2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Brakes Problems

SBC braking system stated as covered under 25 year/unlimited miles warranty. SBC system failed on 2/1/25. Vehicle towed to local dealer service facility on 2/3/25. Tow was authorized at no charge by MB Roadside Assistance at no charge plus $100.00 credit toward diagnostic. Was told by phone on 2/3/25 that upon confirmation that SBC did in fact fail, the SBC replacement would be performed at no charge due to warranty through 2028. As of 2/10/25 service facility did confirm that the SBC system had failed. Currently, MB USA has a HOLD pending for authorization of repairs, with no reason given as to why as of 2/13/25.

Total brake failure Had to cross the over to the other side of the road to turn around. Was almost hit by an oncoming big rig truck . I've looked it up and this is a common occurrence on these vehicles,! They have a SBC unit that has caused numerous incidents exactly like mine . Someone could easily be killed because of this defect. I've read that they extended the warranty for 25 years . But I haven't been notified. They notified me about a recall of the sun roof but not this!!

the car has smelled like gas from the minute i received it. the previous owner told me that mercedes had quoted 5 grand to fix it so i would only put half a tank in at a time. turns out there was a warranty on it but has since expired. why wasn't it fixed for free when the previous owner brought it? this is very dangerous and can cause an explosion. the warranty should have been fixed rather than quoted and seems very greedy to not disclose that information but instead giving a quote. i have lung and heart problems and this is a definite safety issue that needs to be corrected regardless of the age of the car also brought it to dealership scared and they told me too bad it's been too long. how is a gas leak an ok thing to dismiss?????? i have been trying to get this fixed for years and this is my 2nd attempt for a recall with no response at all

The contact owns a 2004 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake malfunction warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the SBC hydraulic unit needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 04V296000 (Service brakes, Hydraulic). The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and referred the contact to the local dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 199,700.

ON 12/16/2020 WHILE DRIVING THE BRAKES ON MY VEHICLE FAILED. A RED WARNING TRIANGLE APPEARED ON THE VEHICLE MESSAGE BOARD STATING THE CARS BRAKING ABILITY WAS SEVERELY REDUCED AND TO STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY. I WAS ABLE TO DRIFT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WITHOUT INCIDENT AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC COULD FIND NO MECHANICAL REASON FOR THE BRAKE FAILURE. THE RED WARNING LIGHT WAS GONE AND THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONING NORMALLY. ONLINE RESEARCH REVEALED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY/RECALL FOR THE YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL OF THE CAR RELATED TO BRAKE FAILURE. MERCEDES WILL REPLACE THE SENSORTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL MODULE (SBC) FREE PROVIDED THE CORRECT CODES ARE EVIDENT WHEN THEY DIAGNOSE THE CAR.(SAFETY RECALL #2005110001 I BELIEVE) MY MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE ARE NO CODES SHOWING FOR THE BRAKES AND THE BRAKES ARE NOW FUNCTIONING. MY ONLINE RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THAT THIS CAN BE AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIPS ARE RELUCTANT OR WILL NOT REPLACE THE SBC IF THERE ARE NO CODES. AFTER CONTACTING MERCEDES THE CAR IS BEING TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP AS I TYPE THIS. I AM HOPEFUL THAT MERCEDES WILL DO THE CORRECT THING AND REPLACE THEIR ADMITTEDLY FLAWED BRAKE MODULE BUT IT ISN'T LOOKING GOOD AS THEY SAID IF THE CORRECT CODES DO NOT APPEAR THEY WILL NOT REPLACE. THE INSANE IDEA THAT I AM EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE BRAKES FAIL AGAIN IN ORDER TO GET THEM REPLACED IS UNACCEPTABLE. I'M IN A NO WIN SITUATION.

SENSOR TONIC BRAKE SYSTEM LIGHT IN INTERMITTENTLY

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E 320. THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF HIS WIFE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT STAND STILL, THE DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO START THE VEHICLE. A MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL SHOWED BRAKE MALFUNCTION STOP VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE BATTERY WAS DRAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS JUMP STARTED AND DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO PROVIDED A DIAGNOSIS OVER THE PHONE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL (SBC) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ASSOCIATED THE FAILURE WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A BLUE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH MEANT THAT THE BRAKES NEEDED TO BE SERVICED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE BRAKES WERE SERVICED. A FEW MONTHS LATER, WHILE TRAVELING 30 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT CONTINUOUSLY PUMPED THE BRAKE PEDAL UNTIL THE VEHICLE STOPPED. THE CONTACT HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A SBC HYDRAULIC PUMP FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF BEVERLY HILLS (9250 BEVERLY BLVD, BEVERLY HILLS, CA 90210, (310) 659-2980) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS ULTIMATELY DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 106,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SKYLAND AUTOMOTIVE MERCEDES-BENZ (255 SMOKEY PARK HIGHWAY, ASHEVILLE, NC 28806, (828)667-5213) TO BE REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). AFTER THE REPAIR, WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE BRAKE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAME STUCK TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE ONTO THE ROAD SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE SAME DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 144,015.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE STARTED PULLING TO THE LEFT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING DRY OR INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WARRANTY ON THE CBC ELECTRONIC BRAKE WAS EXTENDED HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF WALNUT CREEK LOCATED AT (1301 PARKSIDE DR, WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596), HOWEVER, THE DEALER DECLINED TO PERFORM THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

