CliffJumper

Sorry, long post.
TL;DR version: Dealer says MB is developing a new front brake pad for CCBs to get rid of a weird sound my car (and probably others) make.

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As I've posted in a couple of other threads, my 2016 E63 wagon with carbon ceramic brakes has been making some sounds (seemingly due to heat expansion) ever since it was re-delivered to the US in June (I did an April ED). The typically starts after I've driven for a while, stopped for a few minutes and then start driving slowly again. Sometimes it's a brief (fraction of a second), or sometimes it lasts for minutes. My dealer's shop foreman described it as a "submarine groaning", which is spot on for the shorter noises.

For the first few months, it was very difficult to reproduce on demand at the dealership (especially in downtown SF, with lots of traffic and stop lights).

1. In August, the dealership kept the car for 2 days while doing my rear diff fluid change, but could not reproduce the noise.
2. In November, after emailing them this video (E63 Noise), the dealership acknowledged there was a problem and kept the car for a week. They attached various tools to track the source of the noise in the chassis. They traced the noise to the front brakes, stating that my front brake pad clips needed to be replaced with stronger ones. They did that replacement, did multiple road tests and gave the car back to me.
3. Within a few days, I heard the noise again and a couple of weeks later sent them a second video similar to the first. I kept my car for the holidays and then took it in a week and a half ago. This time around, they immediately involved Mercedes factory support in Germany and a Mercedes tech rep in London. They had new brake pads shipped from Germany, which they installed, but apparently only made the noise better and didn't eliminate it.

The SA called me today and said that Mercedes has actually decided to design (or have their vendor design) a new brake pad and they were going to ship a new brake pad with a new part number in a few months. They're giving the car back to me on Saturday and told me that I'll have to wait until the new part is available. I'm guessing this problem is not limited to my car since they wouldn't design a new part just for me, but I haven't found anything like this on the forums. Has anyone heard anything about this?

So far, my dealer has been pretty good about this, but it just seems like a weird issue to have on a car that's one of the last builds of a long model run.

Geno51

Ours makes the same noises mostly when pulling into parking spots or slow driving with light peddle usage it will groan. Sure would be nice if a pad change would fix it

CliffJumper

Yes, it only happens at low speeds on the road and in parking lots, but it never happens if I'm on the brakes at all.

Astolfo

Same here, but I thought it was the front struts and I cant get the dealer to acknowledge it.

Wickdwagon

I bet if you wanted to you could likely lemon the car. I know here they get three attempts over a certain period to fix and issue. And having it in the braking system you could certainly claim its unsafe.....and then pick up a new 18 wagon when available.

CliffJumper

Ha, that's what my wife keeps telling me to do. However, it's just a noise; not sure it's a safety issue.

Wickdwagon

A sound in your breaking system that no one can really explain, took weeks to determine a cause for, and has a fix that is months away....yep....a good trial lawyer would make that sound like you frequent the Mulsanne Straight daily and never are quite sure if the breaks are there when they are need

CliffJumper

Lol... the thing is that the E63 wagon has been one of my dream cars for a long time and I love the bigger engine. When I finally got to the point I could afford one, I spec'd it out exactly the way I wanted it (I don't think there's another one in the country that's exactly the same) and picked it up in germany. While I think the 4.0 V8 is a great engine, I really wanted the 5.5 (maybe would've preferred the 6.2L if it was available). I also like the boxier, less suppository-like look of the current generation. However, the transmission and interior of the new one might win me over...

uh-oh... this may have turned into a S212 vs S213 thread...

Geno51

I don't know the spy shots of that wagon black series are killer

CliffJumper

yeah, I've seen those. IF they actually make the black series wagon AND IF they bring it to the US, then yeah, I could be persuaded to upgrade...

10speed

I know exactly what you mean about the looks of the new gen, I always loved the look of the w212 and now the S,E,and C alll look alike , I drove my friends 15 S63 The interior was amazing but at the same time it lost its sporty feeling , as someone said it looks like a cheap strip club and now that's the way the new e63 is. Right now I'm not liking the w213 but I'm not saying it won't grow on me .

As for your brakes you should try a different brand, Stop tech Centric Posi quiet make great and reasonable priceed pads I paid $165.00 for the full set , I have the on my E63s with steels and they feel like stock with much much lower dust , you have steel in the rear I'm sure theyv make the pads for CC discs , the pads have the Harmonic balancer weights on the pads just like stock .

Astolfo

I am with Cliff, the 16 w212 is a fantastic car specially for the $, incredible improvement over the 2015. I had both MCT adapted by the dealer and a night and day experience from delivery.

The humming is annoying but having 2 wagons, one with and one without CCB (on all 4 wheels, I think 10speed is getting confused with the C class) is nothing short of incredible.

@Jeff are you sure that the noise is not the struts as described on another thread?

It is 23F here in the PNW and dry (45% RH); the CCB outbreaks the steel in every pass in my "private" drag strip by about 8-11 feet from 60mph. Same tires (Pirelli winters) and tire pressure, and 4 different drivers. My girlfriend is becoming a car nut, and now she does not want to drive the 2015 with steel breaks.


Astolfo
PS: I really do not like what I see in the interior pictures of the W213, it looks like cheap Hong Kong strip club Then a "sport" car not even with a fake gear shifter in the center console? I guess I am too old, but there is something about even shifting gears like in the Audi, with the stick shift and driving with one hand when I want to feel young

2012 CCB E63

I think you guys need to track your car or something. All this parking lot driving is a shame for these cars, especially with the CCB.

My CCB are quiet and flawless, the track days help in my opinion

CliffJumper

Actually, the heat expansion makes it much worse. After 3 drag strip runs (and subsequent hard braking) and a hard canyon drive, the sound was especially bad both times.

Geno51

Agree with cliff we have made no less then 7 stops as fast as we could from 120+ miles per hour in a row. For ours it helps for about 2 days and is instantly back up to its old ways

otakki

+1

V-AMG

Did you ever resolve this issue? My 16 wagon with CCB does this “harmonic humming” too. Dealer installed new pads last week, but this only made the noise more frequent. Ugh...

PeterUbers

Less "suppository" look?? Lol

Savage212

I will have to agree with this post. My CCB's are quiet, no noises. Hot, cold and in-between. No extended track time but plenty of use.

balpo

How long have the ceramic rotors lasted?