service brake warning

[MBDiesal]

I know this thread has not been added to for some time but my E-Class (2004) has only just come up with the problem "Service Break - visit Workshop". My friend ran the fault through Star Diagnostics and it reads SBC Pump fault.

In the US all W211's were recalled in 2005 to replace the pumps. This however did not happen in the UK. Similarly, in the US the SBC Pump now has a 10-year warranty, but again, not in the UK (!!).

I note SteveBox managed to get an MB garage in the UK to make the repairs on a 100% after warranty Goodwilll. Has anybody else managed to convince MB UK the same and what was was your approach and their response? I need to go in well prepared, and if possible, I would like to use examples of garages that are doing the work free of charge.

 

[Cole@MBS]

I know this thread has not been added to for some time but my E-Class (2004) has only just come up with the problem "Service Break - visit Workshop". My friend ran the fault through Star Diagnostics and it reads SBC Pump fault.

In the US all W211's were recalled in 2005 to replace the pumps. This however did not happen in the UK. Similarly, in the US the SBC Pump now has a 10-year warranty, but again, not in the UK (!!).

I note SteveBox managed to get an MB garage in the UK to make the repairs on a 100% after warranty Goodwilll. Has anybody else managed to convince MB UK the same and what was was your approach and their response? I need to go in well prepared, and if possible, I would like to use examples of garages that are doing the work free of charge.

All SBC pumps have a ten year warrenty now.

Welcome to the forums!

 

[television]

Welcome to the forum, I think that mine is going to fail just before that 10 years is up

 

[MBDiesal]

Thank you for you the update guys and thank you for the welcome to the forum. I will keep you updated on how I get on with MB.

Incidentally, the thought of 10 years passing and the warranty expiring is not the scary part for me. It's the actual part failing whilst driving. I cannot believe MB Europe have not had a UK Recall on an acknowledged and widespread problem.

 

[MBDiesal]

Okay, here goes: I took my car to MB today all prepared for an argument. The service department was however polite and very professional. My original anger dissipated within but a few minutes.

The service tech informed me the SBC Pump does not have a 10-year warranty in the UK, but this was a known problem. However they would submit the repair to Germany for authorisation as 100% goodwill, and were confident this would not be refused as previous submissions for the the same fault had been successful without questions asked. Within an hour authorisation had been given and within 4-hours my car was back with me. On this occasion I cannot fault the customer service received; particularly as I had £1200 repair done FOC.

If any members of this forum ever need advice on this, please feel free to contact me.

 

[seabadger]

Good to know you got your problem sorted MBDiesel.

However as an update to my resurrected posts earlier in this thread you may be interested to know that I solved the problem on my W211 by fitting the new brake light switch as suggested by Ellsy Tanners.

Cost about £6 and took about 10 minutes to fit - ended weeks of anxiety about the SBC pump which was fine all along.

Regards

Seabadger

 

[janza]

Hi,my s211 is with an independent garage in kent at the moment,and they can't reset the brake warning system.Which main dealer has agreed to fix it?I'm not happy at all about this because the service alone cost me over £500 and now they tell me that the whole system might need replacing.

 

[television]

No whole system just the SBC pump, there is more than one version, and if the wrong one fitted it will not be able to be coded

 

[affie]

Reducing braking power

Hi I just joined this forum, after having a fault with my car, its a E270 W211 04 plate.

I had the car connected up to a diagnostic system, probably Star? and I was told that the SBC unit is faulty and needs to be replaced. He also advised that the unit has a 7 year guarantee, he wasn't completely sure of the figure, and that the Mercedes dealer would fix the issue foc. He mentioned that someone else had the issue a couple of months ago and that it was repaired, but his mileage was a lot lower than mine, mine is 125k ish.

I called up Mercedes and got the service desk receptionist, who didn't have a clue about this issue, and according to her if its out of warranty then there is no other guarantee.

The person who checked the car told me that he will try on my behalf to get it done foc.

Is there anything I can do or say to help my case or do I hope that this guy has a bit of luck and mercedes agree to the repair.

