My husband owns a 2003 Mercedes E320. The Brake Pad Wear. Visit Workshop! indicator came on. Old brake pads have been replaced with new ones but the indicator is still on. How do I get that indicator off?

P.S. I don't know much about mercedes or car functions in general.

 

Were all the pads replaced and were they the same composition as the OEM ones? Sometimes mixing the composition of pads confuses the brake sensors. They might need to be replaced or cleaned really well when the pads are changed. How many miles are on this car?

 

Just had my '04 E-320 4Matic wagon brake pads checked @ 53K with the same dash code and they are fine but the code came back. Will let you know what my mensa MB guru finds when he unravels this issue. Regards, Bob

 

Well Hievmadison,
Turns out that I had my '04 E-320 4-matic wagon checked for the same code @ 53K. Pads were just fine but the diagnostic indicated that the brake fluid was bad! Had the fluid replaced and now the code is gone and the pedal feels better than I thought it should! This is not too expensive because MB uses a standard DOT brake fluid. Hmmmm, wonder what the dealer would have said?! Good luck. Regards, Bob R

 

I think I just got ripped off!!!

I bought a 2004 E320 4Matic in October with 28k, this week the Brake Pad warning came on. Took the car to the dealership and the next thing I knew is the car needed front pads and rotors and rear pads. I have never heard of a car with 38k of mostly highway miles since I have had it needing rotors.

This was from a reputable dealership.

 

While you mentioned you had the brake pads replaced, you didn't mention whether you also had the brake pad "sensors" replaced. If just the pads were replaced, with no new sensors, the "Brake Pad Wear" indicator light will still be on. The sensors stick through a hole in the pads and wear down with the pads. When they are both worn down the sensor closes an electrial signal and the dash light pops on.

In response to JEFFK, the MB brake pads are very soft for maximum performance (hense the heavy dust buildup on the rims). Brake pad replacement is based on a wide variety of factors. If you brake late, drive mostly in slow, heavy traffic or ride the brake pedal, the pads will not last long. Over the years I have tried after-market pads that last longer (with little dust) but are not as responsive in slowing the car. I always went back to MB pads. In your particular case, you may be the perfect "braker" but the prior owner (resonsible for the origiinal 28K may have been the "braker" from hell. Another major factor in your case is age (of the car). The original owner didn't drive much (only 28k over 3+ yrs) and brake rotors rust over quite nicely after only a few hours. With a lot of rust on the rotors the brake pads heat up quickly and drag the rust particules over the surface further deteriorating the pads.

Hopefully, your new pads will last longer if you drivemostly highways miles as you indicated.

Checked my log for 02 C230 coupe still with only 33,000km (~23,000mi)--Had rusty discs resurfaced and new pads installed under warantee due to excessive brake squeal at 16,000km (~10,000mi) and had new pads installed (my cost) due to heavy rust buildup at 27,000km (~17,000mi). This car sits for days and sometimes months at a time, outside in all kinds of Canadian weather and is driven only in slow stop and go city traffic. This car is the worst ever for brake pads but is driven the least of all the cars I have owned.

 

I have a 2003 E320 with 69K miles and just replaced the front rotors and pads. I was told that the rotorsare also designed to wear on a Benz. I got the parts from a friend (genuine Mercedes at about 1/2 the cost btw) and did the job myself. Pretty easy stuff. The old rotors were indeed worn uniformly, inside and out, so I guess they are designed to wear. The brake wear sensors are simple little devices with a prong on 1end which inserts into the pad and a pigtail socket on the other end. There is a left and right set of pads and sensors.Two bolts hold thecaliper assembly on. One hex screwholds the rotor in placeuntil thewheel bolts/studs are torqued up. The sensors came with the pads, along with thestainless clips that hold the pads in the caliper. Very similar tobrake setup on a GMcar. The warning light willtrip on when the pad wears downenough allowing the sensor to touch the roter.Itwill alsotrip if you pull the sensor completely off (tried that).