C63 brakes - is this plausible?
Discussion
We’ve had some lack-of-service issues recently with my local dealer. One of the issues was the rear brake pads wearing to the metal a few weeks and a few thousand miles after they were supposed to be changed.
We’ve had this explanation: “The rear brake pads were identified as worn on the service that was carried out in March and were replaced as part of the service. Having interviewed the technician that inspected the vehicle in May when the brake pad wear light had come on again. On inspection it was found that when the rear brake pads had been replaced on the service the inner brake pad had been fitted to the outer in error this had caused the brake pads to wear prematurely and contact the rear brake disc and expose the warning wire which had put the brake pad low warning message on the dashboard display.”
I’ve never before heard of having different inner and outer pads - is the above a plausible explanation please?
I can’t remember the model number but it’s a 66 plate C63S coupe.
Thanks.
We’ve had this explanation: “The rear brake pads were identified as worn on the service that was carried out in March and were replaced as part of the service. Having interviewed the technician that inspected the vehicle in May when the brake pad wear light had come on again. On inspection it was found that when the rear brake pads had been replaced on the service the inner brake pad had been fitted to the outer in error this had caused the brake pads to wear prematurely and contact the rear brake disc and expose the warning wire which had put the brake pad low warning message on the dashboard display.”
I’ve never before heard of having different inner and outer pads - is the above a plausible explanation please?
I can’t remember the model number but it’s a 66 plate C63S coupe.
Thanks.
Bullet-Proof_Biscuit said:
In essence ‘we confirm we cocked up’
Ask them if they intended to fix their mistake or try and get away with it putting the safety of occupants of the vehicle in danger, and if you should take legal action against them.
New discs, pads, callipers, please, thank you..
I agree with that, I’m just wondering if they’re telling the truth in confirming the nature of their cock up... Ask them if they intended to fix their mistake or try and get away with it putting the safety of occupants of the vehicle in danger, and if you should take legal action against them.
New discs, pads, callipers, please, thank you..
I had front the rear discs and pads done on my C63 coupe around March time (66 plate car, 11k Miles!). I ordered the parts separately as the local dealer wanted full list for a part that MB Southend where selling at 60% of the price. But anyway, I had a look at the parts and there where difference between the inside and outside pads, marginal, but there was and the wire is quite prominent on the pad with the sensor.
Out of interest, how many miles have you done? I don’t abuse my car, but I use the brakes to balance the car as you would on track and it seems to chew through them. I always have a lot of brake dust. But this heavy usage explains the worldwide shortage of pads for C63 and AMG GT cars.
Picture attached of quite uneven wear on my padd
Out of interest, how many miles have you done? I don’t abuse my car, but I use the brakes to balance the car as you would on track and it seems to chew through them. I always have a lot of brake dust. But this heavy usage explains the worldwide shortage of pads for C63 and AMG GT cars.
Picture attached of quite uneven wear on my padd
We do quite a lot of miles, so it's done about 45k in under 18 months..!
I've just never heard of having specific inner and outer brake pads, and even if there are, I just don't believe that getting them the wrong way round would cause new pads to wear to the metal in under 4000 miles. I get that people make mistakes, but I don't like being lied to about the nature of the mistake and I feel that I am!
I've just never heard of having specific inner and outer brake pads, and even if there are, I just don't believe that getting them the wrong way round would cause new pads to wear to the metal in under 4000 miles. I get that people make mistakes, but I don't like being lied to about the nature of the mistake and I feel that I am!
AREA said:
Rather than the pads having actually worn to the limit in a short distance, it could be that the fact that they were in the wrong way around had caused the sensor wires be routed across and rub against the disc, wear away the insulation and cause the warning message.
Good thought, but the pads were worn to the metal, at least on the outer/visible side.donkmeister said:
You're trailbraking... on the road?
Does a C63 even open the throttle with the brakes on? A lot of modern cars won't, hence my interest.
Yes, I guess I do in a way, just not as aggressively as you would on track. Without that balance of being on the brakes or throttle, I just find driving doesn’t feel secure. I hate floating with no braking or gas into or through a corner.Does a C63 even open the throttle with the brakes on? A lot of modern cars won't, hence my interest.
Yes, if you hold the brakes you can still use the throttle. There’s some videos of idiots burning out rear tyres on YouTube by doing this. Has to be with all the ESC and TC off and a bit of balancing. Otherwise, as you say, it won’t go.
Redmax said:
We do quite a lot of miles, so it's done about 45k in under 18 months..!
I've just never heard of having specific inner and outer brake pads, and even if there are, I just don't believe that getting them the wrong way round would cause new pads to wear to the metal in under 4000 miles. I get that people make mistakes, but I don't like being lied to about the nature of the mistake and I feel that I am!
The explanation doesn't really make sense to me. In my years with Merc I've known pads to be sided on the basis that some will have a spring fitted that fits into the piston of the caliper and the other will be a regular pad - but as you can imagine it would be difficult to fit them the wrong way round. Other times they will have cut outs or variations in the pad that would indicate whether they are inner or outer. I've just never heard of having specific inner and outer brake pads, and even if there are, I just don't believe that getting them the wrong way round would cause new pads to wear to the metal in under 4000 miles. I get that people make mistakes, but I don't like being lied to about the nature of the mistake and I feel that I am!
Do you have pictures of both pads, thickness and the exterior backing plate of the pad? Also what is the calliper setup?
The explanation leads to the inner and outer pads being different thicknesses, which I've never known on any car because by design would inherently lead to one pad wearing out quicker than the other - however I cannot relate directly to a 66 plate C63.
Alternatively its possible on a driving style to wear pads down in 4k. OK you would have to driving ridiculously to achieve that, especially on the rear but track days etc driving style would see this.
It could of also been that maybe only one pad was changed, calliper has begun to seize, lack of grease/non use of new spring clips that the pads sit in has caused them to seize in the carrier.
Ultimately however, as above they have admitted fault. For arguments sake you'll get a new set of pads and discs and that will see you right. I don't think you'll get anywhere pushing for more other than wasting time, as the outcome will stay relatively the same.
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