Short Track

2019, S560. needs a B service. 2 years old exactly, and the dash lights up. Do you really need a brake fluid flush???? Of course not. I have cars 20 years old, and as long as your not racing it, not trailering, not running the brakes hard. It's total over kill.
I would like to do air filters, cabin filters & oil change at the dealer. Do I need anything else besides wipers

Nice Ride

A good Dealer that will be fair and do a good job Don't leave stains on surfaces, puts back all plastic hold down clips etc. Magic Vision Wipers are over $125- You can purchase from FCP, you can get a new pair free for the rest of your ownership of the car, just return the old ones, no questions asked.

2012 merc amg

Ya I’ve often wondered if you don’t do the brake flush and have any Warrantee issues with the abs or other brake related components if they may decline warranty service as you didn’t do the brake flush every two years. I always thought the brake flush was bs too too. Most other var brands don’t require it. Must be a German thing I guess. They think everyone races and boils over their master cyl every day lol.

Mitch Alsup

In Germany you can actually find roads where you can run the car at top speed and you may need to stop from that speed......

On the other hand, brake fluid absorbs water vapor even in the dry hot areas like death valley and Phoenix. This water in the brake fluid can slowly corrode the master cylinder and calipers and degrade the hoses and tubes connecting it all together. Brake fluid is supposed to be clear and turns brown after it absorbs enough water.

I suspect that Mercedes is being careful and wants to have the vehicle live well for its intended 20 year life span.

Short Track

One problem with that thought process. Brake fluid doesn't circulate. What's in the caliper stays in the caliper forever, until it's bleed. But yes, brake fluid is hydroscopic. 2 years is a bit much as a standard. IMO. Unless your racing, then every weekend. No way my wife is boiling brake fluid in an S class.

platt-deutsch

When I change oil I suck the brake reservoir dry and refill with fresh fluid.. It should work its way thru the system.

Short Track

Impossible. Brake fluid doesn't move through the system under normal conditions.

Nice Ride

Here is the Motive product in action. You can complete a car in 35 to 45 Min once you are familiar with the process. In most instances, you do not need to remove the wheels.

ECS Tuning: How To Bleed Your Brakes - Bing video

Review of the Motive Power Bleeder - Bing video

chassis

Changing brake fluid is a German thing. It's an Autobahn thing. Additionally, there is a well known test circuit from the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße used by carmakers to test brake performance. Boiling the brake fluid coming down the Großglockner would not be good. Testing brake fluid water content with an electronic meter is a standard step in the brake fluid flush procedure.

While we're at it, excessive rear camber alignment is a German thing, an Autobahn thing. Negative camber helps with rear axle grip and high speed (Autobahn) lane change stability, and has the additional side effect of eating rear tires quickly, especially on the GLS. End of digression.

Back to brake fluid, when you flush your brake fluid, you will notice sediment or cloudiness that is purged out of the lines and into the bleed bottle. When the fluid runs clear is when that particular circuit has been bled. Where did the cloudy sediment come from? It's a good reason to flush the brake fluid.

Fred2

Flush the brake fluid.
It is much better to spend $ for a brake fluid flush than $$$ for new brake components.

S_W222

I would do the brake fluid flush every 2 years (or whenever I do service B). I don't think this will be an issue that we should compromise while owning W222. I would also say by the way that MB is very generous and maybe accurate with their recommended service intervals. Look at the air filter (46K miles/4 years!), look at the transmission fluid service internal. They really have long time and mileage recommendations. There must be a reason why they recommended short period for the brake fluids. I would personally do it. Most of the time those periods and intervals are based on research and experiments not just a number that a salesman would recommend. and by the way, those are not based on worst driving conditions, those periods/intervals are based on NORMAL conditions (meaning not racing, and at same time not a baby-ing the car).

MBNUT1

I have had two experiences with loss of braking due to fluid boiling. Once when we took out my Dad's 7 year old '65 Lincoln and did a bit of hot rodding around with it. The second time was coming down Mt Baldy in an 8 year old 914 that I had. Additionally I have had to rebuild calipers in a '62 Mercedes 220SE due to corrosion. Given the cost of the parts in a Mercedes braking system particularly components like ABS I think that it is cheap insurance.

Bart-N3GQ

You will probably find that most car manufacturers recommend changing the brake fluid every two years. Because brake fluid is highly susceptible to absorbing moisture, over time, this moisture can cause corrosion in the critical and expensive-to-replace ABS components. The change in boiling point could also be important. Being the most important system on any vehicle, better safe than sorry. Just sayin'.

Katie22

Flushing the brake fluid is NOT a difficult job and it is not costly. It also helps to assure your bleeder ports don’t corrode into the calipers since you have to loosen them. It also removes brake fluid that could have collected water from the ABS control system which costs a lot of money if it fails.

With that said the people that say it can be put off are probably correct but for me I don’t mind doing it myself.

Jud Chapin

Just gravity bleed from the caliper bleeder screws?

Fred2

That works, but is slow.
For a one man job get a Motive Bleeder. I just use it to pressurize the system.
or
Enlist a partner that knows how to PUMP and DOWN on command.

Katie22

I use the same vac system I use for oil changes and other things.

here is the unit I use of course there are others. http://www.harborfreight.com/23-gall...tor-62643.html

MBNUT1

Mine just requires periodic pressurization so it is pretty much a one man show.

Jay04SL

I'm looking to do this on my 2015 S550. I'm experienced with brake fluid flushes, and own a motive bleeder, which is a great product btw. I've seen reference to using a scanner to activate the abs valve-- any specific procedure to flushing brake fluid on the W222, or can I do it like other cars by pressuring the master cylinder and bleeding the corners? Thanks!

tx170754

I wouldn't do that, for around $150 let the dealer do it, my .02

chassis

No scan/OBD tool needed. Motive bleeder, fill it with fluid, pump it up, crack the caliper bleed screws one at a time, keep the bleeder pumped up, and job is done. It's a simple procedure.

Jay04SL

Thank you, sounds exactly like my other vehicles I have done this for. Just wasn't sure if there was anything proprietary to the W222.

S_W222

When I had my former 15” W222, I still can’t forget how dump I was when I paid nearly 850 USD for oil change service (A or B, can’t recall) wherein all I needed was oil change. They charged 25 bucks to randomly change key fob batteries, too much labour for air filter and cabin filter, as well as 50 bucks or more for fuel stabilizer… combined all together with some other non-sense, it was close to 850 USD!.

Currently, with my new-to-me S560, I’ll plan on replacing all filters (engine filter and cabin), buy the fuel stabilizer myself, and other easy to do stuff myself in my garage, and let the dealer strictly do the oil change and engine oil filter only.

I don’t understand why most MBenz dealers add those non-sense stuff to their oil change service. I take all my BMWs to the BMW dealer and I let them do whatever they want during the 10K miles service, and the bill is always within 140-160 USD. Most Mbenz dealers I dealt with, unless I tell them no to do, they’d add a lot of non-sense services (like replacing the key fob batteries for $25!! That doesn’t even need to be replaced).

NbyNW

When you need your brakes, you need your brakes! I do mine every 2-3 years.

I’ve used this for years. Works great.

https://www.griotsgarage.com/multi-fluid-extractor/

chassis

Same with BMW vs MB dealers I have experienced in multiple cities.

MB dealers = scum.

BMW dealers = reasonable.