2005 Mercedes-Benz E-Class SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED AND THE MESSAGE BOARD DISPLAYED REDUCE BRAKING POWER. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000. UPDATED 02/25/15. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25-30 MPH WHEN A BEEPING NOISE SOUNDED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. WHEN FORCE WAS APPLIED TO THE BRAKES THERE WAS MINIMAL RESPONSE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BE REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE SBC HYDRAULIC UNIT WAS REPLACED UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,264.

AFTER PICKING UP THE KIDS FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AND DRIVING HOME IT HAPPENED, AS I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AND DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IT WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR WITH NO RESISTANCE AND NO STOPPING POWER, RED LIGHTS CAME ON THE THE DASH TELLING ME I HAD A BRAKE FAILURE AND BRAKING POWER IS REDUCED!. WHAT A SCARY MOMENT! I WAS ABLE TO LET THE CAR ROLL TO A STOP SAFELY. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND THEN ON AGAIN ALL BRAKING POWER WAS RESTORED AND WAS ONCE AGAIN FUNCTIONAL. TOOK THE CAR INTO A MERCEDES BENZ DEALER THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE BRAKE OPERATING UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $2,200.00. I FIND THIS VERY HARD TO ACCEPT THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM ON A PROPERLY MAINTAINED VEHICLE CAN SUDDENLY FAIL WITHOUT WARNING AND RESETS ITSELF AFTER A RESTART. THE DEALER OFFERED NO OTHER EXPLANATION, BUT THINGS HAPPEN. *TT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO SLOW DOWN; THE BRAKES FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. HE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL GEAR IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC TEST THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE TO THE BRAKE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER REPLACED THE SERVICE BRAKE SYSTEM HYDRAULIC UNIT. NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V133000, SERVICE BRAKES HYDRAULIC WAS PERFORMED IN 2006; YET, THE REPAIR DID NOT CORRECT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,056 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

2005 MERCEDES BENZ E320. CONSUMER STATES BRAKE FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED AS SHE WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. THE DASH LIGHTS INCLUDING THE BRAKE LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE CONSUMER APPLIED REPEATED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE ND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE BRAKE SBC SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE AND THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THERE WAS REPEATED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 90,798. THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED AS SHE WAS DRIVING 65 MPH. THE DASH LIGHTS INCLUDING THE BRAKE LIGHT LIT UP ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DECELERATE. THE CONSUMER APPLIED REPEATED PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL WHICH FINALLY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. SHE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THE BRAKE SBC SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

MERCEDES BENZ E350 (2005). THE BRAKE SYSTEM WAS ALWAYS MALFUNCTION, IT HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN A WEEK, MY CAR WAS TOOK LONGER DISTANCE TO COMPLETED STOP, AND ALSO DISPLAY A MESSAGE OF ' REDUCED BRAKING POWER DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL FULLY'. SO THAT I TOOK MY CAR TO MERCEDES BENZ DEALER TO CHECK, THE SERVICE ADVISOR GAVE ME THE ANSWER WAS NEED TO REPLACE THE PART NUMBER OF 005-431-81-12, AFTER THAT I WENT HOME AND CHECK ON INTERNET AND FOUND OUT THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAVE A RECALL (RECALL NUMBER 2004050014 & 2005070007) FOR THIS KIND OF BRAKE ISSUES, AND THEN I TOOK MY CAR BACK TO THE DEALER FOR CHECKING ONE MORE TIME, NOW THEY ARE GIVING ME ANOTHER STORY, THEY SAID NOTHING WRONG WITH THE PART LISTED ABOVE, BUT STILL NEED TO REPLACE ANOTHER PART (PART NUMBER IS 000-430-0712). ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL, E-GLASS SEDAN, USA EDITION B2006, PAGE 400, IT HAS MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE MESSAGE DISPLAY ON SCREEN OF REDUCED BRAKING POWER DEPRESS BRAKE PEDAL FULLY', THAT MEANS IS THE ELECTROHYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM IS IN EMERGENCY OPERATION MODE. CONSIDERABLY GREATER BRAKE PEDAL FORCE IS REQUIRED AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE IS INCREASED. I DEEPLY BELIEVE THAT THE BRAKE PROBLEM MUST RELATED TO THOSE TWO RECALL. BUT THE MERCEDES BENZ WAS REFUSED TO REPAIR AS NO COST. PLEASE ADVISE ME THAT WHAT SHOULD I DO, SHALL I BRING MY CAR TO OUR MERCEDES BENZ DEALER. *TR

