A friend of mine with an '02 ML350 was driving on the freeway at 60 mph when all of a sudden the brakes locked up without him touching the brake at all - the ABS was working, but even so the brake force was maximum. He managed to pull the vehicle over and turned off the engine and waited a few minutes. When turning the engine back on there was no warning lights and the brakes had disengaged and appeared to operate OK. He continued home driving in the inner lane and the same problem occured twice before he reached home. Over the past 2 weeks the problem has not resurfaced, but obviously he is worried that it can happen anytime again!

Has anyone had any similar experience?

 

Sounds a bit bizzare. I really do not think I believe this unless you are not getting the full story. With something that severe and potentially dangerous don't you think that any person with half a brain would call and have the ML towed in to a dealer rather than risk a catostrophic experience??

 

Did he encounter a sudden maneuver or press the brakes fast even a little and turn the wheel quick? Cause the ESP only kicks in if it realizes you are encounterting a dangerous situation.


Also was it raining (any wet roads?) or snowing?

 

This guy did over at Mercedes Club Of America forum - http://mbca.cartama.net/showthread.php?t=17368 Better get it fixed before someone gets killed. My 2 cents.

 

Mads, this is bizzare and extremely rare. The reason I say this is becasue the inputs to both ABS and BAS are mechanical - the driver actually has to do something for these sensors to react. But, this is the ML and we've had cases where the rules of engineering don't apply. Obviously you're getting second hand information from your friend. Have your friend post the problem here - this case really does need first hand information. Tell your friend there's no better source for help than here. The brake lock is not impossible, but more details are required. Meanwhile, I hope your friend has taken the truck in for code retrieval.

 

this has happened to me once. I was pulling out of a parking in the snow/rain. the esp light flashed. then like 5 or 10 seconds later down the road the brakes locked up.. i just shut the car off.. and drove home like 5 miles away

 

My ML270 CDI Did the same!! I had it taken away and it was found to be the lateral acceleration sensor.

 

Mine did the same. It was the Yaw rate sensor!

 

Yep. I have a 2001 ML55 AMG. The brakes will randomly come on when you least expect it.
I had the car serviced, plugged in and checked, the relay No 25 (ABS pump) replaced. Car was fine for a week until last night. The brakes came on fiercer then ever. Lucky for me I had already exited the motorway and was in a 60KPH zone. Pulled over, waited, restarted and 5 mtres later they engaged. Pulled out relay 25 and has been fine since. I have no confidence in the ML series anymore. I'll get it fixed and sell it. Back to Range Rover for me.

 

My ML55 AMG has this brake problem. I have tried everything. I now drive it without abs/bas as I can only drive it with relay 25 removed.
Someone somewhere surely has to know what this problem is. It is driving me insane.
Time to get rid of the Merc. Too many silly but serious problems.

 

Please UPDATE YOUR PROFILE in USER CP.

 

Undesired brake application is always caused by a faulty Yaw Rate Sensor.

 

Change mine, work perfect after doing that (the sensor is the one underneath the centre console? )

 

I have experienced it on my 2000 ML320 simply by a failing fuse (F15, if I remember the fuse no. right)....brakes would stutter randomly at any speed....with ESP/ABS light flashing off and on...
After 3 weeks of troubleshooting, I traced it to the fuse...replaced the fuse...and the problem has since gone away! Its almost 2 full years now...

 

My husband was driving at 70 mph and the ABS/BAS lights flashed and the brakes locked up! At first we thought it was a blow out, but no. Lots of rubber laid on the freeway. We got it back home with only one more episode. Went straight to this forum to see if anyone else had a similar experience. Seems so. This is a very dangerous event.

 

You must replace the Yaw Rate Sensor. Do you have left or right hand steering?

 

Yes, only yesterday and s very frightening experience which at thought was a blowout. Seems only rear wheels locked and ESP/BAS lights came on, then nothing and no malfunction message on dash.
From what I can deduce problem points to a faulty yaw sensor or its wiring. Was driving at 25mph at time with thankfully no one behind but on a slight camber and right handed bend.
Amazed there is no Mercedes recall notice as this could be fatal.

 

The brakes locked up on my 2012 C250 just yesterday while driving on the expressway. This is dangerous and thank God I was near an exit to get off. I tried to drive again and it locked up as I took off. I just stopped and called my warranty company for towing to the nearest dealership. Mercedes need to do a recall for this before someone lose their life. I will be writing and calling them next business.

 

Wrong forum. And something is wrong with the car, probably neglecting maintenance. It's not a MB problem.

 

Wrong forum, but probably is an MB problem. At least on the ML, it has to do with the yaw sensor (not a cheap part BTW) part of the ESP system. When it goes bad, it thinks the vehicle is in trouble and deploys the brakes. Pretty scary. Ask me how I know!

Regards,
Jerry

 

Hi, It's Aug. 24, 2019 and the same thing happened to me today. I have a 2001 Mercedes ML320 and I was driving it at around 30mph coming back from the grocery store and all the sudden the brakes locked as if I slammed on the brakes and the steering wheel was pulling to the right. So scary, It could have cost my life or someone else's. It happened so quick that I couldn't see which lights came on the dashboard but I do know that lots of lights flashed and then the "BAS/ESP stayed on. I didn't stop the car just let it idle while trying to calm down from what just happened. Then I turned on the Hazard lights and slowly proceeded home (about 10 minutes away ) and it ran normal.
Now I'm honestly scared to drive it anymore. Looking online and reading this forum I can not find an answer to what it might be. Does someone here know what it is? I just checked the vin. number on Mercedes recall and there is a recall # 11V208 for the cruise control brake switch. Do you guys think this is related to what just happened?

 

I doubt if brake switch malfunction would cause this. Most likely your truck has a problem in 1 of 2 places.

1. ABS module is malfunctioning
2. Yaw/speed sensors are malfunctioning

You should read the fault codes from the ABS module & post here. That will help us help you much better.

 

YES! My brakes completely locked up w/out any warning on a Hwy when I was traveling 60 mph yesterday! I skidded off the hwy onto the side of the road, turned it off and restarted and there were no warnings but I could not move forward at all. Had to be towed to Mercedes in the Evening hours and I just had it fully serviced last Thursday! It was so scary, if someone were behind me they would of crashed into me and sent me rolling down the highway....could not believe this! Still waiting to hear how this could of happened, I could of been killed!!!!!

 

Yaw rate sensor.

 

Hi.
Sorry for my English language. ( It's not my mother language)

A mechanical told me that the problem was a sensor wich can sense the balance of the car.
It has malfunction.
Can it be true?

My car is a Mercedes Benz C Class year 2001. 203.