W205 handbrake not working

[Aki]

Hi
My Mb w205 220d AMG Bluetec has got an issue with the brakes. I took it to my local garage for new rear brake pads. I've had a call from them to say the brakes are done but the parking brake is not working and that they are trying to fix the fault. The (P) is flashing and the brake wont activate. They have had the car for 2 days but they dont know what the issue is. Can anyone please help.

 

[DSM10000]

Presumably this an electrically operated parking brake and the garage does not have Star?

 

[Petrol Pete]

^^^^What he said.

 

[Aki]

Yes its an electric brake and the garage have the snapon computer that they use to open and close the brake pistons to fit the pads but after doing that the handbrake is not working. They have tried ro reset it still the same issue.

 

[markjay]

It could be a bug, in which case the parking brake software may need to be updated... but that's a job for STAR (with subscription). Your garage may need to take the car to a dealer.

 

[Aki]

I'll let them know. Thanks.

 

[Aki]

Is star a sort of software they use?

 

[whitenemesis]

Is star a sort of software they use?

Yes STAR/Xentry is the Mercedes diagnostics software.

 

[gazz01]

Hi
My Mb w205 220d AMG Bluetec has got an issue with the brakes. I took it to my local garage for new rear brake pads. I've had a call from them to say the brakes are done but the parking brake is not working and that they are trying to fix the fault. The (P) is flashing and the brake wont activate. They have had the car for 2 days but they dont know what the issue is. Can anyone please help.

hi there i also have a w205,there"s a service menu you get by pressing telephone answer and ok on the steering wheel at the same time.another menu appears ,scroll down to service and brake caliper service position is in there.maybe activate from that menu or reset it.ignition on of course. good luck..

 

[Aki]

I've spoken to the garage and they have said it cant be the software because it waw working fine before the pads went it. I've told them i need it done today but there saying they dont haveva clue what else to do

 

[gazz01]

I've spoken to the garage and they have said it cant be the software because it waw working fine before the pads went it. I've told them i need it done today but there saying they dont haveva clue what else to do

there"s a youtube video called "mercedes w205 rear caliper service position" show it to the garage.maybe their software has a conflict with the car.reset any fault codes,remove their snap on computer and try the built in method.you"ve got nothing to lose good luck.if everting was working fine before it can"t be that serious.

 

[Aki]

Thanks everyone for your help. The problem is fixed. They had to take the car to another garage who had STAR and they reset the brakes via the software. its all good now fully working.

 

[ernie]

Thanks everyone for your help. The problem is fixed. They had to take the car to another garage who had STAR and they reset the brakes via the software. its all good now fully working.

I think this demonstrates the benefit of having people work on your car who know what they are doing. If they had known about the service menu and used it to back-off the pistons, and then reset them when the job was done, they wouldn't have had that problem and you wouldn't have been without a car for a couple of days.

As a matter of fact, my local MB dealership did my rear pads at a cost that wouldn't have made it worthwhile taking it elsewhere.

Ernie

 

[Aki]

Your absolutely right Ernie. My local MB dealership had a 1 and a half week waiting time why which time my brake discs would have needed replacing as well due to the mileage i do. So i thought it best to take it to an "Independent MB Service Centre". Big mistake as i now know.

 

[Aki]

Going forward does anyone know how many miles i can drive the car once i see the "check brake pad wear" message? I took it in for brakes within 2 days of seeking it. I usually do about 500 to 600 miles a week.

 

[markjay]

The remaining service life is not measured by miles... e.g. the pads wear much slower when motorway cruising then when driving in heavy stop/start city traffic.

The last 1-2mm of pad material are usually made of rough surface that causes an audible grinding-like noise and mild vibration through the brake pedal, this it's not brake failure, the effect is by design to warn the driver that the pads are nearing metal-on-metal contact.

But you should not rely on that... turn the wheel to either side and visually check the remaining pad thickness.

 

[Aki]

Thanks for that

 

[BlackC55]

Thanks for that

I think....(Natacha here so not a tech!) , that you still have around 20% left on the pads when that light comes on. So enough to do you a week/week and half on your mileage if your on the motorway. Obviously that drops if your mainly doing town driving and on the brakes alot . We recently had someone drive back from France with the light on and bring it here. they needed doing but by no means were they just about to cause an accident!

 

[Aki]

Excellent. Thats for that. I'll deffo keep this in mind as i'll need some more pads in about 6-7 months from now. Thanks guys