Table 1 shows one common service brakes related problems of the 2013 Mercedes Benz SL550.
| Problem Category | Number of Problems |
|---|---|
| Brake Disc Pads problems |
Jun 2017: annual service. Ask to have brakes checked because brake pedal was travelling down to the floor. Jun 2018: annual service. Complaint: brake pedal would hit the floor and as it traveled down further, the engine acceleration ticked-up, at which time I released the brake pedal and re-applied the brakes successfully. Jun 2019: annual service: strong complaint: ditto Jun 2018 except as the brake pedal approached the floor, the engine acceleration was increasing. 12 Mar 2020: accident: time 0645 am pst, traveling west-bound on a near-straightaway (slight 5-degree curve to the left) at 40 mph in a 50 mph zone on a 6-lane roadway, in far-right lane with 8-car-lengths to the car ahead, I applied the brakes as the cars ahead of me slowed to a stop in the right lane. I continued increasing pressure on the brakes until the pedal was on the floor, the anti-lock brakes system never engaged and at about 20-ft to the car ahead, the engine rpm took over defeating the whole brake system resulting in my car accelerating and smashing into the car stopped ahead of my car. In hind-sight, I found out that m-b of san diego service dept. Never performed a drive-test to check-out my requests but instead performed a standard brake-pads & fluid-level check and returned the car to me in as-is condition. Until 12 Mar, this problem of the brakes traveling to the floor before the rpm-increase engaged had been under control, being most noticeable at low speeds of 10-12 mph in the costco parking lot thru-ways at which time I had ample distance to release the brakes, disengage the rpm-increase and re-apply the brakes. It appears m-b took my requests and complaints in a less than literal sense or urgency.