verskel

Ok, as posted in an earlier thread, I was beside myself on what the dealership wanted to charge me for brakes on a Mercedes ML-320.

Well, instead of $184 for M-pads......I went with $58 for Warner thermo-quiets. The brakes seem to function pretty well. However, there's a problem :cuss ......What happened to my PEDAL ? :confused:

I now have to push the pedal down an extra INCH of travel before achieving the same braking as with the old stock Mercedes pads..... :(

I've checked the fluid level - OK.....I've posted on the Benz forum but nobody responds.....I plan on calling the dealer, BUT first, I'd rather hear from you guys - Any Ideas ?!?!?

page62

Did you get a service manual and follow the correct procedures? This ain't no Ford pickup truck. The Germans have different ways of doing things, what with ABS and ESP and pad wear sensors and whatnot...

verskel

The sensor comes attached to 1 of the 4 pads which goes on the drivers side.
Swapping out pads is just a matter of removing 4 bolts (2 per side) which hold the calipers. Next, I used a very large C-clamp to gently press the piston in for clearance room on the new pads.

I've been 100% successful with this procedure on C5 Corvettes, C4 Corvettes, Camaros, a Ford Expedition, and a 1982 Subaru. ;)

The websites show a visual procedure which is very similar.

page62

Call a Mercedes repair place that isn't a dealer. Try a different one if the first one don't care. Sooner or later you'll find a mechanic who's willing to tell you what's wrong.

Those Mercedes forums seem to be more focused on what's wrong with their cars (and they DO have problems) or where they can get a cheap Bi-Xenon headlight swap! BTW: I feel your pain. The wife chose an MB C230 over anything else she could have had. Gotta admit, it's a nice car...and quick. But not cheap :yesnod:

verskel

ttt

hint : bubble in the lines ?

77BuffaloVet

I just replaced the brakes in my girlfriends Altima and she now has the same issue. The brakes work fine, but the pedal is a significant deal lower to the floor. I don't think it is a brake line leak because the resevoir has not gone down. Perhaps it is a bubble in the line...I will bleed them this coming weekend...

I will keep an eye on this thread :lurk:


[Modified by 77BuffaloVet, 5:14 PM 3/15/2004]


[Modified by 77BuffaloVet, 5:15 PM 3/15/2004]

verskel

:yesnod: -Exactly, my reservoir is 'unchanged'.....when reading a 'how-to' site on how to change disc brakes.....they recommend siphoning out 2/3 fluid in the Master Cylinder Reservoir. The Mercedes has a screen making that a difficult task (although I could have left the cap off)......
Then the usual C-clamp / screwdriver technique to push the pistons back for pad clearance. But I can't imagine that I compressed the fluid without breaking something. No leaks no change.....except for that darn pedal distance. :mad :cuss :mad

verskel

77BuffaloVet :

If you haven't.....you may want to postpone 'bleeding' the brakes. The pedal problem seems to be 'correcting' itself and getting better daily.

What the deal is this >>> pad 'seating'

I guess the factory Mercedes pads are much softer & a different compound altogether. This is directly related to the pedal 'feel' which my wife was complaining about. She recently said it's getting better after some 'hard' stops and I drove it with similar results.

Soooooo......according to pad change 101 you need to do at least 3-4 hard stops to 'seat' the pad or at least wear the top layer so it conforms to the rotor properly. ;)

ferndog4

Easy on those "hard" stops. Those hard stops are what cook brake pads on a new installation, that can create glazed, squeeky pads. 15 - 20 slow stops from 25-0 with 30 seconds in between of cool down will help "break" the pads in. Your right the Wagner Thermoquites are mushy pads, but thats not their selling point they are suppose to be quite. That is their compromise. I work for the competition. When we talk to professional installers using Wagner TQ's mushy pedals are their biggest complaint. Just my .02 cents.