This guide provides step-by-step instructions for changing the rear brake pads and rotors of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
This guideline applies to most Mercedes-Benz models from 2006 to 2015, including the C, S, E, CLK, CL, ML, GL, and R classes.
What you will need
- Mercedes Rear Brake Pads
- Part Number: Varies between models. See the chart below.
- Ceramic brake pads are recommended.
- Mercedes Brake Wear Sensor
- Part Number: 1645401017
- Torx Socket Set
- Brake pad spreader
- Jack and jack stands
- Torque Wrench
- Breaker bar
- Flat Head Screwdriver
- Anti-seize grease
Procedure
- Park the Mercedes-Benz on a level surface. Jack up the car and remove the rear wheels. Block the other wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling.
- Remove the metal clip using a flathead screwdriver. Push the bracket towards the front of the car to remove it.
- Locate the two bolts that secure the caliper on the bracket. Two small caps need to be removed to see the bolts. Once you remove the bolts, you will notice the caliper bolts. These are either T40 or T45 bolts. On some models, a 10mm Allen wrench is required.
- Unplug the brake pad wear sensor.
- Remove the caliper from the bracket.
- Push the piston into the brake caliper using a brake pad spreader. If your Mercedes-Benz has electronic parking, you must place the rear brakes in a service position via the instrument cluster. If you don’t have a brake spreader, use a flathead screwdriver to push the piston in, as shown in the picture below. Removing the brake reservoir cap under the engine bay will make pushing the piston back into the caliper easier. If your Mercedes-Benz has electronic parking brakes, you must put the rear brakes in the service position. You do this using the buttons on your steering wheel. See the owner’s manual or look up our guide on “How to release Mercedes Electric Parking Brake.”
- Remove the two 18 mm bolts that secure the rear wheel assembly’s bracket if you are changing the rotors.
- Remove the T30 screw from the rotor. Release the rear parking brake. Once you remove the screw, you can remove the rotor. If the rotor is rusted, it may be difficult to remove. If that is the case, use penetrating fluid and settle for at least ten minutes. Use a rubber mallet to push the old rotor out. Make sure the vehicle is secure and will not roll.
- Clean the rear hub and bracket from any debris or rust. Install the new Mercedes rear disk. Install rotor securing bolt.
- Install the bracket and torque the 18mm bolts to specification.
- Install the new Mercedes-Benz wear brake sensor on the new pads. You can reuse old wear sensors if the sensor wires are not exposed. If the brake pad wear sensor wires are exposed or have a warning on your instrument cluster stating “Brake pad wear,” you will need a new sensor.
- Install new Mercedes rear brake pads. DO NOT APPLY GREASE OR ANTI-SQUEAL PASTE ON THE SURFACE BETWEEN THE PAD AND THE ROTOR.
Rember to apply anti-squeal grease to the brake pads’ back and at the area where the brake pads slide on the bracket. Apply grease to the guide pins. Slide the caliper on the bracket. - Tighten the guide pins to specification. The typical torque range is between 30 and 55 Nm and varies between models. Call your dealer to get the recommended torque specifications for your Mercedes-Benz.
- Connect the brake pad wear sensor. Install the tire and torque the lug nuts.
- If you disconnected the SBC pump, reconnect it at this time. Start your car and press the brake pedal a few times until the pedal becomes hard to press.
- Check the brake fluid and take your Mercedes-Benz for a test drive.
Two small caps need to be removed to see the bolts. 
Once you remove the bolts, you will notice the caliper bolts.
These are either T40 or T45 bolts. On some models, a 10mm Allen wrench is required.
If your Mercedes-Benz has electronic parking, you must place the rear brakes in a service position via the instrument cluster. If you don’t have a brake spreader, use a flathead screwdriver to push the piston in, as shown in the picture below. Removing the brake reservoir cap under the engine bay will make pushing the piston back into the caliper easier. If your Mercedes-Benz has electronic parking brakes, you must put the rear brakes in the service position. You do this using the buttons on your steering wheel. See the owner’s manual or look up our guide on “
Release the rear parking brake. Once you remove the screw, you can remove the rotor. If the rotor is rusted, it may be difficult to remove. If that is the case, use penetrating fluid and settle for at least ten minutes. Use a rubber mallet to push the old rotor out. Make sure the vehicle is secure and will not roll.
Install the new Mercedes rear disk. Install rotor securing bolt.
You can reuse old wear sensors if the sensor wires are not exposed. If the brake pad wear sensor wires are exposed or have a warning on your instrument cluster stating “Brake pad wear,” you will need a new sensor.
DO NOT APPLY GREASE OR ANTI-SQUEAL PASTE ON THE SURFACE BETWEEN THE PAD AND THE ROTOR. 
The typical torque range is between 30 and 55 Nm and varies between models. Call your dealer to get the recommended torque specifications for your Mercedes-Benz.Notes
- If your Mercedes-Benz has an SBC brake system (common on early E-Class W211 and CLS models), it should be disabled before you work on the brake system.
- Recommended method: Deactivate the SBC brake system using Star Diagnosis Mercedes-Benz, which these days you can order on eBay if your car has SBC brakes.
