Disc fault

[Parrot of Doom]

Anyone had any problems returning a faulty disc to the parts desk at a Merc dealer?

Measured my front discs today because they're wobbling badly while breaking (its been getting worse over the last couple of weeks). The offside disc is more or less perfect, but the nearside disc has a bad warp/distortion along about 1/8th of a turn. It was clearly noticeable on the dial gauge, and also as it was passing the pads.

The discs are only a few thousand miles old, and thats mostly motorway driving. There is barely the faintest trace of a lip on them.

Would they only replace the faulty one, or would they replace both? I would remove and refit the discs myself.

 

[television]

Anyone had any problems returning a faulty disc to the parts desk at a Merc dealer?

Measured my front discs today because they're wobbling badly while breaking (its been getting worse over the last couple of weeks). The offside disc is more or less perfect, but the nearside disc has a bad warp/distortion along about 1/8th of a turn. It was clearly noticeable on the dial gauge, and also as it was passing the pads.

The discs are only a few thousand miles old, and thats mostly motorway driving. There is barely the faintest trace of a lip on them.

Would they only replace the faulty one, or would they replace both? I would remove and refit the discs myself.

Yes they should change it, I have had one go after a few thousand miles. these things are made of cast iron, not a very stable metal, if there are no blue or brown marks, then they have not been over heated

 

[Parrot of Doom]

The dealer won't replace them without first checking them - which means I have to take the car to them.

If they find them faulty (which they undoubtedly are), they will replace them under warranty.

This is a massive PItA, I could have both of them changed in 30 minutes its so simple. Its so annoying I have to take the car to them and leave it with them for several hours. Its a complete waste of my time.

I've never trusted any dealers, I've found different marques to be lying on several occasions, what excuses could they come up with to avoid replacing them?

 

[angus falconer]

I have warped the massive stoppers on the C43 before at low miles - but it tool a few BIG stops to do it and it was due to my keeping my foot on the anchors at rest

 

[Blobcat]

I have warped the massive stoppers on the C43 before at low miles - but it tool a few BIG stops to do it and it was due to my keeping my foot on the anchors at rest

I did a couple or three 100-0 stops yesterday in my W210 and although the brakes were very hot at the end they didn't fade and they would still tear your face off.
I did have a faulty disc when I changed the first set, the dealer did try to tell me that it was the rears so I replaced them. Of course it wasn't so they gave me the rear discs for 1/2 price and knocked 50% of my next service as well as replaced the offending faulty drivers side front disc.

 

[angus falconer]

I did a couple or three 100-0 stops yesterday in my W210 and although the brakes were very hot at the end they didn't fade and they would still tear your face off.
I did have a faulty disc when I changed the first set, the dealer did try to tell me that it was the rears so I replaced them. Of course it wasn't so they gave me the rear discs for 1/2 price and knocked 50% of my next service as well as replaced the offending faulty drivers side front disc.

That's a pretty good outcome

 

[Myros]

Spooky

I had the SL in yesterday to have both new front (under 1500miles since fitted) discs and pads changed. The motor factors changed them on the say-so of my mechanic without a murmur. He is hacked off as it has cost him the labour again to remove and refit.

They were shaking so much after a heavy application (70-0) on a motorway slip, that I thought a wheel weight had come off. Barely noticeable at town speeds though. No pilot error from me though, always use the handrake once stopped.

 

[Boycie]

What is it with Mercs and Brake Discs?

My Mrs had an A class from new .. 2 years 17000 miles and the dealer said the discs needed replacement and as they were "consumables" they were not covered under warranty ... (this was 6 weeks after a £500 B service )

Needless to say we had a bit of an argument about it.
It turned out one of the calipers was siezed and as this caused the problem they reluctantly did the work under warranty.

My last car 3 years 54000 - same set of PADS never mind discs


do they make them out of chocolate?

 

[Blobcat]

What is it with Mercs and Brake Discs?

