• The Forums are now open to new registrations, adverts are also being de-tuned.

Total Brake Failure Mercedes C220 BlueEffiency

... however, I'll join the cynics - why has the Original Poster not yet come back ...?
 
brake problem

I suspect you hit the throttle pedal or handbrake pedal and not the foot brakes was it a manual or auto ?

I drive Mercs for a living and have been caught out once when I was driving a C class manual.

Luckily I had time to find my error before I hit anyone.

The brake assist system that detects panic braking would easily have pulled you up even if the cruise control faulted (never bheard of one failing in the on mode).

I suspect the red light was the foot operated handrake warning light coming on but that would provide very little stopping power but give you the feeling it was the brake pedal.:mad:
 
Brake problem

P.S. to my last post the foot operated handbrake also has an audible ping when you drive with it engaged on some models.
 
Tayloss said:
Hi All,

I suffered brake failure today while traveling on my way home from work and end up in a field! Its a 10 plate Blue Effiency and I had the cruise control set at 75. As I appoached the roundabout, I started to hit the break and was told I had bake failure and a pinging noise. By this time it was too late to do anything about it and the criuse control didnt dis-engage?

I have tried to search the internet to see if anyone else has suffered the same issue as the car was under 1000 miles! The only way to stop was to turn the key and that brought it to a halt.. Does anyone know if the total brake failure red warning exists as I am not sure of what I saw.. I am 100% sure it said brake failure but I keep analysting the accident! Any help to either goto Mercedes to diagnose as I am also sure I did everything correctly.

I hope someone can help as i am quite shaken up by it all.

Thanks,
Chris
Click to expand...
The problem you experienced has just happened to me.
I have an E class 220 BlueEffiency manual, 4 months old with less than 4,000 miles.
I was on the motorway with the cruise control set at 70. I applied the brake and my foot went right to the floor with not braking force at all, the car continued on cruise control. I put the gearbox into neutral and free wheeled on the hard shoulder continually pumping the brake, with my foot going to the floor every time, then when I had free wheeled to about 30mph the brake suddenly worked.
Mercedes have had the car nearly two weeks now and say they can’t find any fault with the braking system.

David
 
Another brand new member with exactly the same fault on a similar car!!!!
:confused:

Mmmmmm what are the odds on that!!!!;)
 
I have just "googled" "Total Break Failure Mercedes" and it comes straight back to this site.

If you look at DMS's post it says "This has just happened to me" in the first sentence.
In the last sentence it says "Mercedes have had the car two weeks and can find no fault"
That is I find is a little odd - just happened and two weeks - Does not stack up to me.

No offence DMS. Which dealer has your car please.
 
timskemp said:
Must admit I can't remember hearing of anyone first hand that's had a total brake failure in anything other than an old citroen...
Click to expand...

Total brake failure on dual hydraulic circuits is more common than you think and i speak from experience :eek: New car Volvo V70 T5 exiting onto M62 on slip road at 75+mph hit brakes and absolutely nothing pedal on floor brakes gone, managed to slow slightly by using handbrake but inboard shoes soon gave out. Choice then became into the back of an Artic, Back of a Cavalier or a telegraph pole. Best option and best chance of survival was into the back of the Cavalier which I did and wrote it off. £14K of damage to Volvo. Volvo put it down to the brake electronics affecting braking but they never would give me the full report,I could have believed that if the pedal had not gone to the floor so to this day I still remain sceptical.

In the 10 years we have been running the garage business i guess we have probably seen over a dozen cars with total brake failure and the thing they have in common is they have all been high end cars, MB, BMW, Audi etc which is even more worrying. Although most cars have dual circuit brakes if one fails then the other one is virtually useless if you are travelling at speed and need to stop quickly and if you try to stop quicky then the second circuit usually fails as well very shortly after the first.

So I can well believe the OP
 
The brakes failed completely, then recovered, and didn't turn off cruise control?

