20,000 mile brakes?

[AdamMichael]

I have a 2014 Sprinter 2500 4cyl, it’s the shortest wheelbase and it’s the cargo version. I have some tools and material in the back but it’s not very heavy, definitely not anywhere near capacity. I live and work in northern New Jersey where there’s a lot of suburban areas connected by highways. I don’t do much city driving but I guess suburban driving can be similar.

My first question is whether it’s normal to only get about 20,000 miles out of a set of brakes?

My second question is if someone knows of a good shop in northern New Jersey that does Sprinter brakes? A shop familiar with Mercedes and Sprinters that will do it correctly.

I’ve been taking it to the dealer who’s been charging about $1600 for front brakes and $1400 for rear brakes. But even worse than the price is the fact that it takes about 3 1/2 to 4 hours for either front or back, not both. I can’t see how it takes that long to replace two wheels worth of brakes, I could only imagine that they are letting the truck sit there for a couple hours while they work on other vehicles just to try to justify the higher cost.

 

[TrackSprinter]

i got 52K before it started squealing. pads were down to ~5mm

$120 set of pads 4wheels
$25 caliper spreader
$25 brake fluid

about 4hrs labor including jack up/down time per wheel in my driveway

you are sure you need new pads?

if not:
new = roughly 19mm of pad
how much pad do you have left?
you can guestimate with any type measuring device.

take photos if you are able.

 

[Kajtek1]

I was making 100k miles on pads even before ceramics come to the market.
But I drove ML, who has the software applying rear brakes more than front to prevent "Diving" and in this case rear pads last only 35k miles.
I am not sure if Sprinter has this program, but this way, or the other it comes to driver habits.
I routinely drive 100 miles on freeway without touching the brakes and I consider using brake for other than red light a driver error.
BTW, dealer, while doing other repair on my Bluetec sedan recommended brakes replacement (along with $5000 worth of other jobs).
That was 3 years ago and I am still driving with those pads, when I check them to be far away from wear sensors.
The only thing I check needed from that $5000 "recommendations" is sway bar links. $13 on amazon for aftermarket.

 

[Git]

20k seems way too low, get second opinion in case you truly need to have them replaced.

 

[Wrinkledpants]

I have a 2014 Sprinter 2500 4cyl, it’s the shortest wheelbase and it’s the cargo version. I have some tools and material in the back but it’s not very heavy, definitely not anywhere near capacity. I live and work in northern New Jersey where there’s a lot of suburban areas connected by highways. I don’t do much city driving but I guess suburban driving can be similar.

My first question is whether it’s normal to only get about 20,000 miles out of a set of brakes?

My second question is if someone knows of a good shop in northern New Jersey that does Sprinter brakes? A shop familiar with Mercedes and Sprinters that will do it correctly.

I’ve been taking it to the dealer who’s been charging about $1600 for front brakes and $1400 for rear brakes. But even worse than the price is the fact that it takes about 3 1/2 to 4 hours for either front or back, not both. I can’t see how it takes that long to replace two wheels worth of brakes, I could only imagine that they are letting the truck sit there for a couple hours while they work on other vehicles just to try to justify the higher cost.

Need to know why they recommend this. I could see a situation where heavy city driving is resulting any a lot more brake actuations per mile than some of us who spend most of our time on the interstate. Especially in jersey where you have rain, snow, and salt all acting to degrade the pads and rotors faster than say the dry southwest.

I'm at 4mm/6mm front/rear for pad thickness, 90k miles, 9k lbs weight, most of the time out west with a lot of interstate miles. In previous vehicles (mostly German) I'd get 20-40K miles out of a set of brakes with a normal mix of city/hwy. So, you're situation doesn't sound crazy, but you'll definitely want to understand what they saw that lead to them suggesting new brakes.

 

[sprint2freedom]

Brakes on a Sprinter are easy, same as any other vehicle. You're being quoted a ridiculous price because you took it to a MB dealer.

Pads and rotors wear out at about the same rate in Sprinters, so you need to replace them together with every brake job. But you should be getting ~40k out of a set, if not more. Compared to stop and go, highway driving contributes very little to brake wear, so it's highly variable.

It took me several hours to replace front and rear pads and rotors at home, on separate days. But as mentioned, this includes getting tools and materials ready, jacking it up with, doing everything the DIY way not with pro tools, etc. It won't take a mechanic that long.

 

[vreihen]

Who in NJ told you that the brakes/pads were shot at only 20K miles?

There's an interesting thread about a San Francisco dealer selling customers unnecessary brake jobs that you may want to review:

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/index.php?threads/117236/page-3#post-1312479

 

[sprint2freedom]

Is your brake wear indicator light on? Or did you bring it just because the brakes are squealing?

 

[AdamMichael]

Thank you for all the replies.

