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Mercedes needs to address rear brake line corrosion. My findings.
I want to open a discussion about Mercedes and their corrosion issues specifically concerning C class, E class, GLK and ML models from approximately 2010 until now. As many of you know, Mercedes extended the warranty on the rear subframe to 20 years on affected models. They are taking no responsibility for the brake lines that are also corroding away in these cars.
Recently I had a brake line blowout in my 2014 e class that has virtually no rust on any of the car EXCEPT that rear subframe and rear brake lines. The rear subframe is being covered by Mercedes under warranty but I am left to pay for the brake lines myself. Approximately a $4,000 charge for something that failed with no warning and should not have happened. Mercedes needs to extend the corrosion warranty to the brake lines!
I went through the database of NHTSA complaints from Mercedes owners with similar issues.
There are 73 complaints submitted since 2020 (that I found) describing this exact issue all isolated to certain models and all involving rear brake lines corroding away. These brake lines are all beginning to fail and Mercedes needs to acknowledge the fact and extend the warranty. I made a histogram to see when these things started failing. We can see that the failures will continue to happen as more vehicles get older and more brake lines corrode.
I want to open a discussion about Mercedes and their corrosion issues specifically concerning C class, E class, GLK and ML models from approximately 2010 until now. As many of you know, Mercedes extended the warranty on the rear subframe to 20 years on affected models. They are taking no responsibility for the brake lines that are also corroding away in these cars.
Recently I had a brake line blowout in my 2014 e class that has virtually no rust on any of the car EXCEPT that rear subframe and rear brake lines. The rear subframe is being covered by Mercedes under warranty but I am left to pay for the brake lines myself. Approximately a $4,000 charge for something that failed with no warning and should not have happened. Mercedes needs to extend the corrosion warranty to the brake lines!
I went through the database of NHTSA complaints from Mercedes owners with similar issues.
There are 73 complaints submitted since 2020 (that I found) describing this exact issue all isolated to certain models and all involving rear brake lines corroding away. These brake lines are all beginning to fail and Mercedes needs to acknowledge the fact and extend the warranty. I made a histogram to see when these things started failing. We can see that the failures will continue to happen as more vehicles get older and more brake lines corrode.
It goes back further than that, mines a 2008 and the brake lines failed maybe 2-3 years back but was only charged 300-400£ to have it fixed. At that time I had no subframe rust (atleast visible maybe it had started since it rusts from the inside out) but now I'm dealing with a rusted subframe and although Mercedes agreed to fix it, they're telling me the parts been on order for the past 4 weeks, and also that if any other part needs replacing, even bolts that I'd get charged for it.
In going through all of these complaints I did see some older models here and there too. At least it sounds like they're covering the bulk of the repair for you.
$4,000, that seems a bit high. The lines come with the fittings and just have to remove the old ones and use them as a template to bend up the new ones, may have to do something with the fittings with a special tool. I was looking around for used lines but no luck, figure Cali salvage yards would be a good place to look. Can find new lines for around $100. Only the rears look bad on mine.
Its only the rears that seem to be the problem. I tried calling around on getting this work done elsewhere but without dropping the subframe no indy shops wanted to quote this job or just said that it would be more cost effective to have the dealership do it with the subframe out. I think i'm getting hosed on this work because there's no way that its costing them anywhere near 4,000 dollars to replace the lines when the subframe is coming out for free. Just don't understand why mercedes isnt getting out ahead of this one and extending the warranty to the brake lines before its a forced recall.
Ive been under there and you dont need to drop the subframe to get the lines in/out. I was thinking about replacing them myself. I also came across how to replace them, connect the fittings etc but I cant find it easy. If i do ill post it up.
Heres a video on someone doing it, just pulled the lines out.
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Have you called Mercedes customer service? $4000 seems ridiculous, period. Maybe they serve that crazy Hawaiian coffee in the waiting room or something.
More research. Previously I was searching for OEM lines to get to replace my rears and wasnt coming up with much, they come new unbent just rolled up so would have to bend yourself. I just found a website that has pre-bent lines and the part #s matches the ones in my parts diagram. $270 shipped for all the lines, even to Canada. They even have a very good video showing the steps. I will say if replacing the front lines that it a pain, they drained the coolant, removed the battery, battery tray, coolant reservoir, air box, heat shielding, panels etc. I can see labor being alot. But for the rears it looks very easy, remove drivers side plastic undertray, wheel well liners and then just disconnect the lines and reinstall.
Heres the video, very informative. And they work on a very rusted C300:
Is there any development on this? I'm dealing with the same problem, the brake line is corroded to the point it started leaking and the brake pedal is spongy. It is not safe to drive the car, the brake performance is insufficient.
Add me to the list. My 2014 E350 4matic developed a leak yesterday after sitting unused for 3 weeks. Small puddle on the garage floor near the rear differential and Brake light & low fluid warning message. I'm having my independant service center look at it next week but I'm not feeling good about it at this point and dreading the huge bill that will likely come with the repair. When i reported the issue to NHTSA, no open recalls showed up, so maybe my car isn't affected by the subframe issue? More to follow . . .
