Brake complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
On January 29, 2016, I was going towards the exit of my development but before I got to a main road (I was traveling slowly about 20 MPH and driving straight) I was using brakes and red message popped up on the dash board stating reduced brake power and to depress bake pedal which I did but the brakes failed and the car kept moving so I let the car move into the curb where there was snow. I turned car off and turned back on and the warning message was no longer displayed and car functioned properly. I called mb dealer and told them what happened and I did research before calling and learned the subcommittee pump is the problem and there is a ten year unlimited mileage warranty on the matter. Even though the car is a 2006, the dealership said the warranty expired at the end of 2015 because the car was actually manufactured in 2005 (I bought it used in 2008). …
Dt*: the contact owns a 2006 Mercedes Benz e class, and stated while driving 30 MPH, all warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was pulled over and the brakes were applied, but there was no stopping power. The brakes were applied harder and there was slight power and the vehicle coasted to a stop. The dealership was called and suggested the vehicle be turned off and on to restore braking power. The vehicle was then driven to the dealership. While stopping at the dealership, the brakes lost power again. The dealership determined there was a loose wire in the braking system and repaired the vehicle. Updated 3/28/2006 -
Per incident was back glass detached from window and broke all over the road and on the back of my car while driving. 2: Sbcc pump goes in and out admittedly and type of a no brake issue at all hard as a rock will not move car only has 180,000 miles on it and it's been doing that since 140,000 miles Which did cause me to get in a minor accident on the right side of the car the passenger side where now I've had to replace a fender and still have problems because of it
I was traveling at about 60mph and started to slow to turn off the highway. Suddenly a red brake warning light came on and it took tremendous pressure to slow the car down and I overshot the turn. Then the car had no power. I was 36 miles from my home. I limped at 5-20 mph to a friends house and had the car towed to my home. There was absolutely no warning of any kind of brake problem. The car was driving just fine before this happened. I believe it could have been a much worse situation had I been in any kind of traffic.
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.
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 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated that there was leakage coming from the driver's and the passenger's side sunroof. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer. The contact was informed that the only warranty would be for the module. The contact stated as he was driving the vehicle into the dealer service center the ESP warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after the ESP warning light disappeared, the brake warning light illuminated. The contact stated that when the brake pedal was depressed the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 97,648.
The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 MPH, the brakes became inoperable. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnose the failure to be the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) electronic braking system. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 98,000.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercedes-Benz E500 years have brake problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2003 (38), 2005 (38) and 2004 (26) model years. Brake complaints make up 30% of all complaints for the 2003.
Is there a recall for Mercedes-Benz E500 brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for any Mercedes-Benz E500 model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz E500 brake problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 106,000 miles; 6% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip (2 mentions), followed by the power assist (1).
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.