old days in 2000 when I made a casual complaint about a minor problem I had on the C43. I must have had three people and the dealer calling to make sure I was happy, and when I wasn't, they apologized, and kept at it. It just seems to be gone.

Anyway, this post adds little/nothing to the group but sure makes me feel better. I'm off to search the rest of the postings to find some folks with a positive MB attitude, and see if might rub off on me. Gotta get me one of those "member" listings instead of "newbee"

JohnN

Can't say anything specific to your situation - but can say that with dealers, your mileage may vary depending on who you use.

When I was shopping for my 2002 ML, the first dealer I went to sat down with me to discuss pricing.

Dealer : '$45,000'

Me : 'Isn't that MSRP? Did you expect to sell me this vehicle at MSRP?'

Dealer : 'Well - you must be new to Mercedes - they sell at MSRP.'

Me : 'I don't think you understand - I'm willing to pay $42.5k for this car, and not any more.'

Dealer : 'I don't think YOU understand (getting visibly irritated) - we sell this vehicle at sticker price'

at which point I got up, bode the dealer a good day, and went on my way, indicating I'd be buying this vehicle, at my price - no matter who I had to buy it from.

Ironically - I still get letters from that dealership, letting me know that they're 'interested in my business'.

The place near my house (a lot more convenient) wouldn't meet me at $42.5, but did at $43k, and with a lot less aggravation. I didn't get treated nearly as rudely as the first dealership.

Maybe it's time to try someone else - or keep trying until you find someone willing to work for your money.

sosh

Had a 98 ML320, replaced only the front pads once at 40,000 miles. Had lots remaining on the rears. My new ML500 has only 4000 miles, noticed a brake squeal today, only when cold and only when backing up and applying the brakes.

the Brain

I had a 95 Deville that I changed rotors more frequently than I change rolls of toilet paper. I eventually read an article that two contibuting factors accellerate rotor warping; turning a rotor to true it up, this reduces the mass of the rotor reducing it's effeciency to remove heat from braking causing the turned rotor to warp faster than a new one, improper torquing of the wheel nuts. Most shops pay the mechanic a flat rate for a job, ie, 2hrs labour for a brake job, if they do it in 1hr, that is one hour bonus for them and on to the next job. Proper torquing should be done in 3 stages each aprox 1/3 of the full torque until full torque is reached. The nuts should be retorqued after 100 miles of driving. Of course you must also follow the torque sequence for the proper nut in rotation.

The final set of rotors I put on the Caddy myself, along with changing to winter tires and rotating the summer tires. I had no further problem with warping, in fact the rotors outlasted the pads.

As far as you short pad life, do you do a lot of high speed stops or stop and go driving, pull a trailer, etc. These would all contribute to rapid pad wear. There are other pads available, if I was burning them off as fast as you I would be looking at an aftermarket set. Search the various groups, I have seen listings for pads.

good luck.........brian

olneymd

Had to replace the front pads at 18k for my 01 ML430, which was only on the road for 12 months.

The tech (whom I trust) says that the 430 eats brakes -- has seen many MLs needing pads at 10000.

Lesson learned - talk to a tech BEFORE you buy a vehicle... or read these message boards.. I certainly will in the future

elvanker

I was told that my 99 ML430 would need pads and rotors on the front soon at 38k miles, I'm waiting for the light to come on (41k miles). My wife usually drives it, so it doesn't get abused. I drive a 2001 E430 Sport.
Past experience has taught me to hand torque wheels whenever they are put back on. I had a Honda CR-X that used to eat pads and rotors every 20k miles until I stopped letting people with air wrenches monkey around with it. My '94 Saab 9000T needed pads and rotors at 30k miles, which I thought was too soon, so I made sure I hand torqued the lug nuts to 87 ft-lbs (which is pretty tight) whenever changing back and forth from summer to snows and I had a tire dealer who did the same when replacing tires. They left a sticker inside the door specifying what the nuts were torqued to. I replaced pads only once in the next 100k miles!
I also highly recommend the Pirelli Scorpion Zero tires for the ML430. They come in the OE size and improve the handling and braking feel of the vehicle. I got mine from the Tire Rack and was pleased with them. (I had received out-of-round Yokohama AVS's from the Tire Rack 10 years ago and was stuck with unusable tires since the only Yokohama dealer within 150 miles dealt only in truck tires, and the Tire Rack wouldn't do anything for me.)

DesC

msaldi ,
my frist post in this forum.

I understand how u feel. I got the same pharse "ML eats a lot of brake" from my service rep. just for refernce, I don't race or press hard on my brake. real normal driving.

Today, I dropped off my 2000 ML 320(at 17,000 miles) at my dealer today for replacing windshield tank pump, windows switch and have the brake check. by the way, 2nd time i go in for the window switch.
The reason i have the dealer to check on my car's brake system becoz it's feel soft since day 1. I have it checked after 17,000 miles becoz I thought it's a feature of my new ride until I drove a loaner and my friends' 2000 ML, i notice the other brakes feel much "firmer". Does anyone have the same "soft brake feel" problem?

Anyway, dealer said nothing wrong with the brake system, only front pads need to be changed. Cost at $240.
I doubt it would help. So I am going to get a second opinion from a MB dealer next to my work.
-Des

mb_newbie

Des,

Instead of the brake itself, how about ask them to make the brake "paddle" firmer/tighter.

When I got my MY02 ML430, I felt the brake is kind of "soft", so I asked them to do some adjustment on the paddle which improve the situation.

-- mb newbie

Kar don

how did you get a 2002 ML430, the last year of the ML430 was 2001. If your dealer told you its a 2002 ML430 you got screwed. To check read the last 8 characters of your VIN. If the first character of these last 8 is a 1, then it is a 2001 (which I'm sure it is). If the number is a 2, it is a 2002. Also can you tell me exactly what they did to create a firmer pedal feel? You simply just cant adjust the pedal.