My Mrs had an A class from new .. 2 years 17000 miles and the dealer said the discs needed replacement and as they were "consumables" they were not covered under warranty ... (this was 6 weeks after a £500 B service )

Needless to say we had a bit of an argument about it.
It turned out one of the calipers was siezed and as this caused the problem they reluctantly did the work under warranty.

My last car 3 years 54000 - same set of PADS never mind discs


do they make them out of chocolate?

No they do not make them out of chocolate. Since Asbestos was removed from the pad material the discs in general wear at half the rate of the pads. This is true for all and not just Mercedes.
It very much depends upon how SWMBO drives as to how long the pads and discs will last. I generally get ~34K miles from the front pads and ~65K from the front discs in my W210 E320CDI.

 

[Dosco]

No they do not make them out of chocolate. Since Asbestos was removed from the pad material the discs in general wear at half the rate of the pads. This is true for all and not just Mercedes.
It very much depends upon how SWMBO drives as to how long the pads and discs will last. I generally get ~34K miles from the front pads and ~65K from the front discs in my W210 E320CDI.

I concur with the above, indeed my W210 E240 at the moment has not had new discs since I purchased it at 70k and is now at 132k, the front discs are in need of changing which I am about to do.

Interesting thread though as I was told by an Independant that discs on Mercs should be changed when the pads are changed something I had never heard of before on any vehicle I have owned/driven ranging from Bond 3 wheeler thro Fords, Rootes group, Rot Box Victors:???: , Saab, Volvo, Bavarian Meat Wagons, VW and Audi.

Roger

 

[television]

There are at least 4 OE supplies to MB for disc, and they are no worse than any other manufacturer as they are the same discs, I did one on the Volvo V70R 2 years back, that went after two weeks. the comments about breaking hard and curing the problem are hard to believe but true.

It is something that I could have questioned if it had not happened to me on the V70R it will go for days and is fine, then at other times shakes at 20 MPH after a short hard stop.

This does show how difficult cast iron is, and the dangers or welding it, before you can weld cast iron it must be heated gently to 400c before you start and left to cool down as slowly as possible. This is where Metallock comes in,for cylinder heads, a process of stitching the crack. This is done by drilling and tapping a hole,plugging with a screw, then drilling halfway through that screw and so on, all along the crack. I have done this on heads of rare cars where the price of the head is more than the value of the car.
Another bit of useless info.

 

[angus falconer]

This does show how difficult cast iron is, and the dangers or welding it, before you can weld cast iron it must be heated gently to 400c before you start and left to cool down as slowly as possible. This is where Metallock comes in,for cylinder heads, a process of stitching the crack. This is done by drilling and tapping a hole,plugging with a screw, then drilling halfway through that screw and so on, all along the crack. I have done this on heads of rare cars where the price of the head is more than the value of the car.
Another bit of useless info.

To the contrary, Malolm, that sort of information is fascinating to all petrol heads

 

[Parrot of Doom]

Well they replaced the disc, and the car is back to braking normally The car has also lost the slight wobble it had at 55-70mph, I'm guessing that the brake pad was rubbing slightly on the distorted disc and causing it even when not braking.

However they did say the rear pads were incorrect (1/4 inch too shallow), which is odd as they're ATE pads which specifically say W210 1997 on the side of the box.

I'm unsure now what to do - to return the pads to ECP, I would have to buy Merc pads and demonstrate the difference in size, but I can't drive the car without brake pads....

 

[kth286]

POD

Buy new pads from Merc and take them into ECP and ask to see NEW 210 pads and compare.

 

[BlackC55]

I concur with the above, indeed my W210 E240 at the moment has not had new discs since I purchased it at 70k and is now at 132k, the front discs are in need of changing which I am about to do.

Interesting thread though as I was told by an Independant that discs on Mercs should be changed when the pads are changed something I had never heard of before on any vehicle I have owned/driven ranging from Bond 3 wheeler thro Fords, Rootes group, Rot Box Victors:???: , Saab, Volvo, Bavarian Meat Wagons, VW and Audi.

Roger

That sounds like BS

 

[Dosco]

That sounds like BS

Ist bit or 2nd bit :roll: