Happened not once...but TWICE!~! Someone please HELP!~!
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,664
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From: SoCal
W221
From my understanding it seems like it affects cars from 1,000 miles on the clock all the way up to 45,000miles on the clock...unless others have more miles and have experienced this...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 2,399
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From: Irvine, CA
07 M6, 05 Noble, 01 S4, Smart ForTwo
I just had a similar experience this morning, Sun..
I didnt get the red dash, but SBC/ ESP failure, and the car was jerking around when i gave it gas, like someone else hitting the pedal (!)
Didnt lose brakes, but got very soft and spongy.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/136249-now-scared-me-sbc-esp-failure-erratic-throttle.html
I didnt get the red dash, but SBC/ ESP failure, and the car was jerking around when i gave it gas, like someone else hitting the pedal (!)
Didnt lose brakes, but got very soft and spongy.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/136249-now-scared-me-sbc-esp-failure-erratic-throttle.html
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 806
Likes: 27
From: Rochester, NY
2009 S550 AMG sport pckg. 2014 Ford F-150 Lariat Supercrewcab
I dunno if this is gonna help but you may wanna check out the recalls on the E-class on wwww.nhtsa.dot.gov. I did it for the 2003 E-class. This one may of interest
Summary:
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WITHIN THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IF AN UNACCEPTABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS DETECTED, THE SYSTEM WILL SWITCH, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO, INTO THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.
Consequence:
IF VEHICLES ARE NOT ROUTINELY SERVICED AND HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH MILEAGE COMBINED WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF BRAKE ACTUATIONS, OR A HIGH BRAKE ACTUATION FREQUENCY, THE PUMP MOTOR OF THE SBC MAY RUN OUT OF PERMISSIBLE TOLERANCES, THEREBY TRIGGERING THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT, REPLACING IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 21M 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
Notes:
MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2004 050014. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Summary:
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ELECTRONIC MONITORING SYSTEM OF THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) IS DESIGNED TO MONITOR THE PRESSURE GRADIENT WITHIN THE HIGH PRESSURE LINE OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM. IF AN UNACCEPTABLE PRESSURE GRADIENT IS DETECTED, THE SYSTEM WILL SWITCH, AS IT IS DESIGNED TO DO, INTO THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.
Consequence:
IF VEHICLES ARE NOT ROUTINELY SERVICED AND HAVE EXTREMELY HIGH MILEAGE COMBINED WITH A HIGH NUMBER OF BRAKE ACTUATIONS, OR A HIGH BRAKE ACTUATION FREQUENCY, THE PUMP MOTOR OF THE SBC MAY RUN OUT OF PERMISSIBLE TOLERANCES, THEREBY TRIGGERING THE HYDRAULIC FUNCTION MODE.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT, REPLACING IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 21M 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.
Notes:
MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2004 050014. CUSTOMERS CAN ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION’S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).
go to www.nhtsa.dot.gov
Last edited by Nickthegreek; Feb 8, 2006 at 01:06 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,851
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From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
Lots of posts on the W211 forum about SBC brake failures. I agree that it's a ticking bomb and have been accused of being "Chicken Little" when posting negative comments about it. The backup brake system is insufficient to stop the car in a timely manner as witnessed by people that have experienced the failure and gone into panic mode and even had accidents. I wrote a letter to MB and they basically answered saying they thought the backup system was sufficient. Several if not many things can fail or produce marginal output or feedback to put the car into backup so anyone that thinks it's permanently solvable by 'perfecting' the current system are gambling that 100% reliability will occur....ask any engineer, that's not possible. I hope someone is initiating a class action suit because that's the only way it will get fixed. I don't even own an SBC equipped car but could be a victim of one.
