2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Brakes Problems

The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the brake pedal was depressed but the pedal was stiff. The vehicle was taken to two dealers where it was diagnosed that the brake pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 45,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E-320. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the braking system became inoperable. The contact stated that the ABS warning light was illuminated after the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to TSB: 2005110001. The contact called the local dealer and was informed that the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who stated that the failure was due to the sensotronic brake control (SBC) braking system. The manufacturer was contacted and the contact was informed that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

MB USA is not honoring Recall 2005110001 for 25 years per NHTSA Bulletin. The Mercedes Benz Representative said that the recall is closed for a 2003 car, but which should not be closed until 2028 for my car. The Mercedes Benz Representative agreed that she does see the car matches the 2003-2006 E class with chassis of A336226 falling between A0- and A7- for the recall. The Mercedes Benz Representative gave no explanation as to why the 25 year recall has closed prior to 2031. The faulty SBC has caused numerous problems. If the recall is not honored, I plan to file a lawsuit against Mercedes. A formal complaint is being filed with the NHTSA for MB USA's lack of adhering to the recall for the full 25 years.

The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that there was leakage coming from the driver’s and the passenger’s side sunroof. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The contact was informed that the only warranty would be for the module. The contact stated as he was driving the vehicle into the dealer service center the ESP warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after the ESP warning light disappeared, the brake warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,648.

Brakes failed

The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the brakes became inoperable. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnose the failure to be the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electronic braking system. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

VEHICLE STARTED FLASHING A RED WARNING SIGN WHILE DRIVING AT WHICH POINT I LOST ALL BRAKES IT WAS ONLY RIGHT THAT I USED A RUNAWAY RAMP AT THE MOMENT OTHERWISE THE CAR WOULD HAVE NOT STOPPED. I TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE AND THEN UPON RESTARTING EVERYTHING BRAKE RELATED DISAPPEARED. ALSO THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES ALREADY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E-320. THE CONTACT STATED THE BRAKES AND SPC WARNING LIGHT WERE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKES AND SENSORS WERE REPLACED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. WHILE DRIVING AT 35 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED HOWEVER BUT FAILED TO SLOW AND STOP THE VEHICLE AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT USED THE PARKING BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ADDITIONALLY, THE BRAKE PEDAL FLUCTUATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO W.I. SIMONSON MERCEDES-BENZ (1626 WILSHIRE BLVD, SANTA MONICA, CA 90403 (855) 677-2690), WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPC RESERVOIR WAS DEFECTIVE, AND HYDRAULIC UNIT ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED NOR INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 216,722.

I HAVE A 2003 E320 MERCEDES BENZ WITH SBC BRAKE SYSTEM. THE COMPANY HAS ADMITTED HAVING ISSUES WITH THE SYSTEM AND HAS EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 25 YEARS ON THE SBC PUMP. MY CAR HAS ON ABOUT 4 OR 5 INCIDENTS GAVE ME A RED WARNING ON MY DASH TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND SEE WORKSHOP. EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS MY BRAKING ABILITY IS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED TO THE POINT OF NEEDING A LOT OF DISTANCE TO STOP. I HAVE HAD THE BRAKE SYSTEM FLUSHED, THAT WORKED FOR A WHILE. AROUND JANUARY OF 2018 THE DEALER UPDATED SOME KIND OF SOFTWARE PACKAGE. JANUARY 2020 THE BRAKE ISSUE HAPPEN AGAIN. I AM BEING TOLD THAT UNLESS A CERTAIN DEFAULT CODE IS INDICATED THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE PUMP. I TOLD MERCEDES CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT HOW WILL I KNOW THAT THE NEXT TIME MY BRAKING IS REDUCED WILL BE MY LAST TIME THAT WILL CAUSE DEATH OR PROPERTY DAMAGE TO OTHER DRIVERS OR MY SELF BEFORE THIS DEFAULT CODE COMES UP, A CODE NO ONE WILL TELL ME WHAT IT IS. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD MY CONCERN BUT UNTIL THIS DEFAULT CODE COMES UP THEY CANNOT REPLACE THE SBC . I FIND THAT STATEMENT TO BE NOT CONSIDER OF LIFE AND PROPERTY DAMAGE ON OUR NATIONAL HIGHWAYS

BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. BRAKES ARE ELECTRONICALLY CONTROLLED AND COMPLETE LOSS OF BRAKING OCCURRED WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. RED "BRAKE" AND "ABS" LIGHTS IN DASH STARTED FLASHING ALONG WITH CONTINUOUS BEEPING. WAS ABLE TO BRING VEHICLE TO A STOP WITHIN PARKING LOT BY USING PARKING BRAKE. UPON SHUTTING OFF AND RESTARTING ENGINE, VEHICLE REGAINED BRAKING. CAR WILL NOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL ISSUE IS ADDRESSED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT STOPPING OR SLOWING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE MADE A BEEPING SOUND AND THE STOP ENGINE AND BRAKE FAILURE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS CALLED (MERCEDES-BENZ OF BROOKLYN, NY, 718-258-5100) AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE ABS WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 140,000.

