2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Brakes

I WAS DRIVING EWA BOUND ON BERETANIA STREET AT ABOUT 7:45PM AT SPEED 25MPH. THE CAR HAD A RED WARNING AND BEEPS SAID BRAKE MALFUNCTION, STOP VEHICLE! AT THIS TIME MY CAR CAN NOT BRAKE AT ALL BECAUSE THE BRAKE WAS COMPLETELY NOT WORKING WHEN MY CAR IS DRIVING. I HAVE TO PUT IN NEUTRAL AND USE THE ASSISTANCE BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR. LUCKILY I WAS NOT ON HIGHWAY WITH FAST SPEED! I FOUND OUT THIS IS COMMON HAPPEN TO THIS MODEL DUE TO THE FAULT OF SBC ABS BRAKE PUMP. PARTS IS BREAKING DOWN BUT NOT ON BRAKE PUMP HAPPEN WHEN THE CAR IS DRIVING. IT IS TOTALLY DANGEROUS! MERCEDES SHOULD HAVE RECALL TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ENFORCING MERCEDES TO IMPROVE. THANKS *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH A DELAYED RESPONSE FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 04V296000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), HOWEVER THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

I WAS DRIVING TO WORK WHEN MY BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED. MY CAR DISPLAYED A CODE STATING "BRAKE DEFECTIVE; STOP VEHICLE". THIS OCCURRED ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC. I AM A PREGNANT FEMALE AND WAS IN THE CAR ALONE, IT WAS TERRIFYING. AFTER HAVING MY CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, I LEARNED OF AN EXTENDED 10 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE SBC UNIT OF MY CAR. SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR USED, I WAS NOT THE "REGISTERED USER" EVEN THOUGH I HAVE THE LOAN AND TITLE IN MY NAME. THE WARRANTY EXPIRED IN SEPT OF 2013. AFTER MY CAR WAS DIAGNOSED, IT WAS FOUND THAT IT WAS THE DEFECTIVE SBC UNIT THAT FAILED ME. I HAD PREVIOUS SIMILAR CODES (NONE THAT CAUSED MY BRAKES TO FAIL) RELATED TO THIS SBC UNIT DEFECT IN APRIL 2011 & AUGUST 2013 TO WHICH I PURCHASED NEW BRAKES. IT IS NOT KNOW WHETHER THIS WAS NECESSARY OR NOT SINCE MY CODE OF "SERVICE BRAKE" AT THOSE TIMES ARE A PART OF THE FAULTY SBC UNIT AND NOT NECESSARILY RELATED TO THE SAFETY OF MY BRAKES. AFTER MY CASE WAS REVIEWED AND DENIED AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL, MY HUSBAND AND I HAD TO SHELL OUT $1135 TO FIX THE PART OURSELVES. MY HUSBAND WAS PREVIOUSLY LAID OFF AND JUST STARTED A NEW JOB IN JUNE. I FEEL IT IS UNFAIR THAT WE HAD TO PAY THIS MONEY WHEN WE TAKE GOOD CARE OF THE CAR AND WERE NOT PRIVY TO THE INFORMATION TO FIX THE BRAKE SYSTEM WITHIN THE WARRANTY TIME. I WORRY ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS CAR, ARE UNAWARE OF THE WARRANTY, AND ARE OUTSIDE THE WARRANTY. I WAS LUCKY TO NOT HAVE DAMAGE OR INJURY. I FEEL MERCEDES SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. I ALSO FEEL I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED AS THIS WAS NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE AND I FEEL IT WAS HANDLED UNFAIRLY ON THE CORPORATE LEVEL OF MERCEDES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THERE WAS A WARNING MESSAGE THAT APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ADVISING THE CONTACT TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES BECAME UNRESPONSIVE AND ABNORMALLY TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WHEN DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 204,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND TO DECELERATION ATTEMPTS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,138.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE MALFUNCTION WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED. THE FAILURE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE BRAKE CONTROL UNIT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOWED BRAKE REDUCE "REQUIRE LONGER BRAKING DISTANCE". I HAD THE SAME ISSUE BEFORE BUT I DID NOT PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION OF IT BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD JUST BE A BRAKE PAD REPLACEMENT INDICATOR. UNTIL I SENT THE CAR IN AT THE DEALER FOR SERVICE, THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS AN ISSUE RELATED TO THE SBC UNIT. LATER, I FOUND IT ONLINE THAT IT WAS A COMMON KNOWN ISSUE FOR 2003-2005 MODEL. THIS COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE WHO WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON FREEWAY IF SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENED. I CALLED THE MANUFACTURE AND ALL THEY SAID WAS THE UNIT WOULD ONLY BE COVERED WITHIN A 10 YEAR PERIOD AND THEY DID NOT HAVE ANY OTHER SOLUTION PROVIDED. *TR