SBC BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON CAR WOULD NOT ENGAGE GOT IT TOWED THE REPAIR COST $1600.00 TO REPAIR. I CALL MBZ THEY SAID NO HELP FOR ME.

THE SBC CONTROL UNIT FAILED. THERE WAS A RED WARNING LIGHT ON DASH, THAT WHEN I WAS IN THE ROAD THE BRAKES JUST ABOUT FAILED. WHEN I SHUT OFF THE CAR AND TRIED TO START AGAIN IT WOULD NOT LET ME MOVE IT FROM PARK POSITION. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES AND WAS ABLE TO GET IT INTO NEUTRAL AND DRIVE TO PULL IN POSITION FOR THE TOW TRUCK. IN READING UP ON THE WEB THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE SBC CONTROL UNIT. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE CLOSE TO HOME BUT THIS IS A REALLY DANGEROUS PROBLEM. MERCEDES PUT A LIMIT ON THE UNIT TO SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY WAY TO TELL US OWNERS WHEN THIS WILL HIT THEIR LIMIT. THEY SHOULD BE FORCED TO REPAIR ALL OF THESE SBC CONTROL UNITS OR AT LEAST FIND A WAY TO TELL US WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN. I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THEY DID KNOW OF THE PROBLEM AND EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THE SBC UNIT FOR TEN YEARS, BUT DEPENDING HOW OFTEN YOU USED IT DETERMINES THE BREAK DOWN OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM.WHICH MEANT IF YOU HAD AN OLDER CAR YOU PAID FOR SOMETHING THEY FORCE TO BREAK. THERE IS AN APP $30 THAT CAN RESET THE AMOUNT OF BRAKING YOU HAVE DONE AND HAS BEEN SHOWN TO FIX THE PROBLEM INSTEAD OF A $2000 REPAIR THAT MERCEDES WILL CHARGE YOU FOR A WHOLE NEW SBC UNIT. WHY DON'T THE DEALERS HAVE THIS APP? WHY DO WE LET THE MANUFACTURERS GET AWAY WITH FORCING PARTS TO SEEMINGLY BREAK SO THEY CAN MAKE MORE MONEY?

A WARNING SIGNAL APPEARED ON BY DASH BOARD CITING BRAKES, TAKE TO SHOP. THE MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CENTER PUT ON FRONT BRAKES PADS AND ROTORS. I WAS TOLD TODED TO REPLACE THE SBC UNITED BECAUSE IT WAS "TIMED OUT" AND THE BRAKES COULD FAIL.THE COST OF UNIT IS $2418.32. THIS IS LIFE THREATENING.THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHEN THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD. THE BRAKE AND VARIOUS OTHER WARNING INDICATORS FLASHED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL AND THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET INSPECTED AND DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS EXCLUDED FROM NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), ALTHOUGH THE FAILURES WERE IDENTICAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO DETERMINE IF THEY WOULD RESPOND WITH A SOLUTION TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, A RED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL REGARDING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ABS STABILIZER FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 83,000.

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. THERE WAS A SUDDEN 100% PRESSURE LOSS IN THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS LESS THAN 20 FT FROM GETTING ON THE HIGHWAY. HAD THIS HAPPENED TO ME WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, I WOULD HAVE MET WITH A TRAGIC ACCIDENT. THIS CAR ONLY HAS 92,392 MILES. IT IS A 1-OWNER WITH ALL MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES DONE ONLY BY MERCEDES DEALER AND AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES. THE VEHICLE IS 100% UPTO DATE ON ALL REPAIRS AND MAINTENANCE AND THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR SUCH FAILURE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THERE ARE OTHER MERCEDES BENZ USERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE. NOT ONLY WILL I EVER BUY A MERCEDES BENZ AGAIN, BUT I WILL NEVER RIDE IN A MERCEDES BENZ PRODUCT FOR THE SAKE OF MY SAFETY!!! *TR