I PURCHASED MY CURRENT VEHICLE 18 MONTHS AGO USED. THIS WEEKEND THE GIANT STOP LIGHT CAME ON ASKING ME TO TAKE THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO DEFECTIVE BRAKES. IT TURNS OUT IT'S THE SBC PUMP WHICH WAS RECALLED BY MERCEDES BENZ. EXCEPT, BENZ WILL NOT REPAIR IT AS IT'S A 2003 AND OUT OF THEIR 10 YEAR RULE. IT'S A $2100 I CANNOT AFFORD AND CANNOT SELL VEHICLE WITH THIS ISSUE AS I FEAR IT MAY CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS. A FRIEND SUGGESTED I ASK FOR NHTSA'S HELP AS BENZ IS UNWILLING TO STAND BY THE RECALL AND REPAIR THE SAFETY ISSUE.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN STREET BRAKES ENGAGED ON THEIR OWN. PULLED CAR OVER DUE TO WARNING LIGHT FOR BRAKE MALFUNCTION AS CAR DOWN SHIFTED ITSELF. TRIED TO DRIVE CAR ONCE STOPPED AND BRAKES WERE STILL ENGAGED NOT ALLOWING CAR TO OPERATE. CAR WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THE SBC HYDRAULIC PUMP WAS DEFECTIVE AND HAD BEEN RECALLED BY MERCEDES BUT THEIR TIME FRAME TO GET IT FIXED HAD EXPIRED. I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE DUE TO BUYING THE CAR USED. I WAS INFORMED THAT THIS DEFECT AFFECT SEVERAL YEARS OF THIS MODEL. I CONTACTED MBUSA THEY EXPLAINED NHTSA DIDN'T DO THE RECALL FOR THIS DEFECT AND THE TIME THEY SET FOR REPAIR HAD EXPIRED. I TOLD THEM THE REPAIR IS $2100.AND ASKED MBUSA DO THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT BEING THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE THAT THEY USED ON THEIR VEHICLES. THEY TOLD ME THEY WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT IT. THAT THEY COULD GIVE ME $200.00 OF $2100.00 TOWARD THE REPAIR BEING THE PART WAS DEFECTIVE. MDUSA HAS NO INTEGRITY TO STAND BEHIND A PROBLEM THEY CREATED WITH DEFECTIVE BRAKING SYSTEM.

BRAKES SEEEMED TO WORKING FINE AND OUT OF NO WHERE AT 65MPH A RED NOTIFICATION CAME ON THE DASH SAYING "REDUCED BRAKING EFFECT/LONGER STOPPING DISTANCE VISIT WORKSHOP". MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS BECAUSE THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THE SBC UNIT THE IS NEEDED TO SAFELY OPERATE THE CAR BUT DIDN'T DO A RECALL AND EVENTUALLY STOPPED INSTALLING THIS PART IN THE MODELS. IF THE VEHICLE IS 10 YEARS OLD PLAN TO SHELL OUT THOUSANDS SINCE THE PART ISN'T COVERED AND IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE YOUR BRAKES MAY GO AT ANY TIME. I HAVE 96K ON MY VEHICLE AND BECAUSE IT IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD THE FAULTY PART THAT THE MANUFACTURER KNEW ABOUT IS NOT COVERED. THE PART IS DESIGNED TO MALFUNCTION AT 300,000 COMPRESSIONS AND THIS CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME. THIS IS UNSAFE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED! I HOPE SOMEONE DOESN'T HAVE TO DIE FOR BENZ TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E500. WHILE DRIVING, THE RED BRAKE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND A "DECREASE BRAKING" MESSAGE APPEARED. WHEN ATTEMPTING TO APPLY THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE PEDAL TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF THE VEHICLE. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES LATER, THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND FUNCTIONED NORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKES PERFORMED AT A SLOWER RATE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHCLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 04V296000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

I WAS DRIVING AND WHEN I TRIED TO BRAKE. THE BRAKES WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. RED LIGHT LET UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DASH IT SAID THAT BRAKE MALFUNCTION. SBC SYSTEM FAILURE. HAD TO GLADE TO A STOP AND HAVE THE CAR TOWED. *TR

