est8esq

Anyone else having this problem on the new S550?

Been trying to look online for aftermarket pads that don't squeal and reduce the brake dust, but the cars appear too new?

Suggestions?

markmam1

^^ i think almost all of us have that problem

some people wax their wheels so you can just spray off the wheels with water and they just come of with out scrubbing

Mobsteel

Mercedes' are notorious for brake dust. Also, make sure your detail guy or yourself - while you shine your tires - make sure you aren't getting any of the spray on your actual rims and/or lip. This will make the dust stick heavily. My detail guy told me some detailers will purposely put that stuff on peoples rims and it looks dirtier quicker so they keep coming back for more. What a conspiracy! That wax idea sounds good too.

LETO

Nothing specific to your car. All benzes do this (so do bmw's and mini's). It's the downside to having good stopping power.

Please do not get those nasty black covers that people put inside their rims to prevent brake dust. IMHO they look ridiculous.

The above post has the most logical solution if this bugs you

GDawgC220

Brake dust is not really a "problem" but more of an annoyance. The German three (Audi, MB, BMW) all have pads that like to dust but thats because of the braking ability.

You can go aftermarket pads that are low dust yet provide excellent stopping power as well. Check out tirerack for ideas.

zoomie

I heard the ceramic ones have less brake dust.

Unfortunately the Mercedes forums aren't really the best place for questions like this. You may have better luck consulting the Import car forums where people are bit more picky about stuff like this and there are a billion more people who discuss this exact topic. Though there's lots of members, the %age of people who own mercedes and use a forum are minimal.

anmhi

I heard that if you complain to MB service they will replace pads with other ones to correct problem, but Its just heresay I don`t know if its true.

04S430

Yes..., I also wish the MB pads would not leave black coatings of dust on the rims upon applying the brakes. Perhaps, the problem could be alleviated by matching the color of the pad's compound composition with the color of the rims, but then the black tires would show the dust. In the interim of a solution, I live with the excellent MB brakes. Do the same; after-market pads may not stop you as quickly! Enjoy your new S550, it is an exceptional vehicle!

wman

When my brakes were squeaking i brought it in and they added a paste to the brakes, it worked for 2 days and when i brought it back they did replace my brakes for free at the 7000 mile mark, it did work till i sold the car last month wit 10000 miles on it, mb is aware of the problem especially in the northeastern part of the coumtry.... i know drive a bmw x5 4.8...sorry

LowTech

I've had several BMW's and MB's. Brake dust has always been heavy. I did not want to go with ceramic or kevlar pads, as they tend to fade, and I did not want to risk damage to the Brembo cross-drilled rotors.

So, I resigned myself to mitigate the dust by treating the wheels as best as possible. Here's what I use:

1. Good synthetic All-In-One cleaner (Klasse AIO or Optimum Poli-seal)
2. Then seal with several coats of synthetic sealant such as Ultima Paint Guard or Optimimum Opti-Seal.
3. Then wipe-down after every cleaning with FK1 #425 anti-static polymer quick detailer.

The result is that ii sheds a bit of dust (they don't get as dirty as quickly). But more importantly, it makes future cleanings much easier.

I have also tried Michelin Brake Dust Repellant with some success, but found the FK1 425 works as well.

Again, this solution isn't an "invisible force shield" against dust, but does lessen the buildup and noticeably helps with future cleaning using a strong blast of water. FWIW