I have also seen the 10year guarantee mentioned on this forum, but someone also mentioned it was only for the US and not for the UK.

Sorry about the long post, hope you guys can help out.

PS. I also have the issue with the pump being a bit on the loud side, anyone have a rough idea of what the dampening system would cost?

Thanks again.

Aftab

 

[television]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

A good dealer will see it through at no cost to you with a little luck.

On the damper issue this was fitted FOC for a number of years, but not sure now if this is still the case

 

[affie]

Cheers for the welcome, I'll keep you guys informed, and hopefully with a bit of luck Mercedes will agree to the repairs.

Aftab

 

[MBDiesal]

I am pretty sure MB will will install the SBC pump FOC. Like I said, MB Germany authorised my repair near instantaneously. This is clearly a known issue.

All the service techs are aware of the issue but they are advance trained to claim ignorance at first contact, as the contrary may be interpreted as indirect liability. I have researched in depth and I do not know of anybody that has had to pay even 25% goodwill - it has always been done FOC. Best of luck !!!

 

[affie]

I've just spoken to the Mercedes dealership and was told that because of my circumstances he wasn't sure if Mercedes would partly contribute towards the repair if any. Circumstances being the car is an ex lease, doesn't have full merc service history, it is now a private hire vehicle and has 126k+ on the clock.

I've got it booked in for a half hour diagnoses session tomorrow, guess I’ll have to cross my fingers and hope they pay at least half of it. Although I hope your right and they pay for the lot, but it looks doubtful.

 

[S500 Pete]

Good to know you got your problem sorted MBDiesel.

However as an update to my resurrected posts earlier in this thread you may be interested to know that I solved the problem on my W211 by fitting the new brake light switch as suggested by Ellsy Tanners.

Cost about £6 and took about 10 minutes to fit - ended weeks of anxiety about the SBC pump which was fine all along.

Regards

Seabadger

I had the same message and after 2 visits Mercedes fitted a new brake switch (under the warranty I got when I bought it) problem gon.

 

[television]

I had the same message and after 2 visits Mercedes fitted a new brake switch (under the warranty I got when I bought it) problem gon.

It must be worth a gamble Pete on a £10 switch

 

[affie]

I got a call from the dealership a few hours ago, and was told that Mercedes have agreed to pay for the complete repairs on the SBC.

The interesting thing is that I was told that the brake switch is also faulty and would need to be replaced by them to complete the repairs on the SBC and that it would cost me about £100-130.

I have agreed to the repairs but from your posts it almost seems like they replacing a brake switch and not touching the SBC.

Will the dealership give me some sort of proof that they changed the SBC pump?

 

[television]

I got a call from the dealership a few hours ago, and was told that Mercedes have agreed to pay for the complete repairs on the SBC.

The interesting thing is that I was told that the brake switch is also faulty and would need to be replaced by them to complete the repairs on the SBC and that it would cost me about £100-130.

I have agreed to the repairs but from your posts it almost seems like they replacing a brake switch and not touching the SBC.

Will the dealership give me some sort of proof that they changed the SBC pump?

You could always mark the thing secretly

 

[affie]

Nice idea, but I don't have a clue where it is or what is looks like, and more importantly I had already agreed to the repairs by then, doh.

Anyway car is now sorted but I get a sneaking suspicion that they didn't touch the SBC at all.

I asked them for paperwork and was told that since Mercedes paid for the repairs, i'm not entitled to any. He also said that also means i'm not entitled to any guarantee on the SBC either.

Oh well cost me just under £80 so enough complaining and worrying.

Cheers guys for all the advice.

 

[janza]

Success!

I got the SBC pump replaced FOC.Quite a relief,but it does make me wonder what the heck Mercedes engineers were thinking when coming up with this system.Many thanks for all the advise I got from this excellent forum!

 

[television]

I got the SBC pump replaced FOC.Quite a relief,but it does make me wonder what the heck Mercedes engineers were thinking when coming up with this system.Many thanks for all the advise I got from this excellent forum!

Yes they rushed it through,both MB and Bosch to get it on the new 211 and 230 but it is a pump and it cannot last forever