I AM AN OWNER OF A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E320 THAT I HAVE BOUGHT 3 YEARS AGO IN NOVEMBER. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE I ELECTED TO ALSO BUY A 3 YEAR 36K WARRANTY. OVER THE PAST 3 YEAR I HAVE HAD NO TO VERY LITTLE TROUBLE WITH THE VEHICLE AND HAVE MAINTAINED A VERY POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE VEHICLE NEVER HAVING TO UTILIZE THE WARRANTY. WELL UNTIL LAST WEEK... I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN SUDDENLY I LOST ALL BRAKING POWER OUT OF NOWHERE. I WAS PETRIFIED AND VERY SCARED FOR MYSELF AND EVERYONE IN THE VEHICLE, ONLY GETTING A "REDUCED BRAKING POWER" NOTICE ON THE DASH AFTER BRAKE LOSS. RECOLLECTING THAT IF THIS OCCURRED IN HEAVIER TRAFFIC WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED AND OR KILLED IN AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE REACTION OF THE SBC UNIT THAT FAILED IN THE VEHICLE. COME TO FIND OUT MY VEHICLE HAD A RECALL FOR THIS SPECIFIC FAILED UNIT AND MERCEDES BENZ OFFERED A 10 YEAR 150K MILE WARRANTY TO FIX THIS ISSUE IN THE VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY BY THE TIME THAT I HAD PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, HAD I KNOW THIS WAS AN ISSUE, I WOULD HAVE ONLY HAD A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME FOR THE UNIT TO FAIL BEFORE I COULD HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THIS "WARRANTY".. BUT I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND HONESTLY WOULD HAVE NOT PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IF I WOULD HAVE KNOWN. I COMMUTED WITH THIS VEHICLE 60 MILES A DAY FOR THE LAST YEAR AND EVEN DROVE IT TO CALIFORNIA OVER THE SUMMER AS A FAMILY TRIP, WITH NO NEGATIVE THOUGHTS OR MALFUNCTIONS. I CANNOT SAY THAT I CAN DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN CONFIDENCE ANY LONGER WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE NOW OF THE SBC BRAKING UNITS. MY VEHICLE WARRANTY IS NO LONGER VALID BECAUSE MY VEHICLE EXCEEDED MILEAGE..THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE COVERED BY MERCEDES I SHOULD NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR CORRECTING THIS ISSUE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFTEY ISSUE AND IS NOT BEING ADDRESS APPROPRIATELY.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT AROUND 60 MPH MY INSTRUMENT MESSAGE DISPLAY SUDDENLY TURNED RED, STARTED BEEPING CONTINUOUSLY, AND DISPLAYED THE MESSAGE "STOP BREAK DEFECTIVE STOP VEHICLE". THE CAR HAD ZERO BREAKS, PUMPING THEM DID NO GOOD, AND I HAD TO IMMEDIATELY PUT ON MY HAZARDS, DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW THE CAR, AND PULL OFF THE FREEWAY AND PARK USING THE EMERGENCY BREAK TO AVOID A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING ACCIDENT. WHILE WAITING FOR HELP I TURNED THE CAR BACK ON AFTER 15 MINUTES AND EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE WORKING FINE. MY CAR IS SERVICED REGULARLY AND VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND IT GAVE NO INDICATION OF ANY BREAK PROBLEMS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE. IT HAD A FULL BREAK JOB AT THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER LESS THEN 30K MILES AGO AND WAS SERVICED FOR ANOTHER ISSUE IN THE LAST 1.5 YEARS. AT NO TIME WERE MY BREAKS MENTIONED AS NEEDING MAINTENANCE. MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE, SEE "2004 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS BRAKE FOUNDATION COMPONENTS TSB (BULLETIN SB-090930)" WHERE IT IS MENTIONED. THIS IS A SERIOUS LIFE THREATENING ISSUE THAT BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN OF THE BREAK SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY UNPREDICTABLE. MY CAR IS NOT WITHIN THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY COVERED IN THE TSB REFERENCED ABOVE. THIS SBC BREAKING SYSTEM SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN PERMITTED ON THE ROAD. MERCEDES BENZ REALIZED THE MISTAKE AND DISCONTINUED THE USE OF IT AFTER 3 YEARS DUE TO ALL OF THE ISSUES. ANY CAR WITH THIS SYSTEM IS A TICKING TIME BOMB THAT COULD PUT ANY NUMBER OF LIVES AT RISK WITH ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING. AT LEAST WITH A STANDARD BREAK SYSTEM YOU HAVE SOME CHANCE OF STOPPING THE CAR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E55. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH APPROACHING A STOP LIGHT, THE BRAKES FAILED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT IT WAS A KNOWN FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF THE EXTENDED WARRANTY BY TWO YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,800.