C class rear brakes

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JonathanT

New Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2018
Messages
8
Location
Harrow
Car
Mercedes C200
Hi

I purchased a 2016 model C class in 2018. It had done 16,000 miles at the time. At 28,000 miles when it was serviced my mechanic told me the rear discs and pads needed replacing due to wear (though brake wear light had not yet come on). However the car is now at 32,000 miles and is still on its original discs, pads (and tyres in fact) at the front.

Is this normal for the rear brakes to wear more quickly than the front?

The car has always suffered from quite pronounced brake squeal when I first purchased it, though it still squeals after the rear replacement but much less noisy now.

The brakes are incredibly sensitive and effective, so no problem with their function.

Jonathan
 
My 2016 250d estate that I have had from new has 52k on the clock. It is just onto its third set of tyres with the factory Continentals changed at 25k and again at 51k.This week it went in for a leaking suspension strut and as part of the process the dealer carries out a safety check which they video, it shows mechanic measuring tyres and brake pads. Front pads down to 10mm so plenty of life left, the rears down to 6mm so 50% worn but still with 3mm to go. My driving is either just around our small town or 300 or more on motorways. Rears do need replacing sooner than front brakes I found this true when I drove BMWs that would need new rears at 25k and fronts at 75k.
 
Rears do need replacing sooner than front brakes I found this true when I drove BMWs that would need new rears at 25k and fronts at 75k.

Really? I've always found the opposite I'm afraid, even though front pads are slightly thicker they do more work and are bigger. The front discs are also bigger and many are ventilated and cross drilled to help with the greater load. I have changed many many front discs and pads but very little rears.
 
I think the rears wear quicker due to the hold facility...its usually on when brakes are in use and hot so when you pull away they loose a bit of friction material.... as its probably stuck on the disc...my 2015 S205 has done 26k from new and I was told at the last service the y will require changing soon...no warning light yet...
 
On my W203 C180K, front discs and pads were replaced at 36,000, while the rear were replaced at 52,000.

On my W204 C180, front discs and pads were replaced at 33,000, while the rear were replaced at 47,000.

HTH.
 
Hi

I purchased a 2016 model C class in 2018. It had done 16,000 miles at the time. At 28,000 miles when it was serviced my mechanic told me the rear discs and pads needed replacing due to wear (though brake wear light had not yet come on). However the car is now at 32,000 miles and is still on its original discs, pads (and tyres in fact) at the front.

Is this normal for the rear brakes to wear more quickly than the front?
Jonathan
I have the same car and have just replaced the rear pads at 28,000 miles too. Nothing wrong with the discs though & the warning light had not came on either but I wanted them changed as I knew they were looking a bit thin.
Fronts have plenty of life left in them, don't look like they are anywhere near ready for replacement.

Mercedes told me 2 years ago that I needed new rear discs and pads when the car had 12,000 miles on it. Glad I declined.
 
I have the same car and have just replaced the rear pads at 28,000 miles too. Nothing wrong with the discs though & the warning light had not came on either but I wanted them changed as I knew they were looking a bit thin.
Fronts have plenty of life left in them, don't look like they are anywhere near ready for replacement.

Mercedes told me 2 years ago that I needed new rear discs and pads when the car had 12,000 miles on it. Glad I declined.
When I was a mechanic people used ask how long they would last, the answer is it depends how you drive, same goes for a clutch, a mate burnt through a clutch in less than two months, this was down to the way he learned to drive, 30 mph you are going to slow down change down to third gear, after passing the test driving at 60 mph going to slow down change down to third.
They can disappear very quickly.
 
Rear brakes are used by the cruise control to maintain speed on downhill sections. My father in law uses cruise constantly and consistently gets through rear pads faster than the fronts.

I would be surprised if the discs need changing at that mileage though.
 
Rear brakes are used by the cruise control to maintain speed on downhill sections. My father in law uses cruise constantly and consistently gets through rear pads faster than the fronts.

I would be surprised if the discs need changing at that mileage though.
Surely that’s very inefficient, tell him to use his right foot instead, save fuel and wear on his brakes, I rarely use cruise as think by brain works better than the Mercedes 😁
 
Surely that’s very inefficient, tell him to use his right foot instead, save fuel and wear on his brakes, I rarely use cruise as think by brain works better than the Mercedes 😁
I like cruise on the Merc not on other cars, but it's for keeping at a speed not as a substitute for pressing the brake, it is useful on the 50mph sections with average speed cameras, the people who fluctuate between 35 and 60 trying to guess their average speed wind me up.
 
I like cruise on the Merc not on other cars, but it's for keeping at a speed not as a substitute for pressing the brake, it is useful on the 50mph sections with average speed cameras, the people who fluctuate between 35 and 60 trying to guess their average speed wind me up.
Hmmm, I find the speed limiter is better for that, setting cruise at 50 means you catch up with all those doing 48mph. Just back off a bit and watch your ECO display go up to 100%.
 
Hmmm, I find the speed limiter is better for that, setting cruise at 50 means you catch up with all those doing 48mph. Just back off a bit and watch your ECO display go up to 100%.
Distronic takes care of that though.
 
Distronic takes care of that though.

Mine is the Budget Efficiency version so haven't got that, does it brake for you or allow coasting ?
 
I would have thought that cruise control would just ease off the throttle to maintain a set speed, it would need to be a pretty steep hill where it would need to apply the brakes, and surely the rear brakes are not independent of the fronts.
 
Mine is the Budget Efficiency version so haven't got that, does it brake for you or allow coasting ?
It keeps you a set distance from the car in front, if he slows or stops you will too. Once the road is clear it will accelerate back up to the speed you have set. All you do is steer.
 
I would have thought that cruise control would just ease off the throttle to maintain a set speed, it would need to be a pretty steep hill where it would need to apply the brakes, and surely the rear brakes are not independent of the fronts.
They can be...that's how ABS works!

Ernie
 
I noticed the brakes didn't work for Flintoff on top gear , the lanky plank couldn't even work the cc .
 
Not only does CC use the brakes, the brake lights come on too.
 
Hmmm, I find the speed limiter is better for that, setting cruise at 50 means you catch up with all those doing 48mph. Just back off a bit and watch your ECO display go up to 100%.
ECO display? I don't have one of those, but there isn't much economy with a CL500, economy is not so important as performance, I keep it in S mode as I want a V8 to be responsive as it should be, Distronic is a great idea but it's not fitted to mine, normal CC is fine for me as I prefer to be in control.
 

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