Mercedes Benz CLS550 owners have reported 9 service brakes related problems since 1996. Table 1 shows the 1 most common service brakes problems. The number one most common problem is related to the vehicle's service brakes (9 problems). For details of each of the problem category, use the links in the table.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Service Brakes problems |
After the mercedes dealer replaced the corroded rear sub frame under the 20 year extended warranty, my brake line failed so I took it back & found out that the brake lines were corroded. I paid nothing for the subframe since it was under the warranty but I ended up paying $4114 to replace the corroded brake lines. The dealer should have checked for corrosion while the subframe was out of the car, especially since this is a known issue. The parts were only $380 and $3800+ was labor. My brakes completely failed while driving on christmas eve. I took the car to the dealership on 12/26/25 and they told me that the car was unsafe to drive & I had to leave it. This should be covered by mercedes under the rest subframe warranty since from what I’ve read, is a related issue. This was extremely dangerous. I was scheduled to travel back to NY, almost 300 miles from va, where I got the car fixed. The dealership did not do their due diligence when the rear subframe was replaced so they had to drop the subframe to fix the brake lines, resulting in the huge labor charge. I got the upgraded nickel lines to avoid corrosion in the future but this is definitely a safety hazard that could have put me and my family in complete danger, had I not gone out on christmas eve to grab something from the store. I am looking for reimbursement from the dealership and/or mb for the extra hours of labor that they charged me. This brake issue is very concerning and was extremely scary. My brake went all the way to the floor, all the lights came on and this happened without any type of prior warning. Something needs to be done to make sure that the brake line repair is also done at the same time that the rear subframe is done. Also, after the brake line was repaired, I had an issue with the brakes. I did not have this issue prior to the brake line replacement & now they are asking me to pay $1300 for front brakes & rotors. I had no issues with my brakes at all, nor did any sensors go off.
Premature rusting on brake and fuel lines which lead to further issues with driveability and saftey. This us caused by the same defects leading to the premature rust on the subframe that can cause a serious wreck on the interstate.
I brought the car to my mercedes dealer for a state required safety and emissions inspection. It passed but they said the rear brake line were rusted and needed replacement at a cost of $2546. 00. This model and numerous others were recently provided an extended warranty for rusted subframes. This is a $5-$7k repair. They do not cover the brake lines or include them as part of the repair. The sub-frame rust from the inside out so it is not initially obvious of impending failure. There is a pending class action lawsuit against mbusa that mentions the failure to include the brake line and other components. The rusted brake lines are indicative of internal rust of the subframe. I am facing potential brake failure if I don't act on this expensive repair when clearly mercedes is not acting in good faith to repair the entirety of their faulty components.
The 2006 Mercedes Benz cls500 was designed with a sbc braking system that uses a microcomputer to monitor the car and driver actions. The system sounds like a milestone achievement in braking technology, unfortunately its prone to failure. The entire system relies on electronics. Before long, wiring in the sbc braking system deteriorates, and suddenly the sbc system no longer functions. What happens is all of a sudden a warning light comes on and this message all in bright red saying, ‘brake malfunction. Ineffective braking,’” stepping on the brake, my foot was going down to the floor pretty easily. No resistance, no brakes. The atlantic motor car center receives hundreds of phone calls per year on this issue. Imagine yourself driving along and suddenly the dash goes red and you have no brakes, mercedes has extended the warranty on the sbc pump first to 10 years, then in 2018 to 25 years. Unfortunately, which happened to me and many others is when you take your car in to the dealer after the terrorizing experience they says they can not duplicate the problem or your car is not giving out a specific code. Although I had numerous fault codes relating to the sbc system, they informed me I did not have the code they wanted. The warranty is meant to prevent failures of the sbc system that result in no brakes. But when you take the car in they inform you it will be $3,000 dollars to replace the sbc pump. Just do some investigation on line to see what's going on. Does it take a class action lawsuit against mercedes to get action? I can't believe that the NHTSA has not recalled these vehicles. How many accidents with people injured or killed does it take to get their attention.
No notice brake failure. Coming up to the corner of my sub-division before making a right turn onto a busy 4 lane road, stepped on the brakes and nothing happened ! swerved to the left to avoid hitting a Jeep that was stopped in front of me also waiting for traffic to clear enough to make the right turn. My car traveled into the busy road, and its a miracle I didn't get killed by a truck traveling 50 mph that might have t-boned my car on the driver side door. Car was beeping a loud noise and the instrument panel was lit up in red with the following alarm. Reduced braking power, visit workshop. Car would not accelerate over 5 mph with the alarm blaring. Luckily was able to turn on emergency flasher and pull over to the side without getting hit. This is the first time I ever had a car that when you stepped on the brakes nothing happened. It scared the hell out of me and I refused to ever drive this car again. Absolutely, no warning that you no longer have brakes. I wonder how many people have been killed in accident from the same problem. Car is a 2006 Mercedes Benz cls 500.
Re 2006 Mercedes Benz cls500_ 211017_114326 on August 9, 2021, my brakes went out on the freeway when trying to Dodge debris and other vehicles, when the brakes completely went out and caused me to run over major wood pallet debris, and scared for my. Life to get to the far right lane to make it off te exit with no brakes whatsoever. And causing major under-carriage repairs. Rather than hit the cars on each side of me, all I could do at that point was get over lanes with no brakes, and make it off the exit before I killed myself and/or someone else. The damage done from the brakes going out, came to over $4000 in damage repairs to the under-carriage and left me without a vehicle for 45 days while in the shop this not only effected my income since the vehicle was used for lyft,, but I also was evicted from my apt. 30 days later, while my vehicle was in the shop, and unable to work to pay my rent. Once getting the car back these past few weeks, even though repairs were done, the car has continued to threaten my life and others, as the brakes continue to randomly go out at a light, on the freeway, behind a merging car, and ive come so close to having another bad accident. Not to mention since the accident, I am now getting gasoline fumes that seep throughout my car while driving, so profusely, its causing me migraines. But most of all the risk of a fire!.
Parking brake inoperative and a yellow park triangle warning at left corner of the dashboard display.
While driving 45 mph, the brakes were applied however, the vehicle would not decelerate. In addition, the steering wheel seized simultaneously and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. T the manufacturer has been contacted and stated that they would look into the issue. The failure and the current mileage was 980.
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes Benz Cls550. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the brakes were applied however, the vehicle would not decelerate. In addition, the steering wheel seized simultaneously and the contact lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnosis. The dealer was unable to duplicate or diagnose a failure. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that they would look into the issue. The failure and the current mileage was 16,878.