The brakes aren't drive by wire, so will still work even with the engine off and no electrics, there is a mechanical connection and multiple circuits.

I can see three possible explanations.

Either user error, wrong pedal pressed, or pedal jammed by mats or other debris. Third, mechanical failure of the pedal.
 
The fact that the CC did not disengage is strange.

I am sure (but stand to be corrected) that the CC disconnect, is linked to the brake pedal. So, the fact that the brakes failed should not have effected the CC.

As soon as the brake pedal was touched CC would have been turned off. It does look more like he missed the brake pedal entirely. And this happened to both posters?

I'm not sure what the point is, but I think both these posters are trolls.
 
Last edited:
flanaia1 said:
Total brake failure on dual hydraulic circuits is more common than you think and i speak from experience :eek:
Click to expand...


Me too, Lancia Thema Turbo, wife complained that it happened to her one day although garage could not find any fault. About 6 months later I was reversing into a parking space and when I pressed the brake pedal and it was as hard as a brick but did not operate the brakes, the hedge behind me brought the car to a halt instead. Again, garage stripped down the brake pedal/servo assembly but could not replicate any fault.

Many years before that I grabbed the brakes on my Honda CB750 and the front brake lever went straight to the handlebars without operating the brakes. Fifty yards further on and they were working perfectly again, never ever did it again so no idea what caused it.

Russ
 
But...the question is...would total brake failure, as in both posts, also prevent the CC from being turned off?

Surely its a switch connected to the brake pedal, such that as soon as you touch the pedal it will turn off? Therefore assuming the pedal was touched, and no matter what happened there after the CC would still turn off.

The fact that both posters have said CC remained on is HIGHLY suspicious.
 
renault12ts said:
But...the question is...would total brake failure, as in both posts, also prevent the CC from being turned off?

Surely its a switch connected to the brake pedal, such that as soon as you touch the pedal it will turn off? Therefore assuming the pedal was touched, and no matter what happened there after the CC would still turn off.

The fact that both posters have said CC remained on is HIGHLY suspicious.
Click to expand...


Was there not a case in the US where a lexus crashed with the cruise on and brakes failed to operate, did they not pay out a few million to the families of those who dies?

Russ
 
rf065 said:
Was there not a case in the US where a lexus crashed with the cruise on and brakes failed to operate, did they not pay out a few million to the families of those who dies?

Russ
Click to expand...

I don't know. But we have had two posters who claim total brake failure, and also, coincidently, the CC did not switch off...there is no relationship between the two...except if you hit the accelerator not the brake. Am I the only one who thinks that what they have said is...impossible?
 
Well surely it does make sense sort of..

If the brake pedal sensors arent working, then the cruise would not disengage, you would have to use the stalk..

and lets face it, not many on here have brand new Mercedes.
In fact not many people who buy brand new Mercedes go on forums... the type of people who buy new cars tend to simply take them back to the dealer if they have problems, not log onto forums, so its not enitrely surprising that these people are new members.
 
rf065 said:
Was there not a case in the US where a lexus crashed with the cruise on and brakes failed to operate, did they not pay out a few million to the families of those who dies?

Russ
Click to expand...

Remember this is the US, where truth and facts take a back seat :D

As for the CB750, there's a number of possibilities there.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 1 (members: 0, guests: 1)

Similar threads

D
DASH WARNINGS MOT FAILURE ?
Replies
7
Views
533
ALFAitalia
ALFAitalia
D
Mercedes E Class S213 2017 Broken Factory fit Deployable Towbar, replaced with Detach Towbar and socket.
Replies
5
Views
341
Justintyme
J
O
Parking brake malfunction
Replies
0
Views
294
omer
O
S
Brake disc too large from mercedes
Replies
9
Views
601
BlackC55
BlackC55
MSG2004
Brake fluid change intervals - waste of money for most?
2 3
Replies
41
Views
3K
Fastcar155
F
Back
Top Bottom