Parking Brake

Author
Discussion

bobthemonkey

Original Poster:

4,029 posts

223 months

Friday 10th August 2007
quotequote all
Odd question, but do any recent (i.e. current or previous shape) C or E Class's have hand operated (either 'normal' or electronic push button) parking brakes, rather than the foot operated type Merc always used to use.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

252 months

Friday 10th August 2007
quotequote all
No.

BUT - some models, especially E Class and *I think* the C Class that's just been launched, have a hold feature so that you don't roll back on hill starts.

bobthemonkey

Original Poster:

4,029 posts

223 months

Friday 10th August 2007
quotequote all
Thanks.

Just to check I'm not being an idiot, the foot parking brake is on the right hand side of the driver's footwell.

p.s. Did your answer mean both 'normal' handbrakes and the pushbutton type.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

252 months

Friday 10th August 2007
quotequote all
The pedal to engage the parking brake is on the left, the release handle is on the right.

Sorry, I'm not totally sure on the electric brake thing - but I don't think any Merc's have electric parking brakes.

The last E Class had SBC, which brought some other features, but SBC has been dropped on the latest E Class as it was troublesome.

I found this explanation of SBC's features (it's only for use during driving though, you still need the parking brake - although I expect many people don't use it, they just leave the car in park):

"Most E-Class estate buyers will doubtless opt for the superb two-pedal transmission. But in traffic the driver needs only one of them. To make driving even easier for the E-Class driver, Mercedes have included SBC Hold and SBC Stop. Hold keeps the car stationary without the driver needing to keep the brake pedal depressed. It comes into its own on tricky hill starts, manoeuvring on steep slopes or while stopped in traffic. Once activated — by quickly pressing and releasing the brake pedal — the car holds itself until the accelerator is pressed. SBC Stop helps relieve driver fatigue in traffic. Flick the column stalk, take your foot off the accelerator and the car automatically brakes itself to a complete stop without the need to press the brakes, making SBC Stop particularly effective in crawling traffic. As soon as the driver accelerates the brakes are released."

bloodyniceben

299 posts

210 months

Monday 13th August 2007
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Deva Link said:
No.

BUT - some models, especially E Class and *I think* the C Class that's just been launched, have a hold feature so that you don't roll back on hill starts.
Pre facelift 211 had SBC hold but the new 204 c class doesnt have it, as it was only a feature of the unreliable SBC system, now the e class has ABR which is a lot simpler but just as good.

Ben

bobthemonkey

Original Poster:

4,029 posts

223 months

Tuesday 14th August 2007
quotequote all
Thanks for the help guys. Went to see a new 211 today, and the parking brake setup was fine.

Is it me or are there a lack of decent used E class's in the dealer network at the moment. Almost everything seems to be ex-demos frighteningly close to the price from new.

Deva Link

26,934 posts

252 months

Wednesday 15th August 2007
quotequote all
Try Mercedes-Benz Direct. http://www.directmercedes.co.uk/

I got my MB from their Birmingham branch. Most dealers (I tried several) seem to have no interest in selling cars whatsoever. MB Direct (at least the guy I dealt with) were the complete opposite.

Edited by Deva Link on Wednesday 15th August 08:56

BoFox

61 posts

207 months

Wednesday 22nd August 2007
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Hi all, fairly new to these parts but used to work for Merc so know a bit about the cars.

There are a couple of systems which hold cars on hills etc.

Hill Start Assist - on most more recent Mercs. Holds the car on its brakes for a certain amount of time after they are released on an incline to give time to move foot to accelerator. On the new 204 C-Class for example.

HOLD function - as someone rightly said, was a feature of SBC (for SL and E-Class). Sharp tap on brakes to engage hold and released when accelerator used. SBC was deleted from E-Class at facelift, but HOLD function remains as part of the new electro-hydraulic system.

As far as I can remember the new S-Class and CL-Class have electric parking brakes.

Hope this helps.