Do they only leak where attached to the plastic support thing? If so you could just splice in a small section on either side, depending on access. If the rest of the line is mint that seems feasible.
Is this everyone's experience? It corrodes from abrasion where nestled in the support bracket?
Yep, they leak where attached to that plastic bracket. Splice small section is just a bandaid since the whole line has corrosion and it is just a matter of time before will start leaking again. Only brake lines for the rear wheels are affected. Front lines are fine.
Yep, they leak where attached to that plastic bracket. Splice small section is just a bandaid since the whole line has corrosion and it is just a matter of time before will start leaking again. Only brake lines for the rear wheels are affected. Front lines are fine.
I wonder if the front lines are made of different material.
Maybe get Stainless steel ones made and then bent to the right shape? Those would NOT rust /corrode
In such an expensive car series why in Gods Green Earth would they use regular coated steel? BOTUS would say cause they are designed to fail at 8 - 10 years and bring a ton of money to the dealers. ..... I wonder if the UK folks have a source for the SS ones?
OOPS just found this stainless lines for 2012 C300: https://www.linestogo.com/mercedes-c...hoCkVsQAvD_BwE
Paid approximately 4k to get fixed at the Illinois MB dealership in Skokie where I bought it. Contacted MB corporate to but no help and it was just my problem. Mercedes is selling a defective product and we all need to complain to the consumer protection agency and get a recall established since breaks are critical to safety.
I'm having my independant service center look at it next week
Local Indie confirmed that the steel brake lines are cracked in multiple places and need to be replaced. MB doesn't offer pre-made brake lines and my shop doesn't bend brake lines, so I need to find a brake shop that can do the repair. No chance I will take it to the dealer based on the prices quoted above . . . so pathetic.
EDIT: Found a local shop that will replace the lines with the more appropriate copper/nickel tubing. $1800 installed. Ouch.
Rich
Last edited by petersor; Jan 16, 2024 at 12:32 PM.
This is a problem across a number of manufacturers, not just Mercedes.
I lost all of my Suburban’s braking last September. Evasive driver training saved my butt (and most importantly, the people that were going to get plowed into at 45 mph)!
On my truck the lines going into the ABS distribution block under the truck failed from corrosion. We replaced all of the hard lines with stainless - the bill came out to about $2k.
To note… my truck also had a recent safety inspection done. This was not identified as an issue.
This is a common failure on these trucks with many complaints to the NHTSA. GM’s response is that these parts are considered wear items and need to be checked periodically and replaced as needed. Most people will not even give a second thought to their coated steel brake lines - the lines sometimes don’t even leak (they corrode under the coating and fail when you really need them).
Mercedes probably sees the brake lines in the same light as GM and Chrysler: wear items. Funny how steel brake lines on a 40 year old car can still be good but a 10 year old car’s brake lines fail regularly. That’s “quality” for you.
This is a problem across a number of manufacturers, not just Mercedes.
I lost all of my Suburban’s braking last September. Evasive driver training saved my butt (and most importantly, the people that were going to get plowed into at 45 mph)!
On my truck the lines going into the ABS distribution block under the truck failed from corrosion. We replaced all of the hard lines with stainless - the bill came out to about $2k.
To note… my truck also had a recent safety inspection done. This was not identified as an issue.
This is a common failure on these trucks with many complaints to the NHTSA. GM’s response is that these parts are considered wear items and need to be checked periodically and replaced as needed. Most people will not even give a second thought to their coated steel brake lines - the lines sometimes don’t even leak (they corrode under the coating and fail when you really need them).
Mercedes probably sees the brake lines in the same light as GM and Chrysler: wear items. Funny how steel brake lines on a 40 year old car can still be good but a 10 year old car’s brake lines fail regularly. That’s “quality” for you.
Friends of mine own an ocean front vacation home in Belize. Anything that's not wood, plastic or fiberglass disintegrates in a couple years from the corrosive humidity -- even lesser grades of stainless steel. I'm fortunate to live in Colorado where winter road treatment is sand and MgCl, neither which destroy motor vehicles (except for the occasional windshield). I grew up in PA where winter road treatment was 100% rock salt. It would destroy a car in 6 years. Car manufacturers continually search for ways to squeeze nickels and dimes out of material cost, and making finite life brake lines has likely been a target. If you live close to the ocean or in a northeastern state that salts to taste, annual brake line inspection is imperative.
There was a period of time in my life where every car I owned eventually blew out one or more brake lines. My wife's 2000 Malibu (this happened in 2007 as we were driving to our first home for the first time), my 91 Ranger, 93 Caprice, 99 Dodge Ram, 05 Cadillac STS, 96 Buick Roadmaster. Back in 2020 when I bought my first Mercedes (04 E55) I was hoping that would be the end of my brake line trouble. Then I started reading threads like this. The good news is, I have not had a brake line failure on a Mercedes, but my 07 S550 is the only Mercedes I've had that I even drive in the salt. I did my best to treat it with CRC HD Corrosion Inhibitor so we'll see.
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