SBC: The Ticking Time-Bomb

[steve333]

Do we know for a fact MB are no longer replacing FOC or is it just a rumour? Might still be worth trying with MB if the need arose..

^ No need to worry Barry,your cls has ABR(like mine) if it's a 2006>.

 

[Harrythedog]

Does anyone know if the replacement units any better ie will they last longer?

 

[Dieselman]

Does anyone know if the replacement units any better ie will they last longer?

They appear to last a lot shorter interval, some only last a year or so.

 

[Ierton]

That shouldn't be a problem if warranted by MB for two years (provided they include the labour).

 

[Dieselman]

That shouldn't be a problem if warranted by MB for two years (provided they include the labour).

They aren't as the customer doesn't pay for the replacement, so no warranty.


Good, innitt...!!

 

[whitenemesis]

As it appears MB aren't replacing them FOC any more this shouldn't be an issue ...

 

[jupiter2step]

Just to refire this thread - what's the maximum mileage anyone has heard of a car with SBC that has not required repair? Or has anyone got any idea of average mileage when the failure arises?I have 125k on a 54 plate and was wondering whether I should change in the near future so as to avoid the blowout? Then again, most of my driving is on motorways so I probably haven't been pressing the brake as many times as some. That issue aside, the car is driving sweetly so I'd like to hold on to her for a good while longer (avoiding the £1.6k bill if possible).

 

[bpsorrel]

I've heard that with "average" use (mixed driving) should last around 100K miles.... maybe....

 

[Gkinghorn]

I don't think there is any kind of average from everything I have read. Also no idea of the % that fail...suspect it isn't huge otherwise I think it would make the press... And forums like this aren't a good gauge ...

 

[mafya]

Just to refire this thread - what's the maximum mileage anyone has heard of a car with SBC that has not required repair? Or has anyone got any idea of average mileage when the failure arises?I have 125k on a 54 plate and was wondering whether I should change in the near future so as to avoid the blowout? Then again, most of my driving is on motorways so I probably haven't been pressing the brake as many times as some. That issue aside, the car is driving sweetly so I'd like to hold on to her for a good while longer (avoiding the £1.6k bill if possible).

Mine went at 144k and was replaced FOC by Europa mercedes in sheffield in 2011 I think.

 

[b1g1an]

I queried this with my local MB dealer and was told 10 year warranty if full MB history, no mention of mileage.

 

[GordonTarling]

My car now has 135k on the clock - no sign of a problem, but I've only owned it for 7 months. I don't know if the SBC unit has been replaced previously.

 

[effbee584]

Pre-facelift CLS continued to suffer the wrath of SBC.

My pre-facelift CLS is a '57' and does not have SBC, earlier ones do. Having had SBC on two W211's I was quite aware of its possible failure. Think it was removed from E and CLS in 2006.

 

[l5foye]

I agree with the 'ticking time bomb' description . However my understanding is they 'time out' and that you can get a device from China which gets round the problem .

 

[b1g1an]

My pre-facelift CLS is a '57' and does not have SBC, earlier ones do. Having had SBC on two W211's I was quite aware of its possible failure. Think it was removed from E and CLS in 2006.

CLS had two 'facelifts', first was mid 06 which was quite minor and included ditching SBC. Easy change to spot is the phone/GPS aerial moved from top of the back window to the roof.

 

[219]

So what can SBC do that other brake systems can't?

SBC is just a power braking system with the same functionality as other braking systems, but not requiring direct effort from the driver to apply the required pressure.

Every modern car I can think of has a power braking system , thanks to that thing called a brake servo , and every Mercedes built since roughly 1964 has had one .

Try stopping a large car , like my Ponton , which has no brake servo , and you will know a) what it is like to provide the pedal effort yourself to stop quickly , and b) just how good the brakes are on any modern car .

In reality , it is not difficult to apply enough pedal pressure on any modern car to bring the brakes to the point of locking ( and activating ABS ) , even on a dry road , and bringing the car to a halt in the shortest distance possible .

For most drivers , on anything other than a perfectly dry surface , the best stopping distance will be achieved in an ABS equipped car by pressing the pedal as hard as possible and letting the ABS do the work .

On a good surface , a skilled driver may be able to outperform it by 'threshold braking' but again most 'ordinary' drivers will again do best to mash the pedal and let the ABS do a decent job of stopping them .

ABS is probably the single item which has prevented more crashes than any other on modern cars ; seatbelts being probably the item which has saved more lives/prevented more injuries than any other since becoming compulsory to use around the same time that MB introduced ABS .

 

[John]

Every modern car I can think of has a power braking system , thanks to that thing called a brake servo , and every Mercedes built since roughly 1964 has had one .

Try stopping a large car , like my Ponton , which has no brake servo , and you will know a) what it is like to provide the pedal effort yourself to stop quickly , and b) just how good the brakes are on any modern car .

In reality , it is not difficult to apply enough pedal pressure on any modern car to bring the brakes to the point of locking ( and activating ABS ) , even on a dry road , and bringing the car to a halt in the shortest distance possible .

For most drivers , on anything other than a perfectly dry surface , the best stopping distance will be achieved in an ABS equipped car by pressing the pedal as hard as possible and letting the ABS do the work .

On a good surface , a skilled driver may be able to outperform it by 'threshold braking' but again most 'ordinary' drivers will again do best to mash the pedal and let the ABS do a decent job of stopping them .

ABS is probably the single item which has prevented more crashes than any other on modern cars ; seatbelts being probably the item which has saved more lives/prevented more injuries than any other since becoming compulsory to use around the same time that MB introduced ABS .

SBC is different to servo-assisted brakes though - it is 'brake-by-wire'. The reason it exists is because most people don't use enough force on the brake pedal when required - so SBC bridges the gap and applies the force appropriate for the braking system.

 

[whitenemesis]

SBC is different to servo-assisted brakes though - it is 'brake-by-wire'. The reason it exists is because most people don't use enough force on the brake pedal when required - so SBC bridges the gap and applies the force appropriate for the braking system.

Appropriate to each wheel's traction, load and steering angle. Far more than ABS and power assist/BAS. plus wet weather drying of the discs, pre-brake closure and soft stop. Far more than "modern power assist" systems?

 

[Dieselman]

Every modern car I can think of has a power braking system , thanks to that thing called a brake servo , and every Mercedes built since roughly 1964 has had one .

That would be Servo Assited brakes, then, not power brakes.

The only cars I have ever driven with power brakes are the W211 and Citroens with hydraulic suspension.
I believe jaguar and Rolls Royce adopted the Citroen system, otherwise no other cars have power brakes afaik.

 

[Dryce]

In reality , it is not difficult to apply enough pedal pressure on any modern car to bring the brakes to the point of locking ( and activating ABS ) , even on a dry road , and bringing the car to a halt in the shortest distance possible .

For most drivers , on anything other than a perfectly dry surface , the best stopping distance will be achieved in an ABS equipped car by pressing the pedal as hard as possible and letting the ABS do the work .

I disagree in terms of the practicalities.

I've experimented with SWMBO's Z4 and my W211 on a dry surface.

There is no comparison between slamming on the brakes at full force. The sudden controlled violence that SBC provides in brake application gets the whole business of stopping underway quicker. And that's when I'm trying hard. SBC shouldn't provide an advantage in that situation but it does - it feels more controlled as well so if braking hard on a bend it gives the driver huge confidence.

Not exactly a scientific test. But I'm convinced.

In a real world situation I don't think Mr or Ms Average is likely to apply the brakes so hard. The SBC advantage would be greater.