All the previous times that I have replaced the brakes it has been because the indicator light on my dashboard has turned on and I took it to the dealer.

For the last week I have heard a squealing noise that is synonymous with the audible indicators I have always heard on brake pads for the last 25 years. This noise only happens when rolling at a certain slow speed, it goes away when pressing the break or when driving faster. However, the dashboard indicator light has not turned on.

 

[MASTER THIRD EYE]

I have a 2014 Sprinter 2500 4cyl, it’s the shortest wheelbase and it’s the cargo version. I have some tools and material in the back but it’s not very heavy, definitely not anywhere near capacity. I live and work in northern New Jersey where there’s a lot of suburban areas connected by highways. I don’t do much city driving but I guess suburban driving can be similar.

My first question is whether it’s normal to only get about 20,000 miles out of a set of brakes?

My second question is if someone knows of a good shop in northern New Jersey that does Sprinter brakes? A shop familiar with Mercedes and Sprinters that will do it correctly.

I’ve been taking it to the dealer who’s been charging about $1600 for front brakes and $1400 for rear brakes. But even worse than the price is the fact that it takes about 3 1/2 to 4 hours for either front or back, not both. I can’t see how it takes that long to replace two wheels worth of brakes, I could only imagine that they are letting the truck sit there for a couple hours while they work on other vehicles just to try to justify the higher cost.

Inquire and have them show you the ASRA (an acronym for some German words I forgot) book time. German labor unions, in collaboration with manufactures, have established times required to accomplish repairs.

Brake lining service life is directly related to braking technique. For example, my wife, among tens of millions of others, enjoy accelerating regardless the traffic light ahead is RED! Additionally, as much as I try to coach her, she can’t modulate her speed, so upon arrival, the light is GREEN. Instead, the last twenty feet, applies 5g aircraft carrier arresting cable braking. As a result, her brakes don’t last long.

 

[sprint2freedom]

For the last week I have heard a squealing noise that is synonymous with the audible indicators I have always heard on brake pads for the last 25 years. This noise only happens when rolling at a certain slow speed, it goes away when pressing the break or when driving faster. However, the dashboard indicator light has not turned on.

If it goes away when applying the brakes, it's not the brakes..

It sounds like a rock may be sitting on the caliper, rubbing against your brake rotor.

 

[TrackSprinter]

One of my pads had a crack in it. Maybe caused the squealing?


Dirt and/or dust in the metal to metal contact points amongst the brake assembly is said to cause squealing. Might need to be cleaned and brake parts grease reapplied.

Be interesting for you to stick your head in there and get a look at the remaining brake pad life.

 

[MASTER THIRD EYE]

 

[Solera2012]

Have them show you the pads while still installed on your vehicle, or climb underneath and do a visual inspection, you will find you don't need them. Squealing is a common occurance, and other than annoying, will come and go. Usually caused by glazing of the pads. Either way, you don't need a brake job, and you're being ripped off.

 

[MASTER THIRD EYE]

One of my pads had a crack in it. Maybe caused the squealing?
View attachment 252107

Dirt and/or dust in the metal to metal contact points amongst the brake assembly is said to cause squealing. Might need to be cleaned and brake parts grease reapplied.

Be interesting for you to stick your head in there and get a look at the remaining brake pad life.

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[AdamMichael]

I’ll admit that I could be just getting old, but I thought that the brake indicators always made the squealing sound when driving slow but went away when you applied to brake?

I appreciate all the responses, I will look into this further before going to the dealer. I’ll see if I could get my head in there tomorrow to see how thick the pad is.

 

[AdamMichael]

So does anyone know of a good shop in northern NJ?

 

[Kajtek1]

I’ll admit that I could be just getting old, but I thought that the brake indicators always made the squealing sound when driving slow but went away when you applied to brake?

I appreciate all the responses, I will look into this further before going to the dealer. I’ll see if I could get my head in there tomorrow to see how thick the pad is.

That was technology I remember from GMC, where brake pads had "paws" at 2-3 mm distance, who would squeal when touching rotors.
MB for at least 40 years is using electric sensors, who will pop the light on dashboard.
Bare in mind for 8 pads the vehicle has 2 or 3 sensors, so good idea from time to time to check for even wear.

 

[MASTER THIRD EYE]

I’ll admit that I could be just getting old, but I thought that the brake indicators always made the squealing sound when driving slow but went away when you applied to brake?

I appreciate all the responses, I will look into this further before going to the dealer. I’ll see if I could get my head in there tomorrow to see how thick the pad is.

While stopped at a red light, I enjoy inching slowly, modulating brake pedal pressure to produce the loudest and most irritating squealing as possible. Kinda like when I was a kid dragging my finger nails across the classroom blackboard.

Happy motoring.

 

[CJPJ]

I go for the haunted eerie sound