Sprinter brakes suddenly admitting air and failing

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Headintheclouds

New Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2019
Messages
12
Location
Bucks
Car
Vito
I have had an intermittent problem with a 2006 413CDI. Working fine one minute, brake pedal almost to the floor the next. Just enough brakes left to allow pumping pedal to bring the van to a halt. Vehicle recovered to MB garage and master cylinder replaced. All good for about 1000 miles when the same thing happened. Vehicle recovered to independent garage and brakes bled and tested. Suggestion that brakes hadn't been properly bled on previous repair. All well for another few hundred miles and another sudden failure. Garage told me air came out of OSR calliper last time so this was replaced. Fine for another few hundred miles then same problem. All other callipers replaced, load valve replaced, all flexible pipes and solid pipes on rear replaced. All ok for another few hundred miles and it failed again. Taken in to nearby MB dealership who were told the whole sorry story. Never mind the cost, please fix it. Have had several lucky escapes. Explanation from them how difficult it can be to bleed Sprinter brakes. They will do it properly for me...
Sure enough, another few hundred miles later the brake pedal suddenly acquired a load of free play. I thought I had replaced all seals in the system but then realised that the ABS pump had a load of seals in it. I sent the pump off for repair but it was non repairable. Fluid had escaped into the ABS motor, so it seems reasonable to assume that air had been sucked back in.
Original unit no longer available and I didn't want to chance second hand units as no guarantee that they would be any better. New updated unit more than £2000 plus VAT.
MB spares dept gave me model number of new unit. Recon block available for this for £300. Not sure if new block works with old electronics. MB can't supply block only, the price was for the whole lot. They can, however, supply just the new electronics - and this will work with the old block. Therefore updated parts are interchangeable. I have ordered a recon block and hope to be able to report back that the problem is finally sorted.
I do hope my experience helps someone else to sort their issue more quickly and cheaper than mine.
 
I have had an intermittent problem with a 2006 413CDI. Working fine one minute, brake pedal almost to the floor the next. Just enough brakes left to allow pumping pedal to bring the van to a halt. Vehicle recovered to MB garage and master cylinder replaced. All good for about 1000 miles when the same thing happened. Vehicle recovered to independent garage and brakes bled and tested. Suggestion that brakes hadn't been properly bled on previous repair. All well for another few hundred miles and another sudden failure. Garage told me air came out of OSR calliper last time so this was replaced. Fine for another few hundred miles then same problem. All other callipers replaced, load valve replaced, all flexible pipes and solid pipes on rear replaced. All ok for another few hundred miles and it failed again. Taken in to nearby MB dealership who were told the whole sorry story. Never mind the cost, please fix it. Have had several lucky escapes. Explanation from them how difficult it can be to bleed Sprinter brakes. They will do it properly for me...
Sure enough, another few hundred miles later the brake pedal suddenly acquired a load of free play. I thought I had replaced all seals in the system but then realised that the ABS pump had a load of seals in it. I sent the pump off for repair but it was non repairable. Fluid had escaped into the ABS motor, so it seems reasonable to assume that air had been sucked back in.
Original unit no longer available and I didn't want to chance second hand units as no guarantee that they would be any better. New updated unit more than £2000 plus VAT.
MB spares dept gave me model number of new unit. Recon block available for this for £300. Not sure if new block works with old electronics. MB can't supply block only, the price was for the whole lot. They can, however, supply just the new electronics - and this will work with the old block. Therefore updated parts are interchangeable. I have ordered a recon block and hope to be able to report back that the problem is finally sorted.
I do hope my experience helps someone else to sort their issue more quickly and cheaper than mine.
So did it fix your problem? I have exactly the same issue as you. So far Mercedes’ have changed Master Cylinder Unit, callipers, pipes etc
 

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