braking poblem w204

[polarwhite]

My girlfriend was driving the car this morning, and as she was slowing down on a downward sloping exit from highway, the car did not slow down on braking but produced continuos loud clacking sounds. However, she managed to stop the car in time just centimeters away from the car in front. 

The brake works fine when she tested it out again on horizontal road stretch.  

But then similar event happened again as she was entering a basement carpark. After which, there is a "slippery road' sign shown on dash board for few seconds.

Anyone has similar experience? Quite scary to have malfunctioning brake, especially in a new car.

(the condition of both episodes: downward sloping and wet road)

 

thanks for advises..

 

 

 

[itsmeRuth]

Yeh I had a similar experience.

I thought it could be because I needed to change brake pads soon, but a friend of mine told me it was ABS(anti-locking braking system) activated...

 

It was on a rainy day, and the car in front of me abruptly stopped, so I sorta applied more pressure on the brakes and experienced something very similar, ie the clacking sounds...

 

not sure if it's the same cause, but I have a hunch that it's nothing to worry about ... but if it's really worrying u, bring it to get checked out yea.

[daffy]

ABS produce sound meh? Or was it your panic scream?

[itsmeRuth]

Haha oei... it does lor... i was pretty startled when it happened.

[Cklasse]

If you see the car skidding symbol flashing on the display, it's traction control at work, so no worries. You should be glad it is working.

Your car would have ploughed into the front car if not for this traction control working.

[polarwhite]

both incident occur at slow speed and there was no hard braking involved. The car came into inches of contact because my car failed to slow down on normal braking and continue to run with clacking sound. It only stopped when she tried to apply brake again a few times in successions.

 

if it was the ABS or Traction Control, could it be then that it was activated unnecessarily? 

 

dangerous malfunction, i reckon; imagine, the car keep on moving in a jammed up, downward sloping entrance into carpark because traction control reckon the car is skidding and brake shouldn't be applied.. 

[nightfly]

If you have doubts about the integrity of the braking system then send it into the workshop to be checked out ASAP rather than risk an accident.

[polarwhite]

yeah..  taking off work early to go workshop.  Just worry about safety of others, esp pedestrians if really got malfunction. thanks for advices everyone

[Odessus]

Are you running on stock rims and rubber?

[polarwhite]

yes, everything stock. just got my car last thursday..

[polarwhite]

Are you running on stock rims and rubber?

aftermarket wheels and tires will affect braking system?

[Cklasse]

both incident occur at slow speed and there was no hard braking involved. The car came into inches of contact because my car failed to slow down on normal braking and continue to run with clacking sound. It only stopped when she tried to apply brake again a few times in successions.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She tried to apply brake again.......meaning she released the brake (even if it is slight release) probably hearing the GGRrrrr...sound or not seeing the car stop immediately. The worst thing to do when traction control and ABS kick in is to release brake. The brake pressure should not be reduced but applied continuously till the car stops.

My view is the car is working fine and should not worry too much. There are more to come such as making a quick turn and accelerating during the turn, your car will wag its tail (when road is slippery) and the ESP triangle will flash like mad.

Anyway, I love these electronics because they have proven to me that it works. I have faith in them and I will feel uneasy if my car does not have it. This is one reason I have stayed with Mercedes-Benz for my current 3rd one.

[itsmeRuth]

yeah... the features do give an added sense of security... according to a friend, esp = invisible pair of magical hands that help prevent the car from crashing lol

[polarwhite]

guys, false alarm. it is indeed the ABS.  Did not go garage as i was stranded at work, but tried out the car without any problem. So i went back to the incident site, and noted an area with ? oil spill on the road. these could have caused some slippage and thus activated the ABS when brake was applied. anyway.. had been testing the car past few hours, no problem so far, even in heavy rain or sloping road. thanks for advise....

[itsmeRuth]

Phew... that's good to hear!  

Hope you and your lady drive with extra care yea... roads extra slippery these days...

[Old-MAN]

Bro, now can drive with easy of mind...

[daffy]

Phew... that's good to hear!

Hope you and your lady drive with extra care yea... roads extra slippery these days...

You too itsmeRuth, don't drive like a monster and scream like a hulk when jamming brakes

[Tigershark]

My girlfriend was driving the car this morning, and as she was slowing down on a downward sloping exit from highway, the car did not slow down on braking but produced continuos loud clacking sounds. However, she managed to stop the car in time just centimeters away from the car in front. 

The brake works fine when she tested it out again on horizontal road stretch.  

But then similar event happened again as she was entering a basement carpark. After which, there is a "slippery road' sign shown on dash board for few seconds.

Anyone has similar experience? Quite scary to have malfunctioning brake, especially in a new car.

(the condition of both episodes: downward sloping and wet road)

 

thanks for advises..

 

from the description, sounds like ABS kicked in. down slope and wet conditions sounds right. how long have you had your tires? 

[itsmeRuth]

You too itsmeRuth, don't drive like a monster and scream like a hulk when jamming brakes

OEI. what... who said I drive like a monster?

I'm very refined okay... hahaha

except maybe I do underestimate the time I need to brake...

but thank god for abs and ESP!

u ah. I have yet to see your doot doot

[Ah Bui]

Let's make everybody take notice of doot doot..... let's go burn doot doot and the whole of Sillypore will know her....    

[daffy]

OEI. what... who said I drive like a monster?I'm very refined okay... hahahaexcept maybe I do underestimate the time I need to brake... but thank god for abs and ESP! u ah. I have yet to see your doot doot

Cannot ching ching cai cai see my doot doot leh, i'll kena hoot by someone la

[itsmeRuth]

why? your doot injured meh? why cannot see!

[polarwhite]

from the description, sounds like ABS kicked in. down slope and wet conditions sounds right. how long have you had your tires? 

7 days.. stock  pirelli p zero rosso 

[Tigershark]

I didn't trust the rosso when I read tirerack.com wet rating for it  

 

Above is personal opinion only. I prefer tyres with BOTH good dry and wet traction ever since my experience with Yokomama Aspec DBs... 

 

Anyways, on the topic of ABS, for C-class, Pg70-1 of manual describes ABS. The first section already mentions we should avoid press-release-press brake method.

 

ABS can be a shocker for a first time experience. We might feel as though brakes cannot jiak. 

[polarwhite]

what is doot? does it represent a censoring sound,  like wat they used on TV when someone mentioned a taboo word? 

so what is the actual word that was censored behind 'doooot'? ;p