SBC BRAKE FAILURE. BRAKES NOT WORKING. CAR REFUSED TO STOP. I PUT IT ON PARK AND JUMPED OUT. *TR

I WAS DRIVING THE CAR AT AROUND 30 MPH ,WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DASHBOARD TURNED RED . I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL ALL THE WAY DOWN BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE TO SLOW DOWN . FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO TURN INTO A MEIJER SHOPPING CENTER WITHOUT HITTING ANY ONE OR ANYTHING. I KEPT DRIVING IN CIRCLE TILL THE CAR SLOWED DOWN ENOUGH FOR ME TO PUT IN PARK GEAR. IT WAS NOT FOR THE EMPTY PARKING LOT I WOULD HAVE BEEN HURT OR HURT SOMEONE OR BOTH. THE CAR HAD SIMILAR FAILURE FEW MONTHS AGO.THE DEALERSHIP SAID THEY REPLACED THE FAILED PART AT NO COST TO ME .I AM SHOCKED TO FIND OUT IT FAILED AGAIN. THIS MATTER HAS TO BE INVESTIGATED. *TR

THE WARNING LIGHT OF BRAKES FAILURE CAME ON AT HIGHWAY EXIT AT 65MPH AND THE BRAKE PADDLE HIT THE FLOOR WITH NO BRAKES. PULLED OVER AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER IN MID MARCH AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT THIS IS THE SBC PUMP THAT FAILED WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN COVERED BY MERCEDES BENZ UNDER SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: 484656 BUT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED ON 02/28/13 AND SINCE I WAS 15 DAYS OVER THIS WILL NOT BE COVERED. CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ OF NA AND ASKED THEM THAT I BOUGHT THE CAR USED AND WAS NOT TOLD BY ANYONE ABOUT THIS TSB AND THEY SHOULD COVER THE REPAIRS SINCE THE PUMP ACTUALLY FAILED WHEN THE CAR STILL UNDER EXTENDED 10 YEAR WARRANTY (SERVICE BULLETIN NO.: 484656 ). THEY FLATLY REFUSED. I THAN ASKED THAT IF THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT THE BRAKES COULD FAIL COMPLETELY THAN ITS MERCEDES DUTY TO TELL THE OWNERS EVEN IF THEY BUY USED, THE PERSON JUST KEPT QUIET. PEOPLE CAN ACTUALLY GET HURT OR DIE WHEN THIS FAILURE HAPPENS. AT THE END I WAS CHARGED $2309 FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE BY MERCEDES. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT, BRAKES, VISIT WORKSHOP MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INFORMATION SYSTEM. TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SBC PUMP FAILURE. MERCEDES HAD EXTENDED THIS WARRANTY TO 10 YEARS BECAUSE OF KNOW DEFECTS TO THE PART SO ALL PARTS AND LABOR WERE COVERED. *TR

FIRST INCIDENT, BRAKES! VISIT WORKSHOP! MESSAGE WAS ILLUMINATED ON THE INFORMATION SYSTEM. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH SBC PUMP FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED PART UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THIS PART BECAUSE IT HAS A KNOWN DEFECT. SECOND INCIDENT, ON APRIL 25, 2013, ONE DAY AFTER I TOOK MY CAR FROM THE DEALER, STOP!, REDUCED BRAKE POWER, ESP MALFUNCTION MESSAGE APPEARED. I STOPPED THE CAR AND HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER. DEALER REPLACED THE PART AGAIN STATING THAT THEY ONLY HAVE RE-MANUFACTURED ONES AND THE ONE I HAD GOT WAS A BAD RE-MANUFACTURED PART. DEALER REPLACED PART AGAIN. THIRD INCIDENT, ON MAY 1 2013, 5 DAYS AFTER I PICKED UP MY CAR STOP!, REDUCED BRAKE POWER AND ESP MALFUNCTION LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO A GARAGE AT A HOTEL. I CAME CLOSE TO HITTING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME THAT WAS TAKING A TICKET TO GET INTO THE GARAGE. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS GOING FASTER THAN I WAS. THE BRAKE WILL NOT WORK AT ALL ONCE THESE MESSAGES APPEAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ACTIVATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED WITH FORCE AND SEIZED TO THE FLOOR BOARD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHO LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE ABS ANTILOCK SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES E320. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP. THE CONTACT SHUT THE ENGINE OFF AND AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKE SYSTEM FUNCTIONED WITHOUT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. *TR