I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THE CARS BUILT BETWEEN 2003 & 2006 WERE BUILT WITH THE SENSORMATIC BRAKE CONTROL UNIT OR SBC. MERCEDES DISCOVERED THAT THIS BRAKE SYSTEM HAD A LIFESPAN BASED ON THE NUMBER OF TIMES THE BRAKES WERE PRESSED SO THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY ON THIS UNIT TO TEN YEARS. FROM WHAT I READ, THESE UNITS JUST FAIL, SOMETIMES WITHOUT NOTICE, AND THE CAR IS LEFT WITH 10% BRAKING POWER, WHICH IS NOT SUFFICIENT TO STOP A CAR, ESPECIALLY A CAR GOING 55 OR 60 MILES AN HOUR. THE TEN YEAR WARRANTY DOES NOT MAKE SENSE TO ME BECAUSE THE FAILURE IS BASED ON USAGE, NOT TIME. MY CAR IS 13 YEARS OLD AND I JUST SAW A MESSAGE ON MY DASHBOARD THAT INDICATES IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I NEED TO REPLACE THE SBC. THIS IS A VERY EXPENSIVE JOB, UP TO $2000 AND I DO NOT BELIEVE I OR ANY OWNERS SHOULD HAVE TO PAY TO FIX IT. HOW IS A CAR MANUFACTURER ALLOWED TO BUILD AND SELL A CAR THAT HAS A BRAKING SYSTEM THAT FAILS AFTER A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TAPS ON THE BRAKE. I AM VERY CONCERNED AND AFRAID TO DRIVE MY CAR FOR FEAR OF THE BRAKES FAILING ON ME. I HAVE EMAILED DAIMLER BENZ AND DID NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM THEM. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN PROVIDE ME WITH THIS MATTER [XXX] *DL INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).*JB

I OWN A 2003 E320 MERCEDES BENZ WITH 67,000 MILES. I TOOK MY CAR TO A DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD MY SBC UNIT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE WARRANTY ON THIS COMPONENT WAS EXTENDED BUT IS NOW OUTSIDE THE EXTENDED WARRANTY PERIOD. WHY WAS NOT COVERED BY A RECALL RATHER THAN JUST AN EXTENDED WARRANTY? THIS SEEMS TO INDICATE MERCEDES IS ACKNOWLEDGING A FAULTY COMPONENT. THIS APPEARS TO POTENTIALLY AFFECT SAFETY SO I WOULD HOPE MERCEDES WOULD BE EAGER TO REPLACE THE SBCS.

ABS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILURE. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE A WARNING LIGHT BLINKS IN THE CLUSTER PANEL. THEN THE VEHICLE LOSES ALL BRAKING POWER. ON MONDAY SEPTEMBER 5TH, I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, 110TH SOUTH BOUND 1 MILE SOUTH FROM DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, SUDDENLY A WARNING LIGHT APPEAR WITH THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE 'BRAKES DEFECTIVE STOP VEHICLE' THE CARS BEGINS TO DOWNSHIFT AND IT SLOWS DOWN. HOWEVER THE BRAKE DOES NOT WORK IN FULL. IT APPEARS THAT THE BRAKE WORKS ENOUGH TO COME TO STOP AFTER THE VEHICLE HAS DOWNSHIFTED TO THE LOWEST GEAR. ALL BRAKING ABILITY IS DISABLE. AFTER I RESEARCH THE CODE AND NARROW TO THE PROBLEM THAT I HAD, I NOTICED THAT MERECEDES BENZ HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THE ABS PUMP FOR THESE MODELS FOR 10 YEARS, SINCE MY VEHICLE IS 2003 THE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED ON 2013. THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC BRAKING SYSTEM SO IF AN ELECTRIC FAILURE OCCURS THERE IS NO WAY TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE IS NO MANUAL BRAKE POWER OTHER THAN THE EMERGENCY BRAKE IN ORDER TO STOP THIS VEHICLE.

I BEEN DRIVING MERCEDES FOR PASSED 20 YEARS BUT NEVER EXPERIENCED SCARY MOMENT LIKE THIS. THURSDAY 09/01/16 ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK OUT OF NOWHERE RED BRAKE WARNING LIGHT LID UP MY WHOLE DASH WITH BIG STOP SIGN IN THE MIDDLE, FLASHING WITH ESP AND ABS SAYING VISIT WORKSHOP AND I LOST 90% OF BRAKING POWER.LUCKILY, IT HAPPENED ON OPEN ROAD WITH CARS FAR AHEAD OF ME. PULLED ASIDE AND AFTER FEW RESTARTS WARNING WENT OFF AND I MADE IT SAFELY HOME WITHOUT TOWING SERVICE, KEEPING MY LEFT FOOT CLOSE TO EMERGENCY BRAKE PEDAL. GOOGLE SEARCH REVEALED TO MY SURPRISE VERY COMMON PROBLEM WITH BOSCH SBC UNITS INSTALLED IN THIS MODEL. IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE FOR ONE OF THE TOP NAMES IN THE WORLD TO LIMIT THEIR SERVICE CYCLE TO 300,000 BRAKE PEDAL APPLICATIONS? ARE SOME OF THE TOP ENGINEERS INVOLVED OUT OF THEIR MIND? MERCEDES, IS IT SAFE TO DRIVE THIS CAR IN HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH TWO KIDS IN IT? WOULD ONE OF THE ENGINEERS LIKE TO TAKE MY CAR ON THE AUTOBAHN NOW TO PROOF THEIR POINT? I BELIEVE THE COUNTER IS UP WITH 13 YEARS AND 122K MILES OF SERVICE BECAUSE ALL OTHER BRAKE COMPONENTS CHECKED FINE. UNBELIEVABLE??? WHERE IS THE SAFETY RECALL??? ENDED IN 10 YEARS??? WHAT A SHAME FOR BOTH MERCEDES AND BOSCH NAMES.