(THIS IS AN FROM A LETTER I SENT TO MERCEDES BENZ) I HAVE HAD A RECENT EXPERIENCE WITH MY MERCEDES BENZ 2005 E 320 DIESEL THAT I WOULD LIKE TO RELATE. WHILE DRIVING IN CINCINNATI LAST WEEK, I WAS ON A SEMI-RURAL ROAD DOING ABOUT 25-30 MPH AND SUDDENLY GOT A BEEPING AND RED LIGHT FLASHING ALARM ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL INDICATING THAT MY BRAKES WERE FAILING. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO SLOW DOWN AND TURN INTO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX DRIVEWAY AND BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. THE PEDAL WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND HAD ALMOST NO STOPPING POWER, IF ANY. I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND WAITED A FEW MINUTES BEFORE RE-STARTING. THE CAR RE-STARTED BUT WOULD NOT COME OUT OF PARK, SO I COULD NOT MOVE IT OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TO AN ADJACENT PARKING LOT. THE BRAKE ALARM AND WARNING CONTINUED AFTER RE-STARTING. I CALLED MY MECHANIC IN CINCINNATI (PRECISION MOTORCARS 513-271-5565) AND ARRANGED TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED IN. AFTER ANALYSIS BY THEM, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE SBC HYDRAULIC BRAKING UNIT WAS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE AND WAS A MB WARRANTY ITEM. IN THE MEANTIME, THEY REPLACED MY FRONT BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO MERCEDES BENZ OF CINCINNATI (WHERE I HAD PURCHASED IT IN FEBRUARY 2008). THEY REPLACED THE SBC AND GOT THE BRAKES WORKING CORRECTLY AGAIN, UNDER WARRANTY AND AT NO CHARGE TO ME. THIS EVENT HAS CERTAINLY SHAKEN MY FAITH IN THIS CAR. WHAT KIND OF CAR GIVES YOU A WARNING THAT YOUR BRAKES DON'T WORK, AND THEN YOU FIND THAT THEY DO NOT. IF I HAD BEEN IN A DIFFERENT DRIVING SITUATION, SUCH AS COMING UP TO A RED LIGHT AT 30 MPH, I MIGHT NOT BE WRITING THIS LETTER TODAY. *TR

2005 MERCEDES 350 CDI - BRAKE FAILURE! IN FACT, CAR ACCELERATED WITH PRESSING BRAKE PEDAL DOWN. BRAKE PROBLEMS ON THIS MODEL HAVE BEEN SUBJECT OF PREVIOUS NHTSA RECALL ADVISORY (PLEASE SEE HTTP://WWW.MOTORTREND.COM/CARS/2005/MERCEDES_BENZ/E_CLASS/E320_CDI_SEDAN/616/RECALLS/). THIS CAR SERVICED WAS REGULARLY AT MERCEDES DEALERSHIP - BEFORE AND AFTER INCIDENTS. THERE IS NO DOCUMENTATION OF FIXING THIS PROBLEM BEFORE OR AFTER RECENT EVENT WHICH LED TO AN MVC. CORPORATE MERCEDES HAS BEEN RUDE AND RECOMMENDED WE TAKE THIS MATTER TO COURT IF WE WISH THE CAR PROPERLY SERVICED. REPRESENTATIVE 'JITEN' REFUSED TO GIVE HIS LAST NAME AND REFUSED TO GIVE A COMPLAINT NUMBER. COULD THIS CAR BE UNSAFE? MERCEDES IS NOT BEING HELPFUL AT ALL. WHAT TO DO? PLEASE HELP. *TR

TRAVELING DOWN STEEP HILL AT 45 MPH. ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKES AS I APPROACHED A STOP SIGN AT BOTTOM OF HILL. BRAKING SYSTEM TOTALLY FAILED AS A WARNING LIGHT READ "BRAKING SYSTEM FAILURE - SERVICE IMMEDIATELY" ATTEMPTED TO APPLY BRAKE MANUALLY BUT DID NOT HAVE TO STRENGTH TO PUSH THE PEDAL HARD ENOUGH TO STOP THE CAR AT THAT SPEED. I MANUALLY DOWNSHIFTED THE CAR AND IT SLOWED TO ABOUT 10 MPH AND I COASTED IT ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE MAIN ROAD AND WAS THEN ABLE TO STOP THE CAR WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL MANUALLY. AFTER TURNING THE CAR OFF AND RESTARTING, THE BRAKE SYSTEM WORKED AGAIN FOR A FEW MINUTES AND AGAIN FAILED. APPARENTLY A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. *JB

MY MERCEDES E 320 HAD A RECALL BECAUSE OF A DEFECT IN BRAKING IN 2006> I BROUGHT THE CAR IN TO REPAIR AND IT WAS THE SAME.. I BROUGHT IT BACK AND THEY SAY IT IS THE FRONT ROTOR , WHICH IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. THE CAR HAS 16000 MILES ON A 2005. I DO NOT BELIEVE THE ROTOR COULD HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SUCH LOW MILES . I THINK THEY ARE TRYING TO NOT BE RESPONSIBLE.. THE ROTORS ON A LEASE CAR SHOULD BE WARRANTED...*JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OFF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT USING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION. THE SBC PUMP WAS REPLACED. AFTER A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN HOWEVER; THE BRAKES DID NOT FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. NOW FOR THE THIRD TIME WHILE DRIVING 10 TO 15 MPH THE ABS INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL BRAKING ABILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER AND THE SBC PUMP WAS REPLACED FOR THE SECOND TIME.