- Alternative method: You can disconnect the SBC brakes by unplugging the wire harness to the ABS pump. The defective brake warning will appear on the instrument cluster, but it will turn off once the ABS pump is connected. By disconnecting your SBC pump using this method, a fault code will be stored in the ABS or SBC control unit but reset once the ABS pump is reconnected.
- Keeping SBC Active: If you decide not to disconnect the SBC pump, avoid opening any car door or locking/unlocking the car because the brakes will automatically apply. Be extremely careful when working on the brakes. If the SBC pump is activated when the caliper is removed, it will press the piston and brake pads, possibly causing injuries.
Mercedes Rear Brake Pad Part Numbers
- Mercedes Rear Brake Pads
- C-Class
- W204 Rear Brake Pads
- 007 420 85 20 or 006 420 61 20
- W205 Rear Brake pads
- A 000 420 59 00 A 169 540 16 17
- W204 Rear Brake Pads
- E-Class / CLS Class
- W211 Rear Brake pads
- 004 420 44 20, 003 420 51 20 , 006 420 01 20, 0074201020
- W212 Rear Brake Pads
- 007-420-64-20 / 0074206420, 007-420-68-20 / 0074206820, 0054209320
- W211 Rear Brake pads
- S-Class
- W220 Rear Brake Pads
- 003 420 51 20 , 006 420 01 20
- W221 Rear Brake Pads
- A 006-420-01-20-41 A 211-540-17-17
- W222 Rear Brake Pads
- 0004203700, 000 420 37 00 / 0004203700, A 000 420 37 00 / A 0004203700, A000 420 37 00 / A0004203700
- W220 Rear Brake Pads
- ML-Class
- W163 Rear Brake Pads
- 1634200520
- W164 Rear Brake Pads
- 007 420 83 20, 006 420 41 20
- W163 Rear Brake Pads
- GL-Class
- X164 Rear Brake Pads
- R-Class
- W251 Rear Brake Pads
- C-Class
Torque Specifications
- Brake Caliper Bolts – 25Nm
- Caliper Bracket – 115 Nm
Applications
This guide applies to the following vehicles.
Show applications
- 2005-2011 Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG
- 2007-2009 Mercedes-Benz GL320
- 2010-2012 Mercedes-Benz GL350
- 2007-2012 Mercedes-Benz GL450
- 2008-2012 Mercedes-Benz GL550
- 2007-2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320
- 2006-2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350
- 2006-2007 Mercedes-Benz ML500
- 2008-2011 Mercedes-Benz ML550
- 2007-2009 Mercedes-Benz R320
- 2006-2012 Mercedes-Benz R350
- 2006-2007 Mercedes-Benz R500
- 2008 – 2014 Mercedes CL63 AMG
- 2008 – 2014 Mercedes CL65 AMG
- 2007 – 2011 Mercedes ML63 AMG
- 2007 Mercedes R63 AMG
- 2008 – 2013 Mercedes S63 AMG
- 2007 – 2013 Mercedes S65 AMG
The typical cost to change Mercedes-Benz rear brake pads yourself averages $100. The average cost to change the brake pads at an auto mechanic or dealer range between $250 and $500.
If you plan to replace the rotors, the cost would be two to three times more than just changing the brake pads. Old rotors can be turned and reused if they have enough thickness.
We hope you find the Mercedes-Benz Rear Brake Pad Replacement Guide helpful. Check these troubleshooting and repair guides for more help on your Mercedes-Benz.
Thanks it makes sense.
I have a 2015 S550. Mine was slightly different. The cover on the caliper piston is round with three indents. It suggest that you need to twist to compress. I wish I could say that it (ONLY) took me an hour. I’m ashamed to tell how much time I spent on the first side even with the emergency brake released (via command). However, it can be compressed with a simple caliper compressor.
I got a quote for my 2015 S550 $600. Did not include rotors (WTF). And that was the cheapest
Let me start by saying that this is the best guide I could find for this project. None of the other guides or videos I could find were as good. That said, this guide, as well as the others I’ve found, fail to mention one big step that I encountered. First, I have a 2015 GL450 and can’t speak to the applicability of this issue with other years or models. I followed this guide to a T up until the point where you need to compress the caliper piston. I’ve worked on brakes before but couldn’t get the piston to compress at all. C clamps didn’t work, brake spreader didn’t work, screw driver didn’t work, etc. I tried all of the above with the cap off the brake reservoir (as recommended in this guide), loosened the brake bleeder, etc. Nothing worked. After a few hours, I gave up and decided that there must be an easier way. After some serious googling I found out that some Mercedes (as well as other brands) use electronic parking brakes and require an extra step to compress the caliper. For my vehicle, I had to get in the vehicle, turn the key to the on position, wait for the odometer to appear on the instrument cluster, hold down the call button (looks like a little phone being picked up on the right side of the steering wheel on my vehicle), and the “OK” button simultaneously. After about 5 seconds a menu should show up, one of the options says “pad replacement” or something similar. When you select this option it asks you to confirm and then it compresses the pistons automatically. No C clamps, brake spreader, pry bar, etc are necessary. However, it wouldn’t let me complete these steps with the brakes disconnected. I tried to plug the sensor back in, re-mount the caliper, etc. It wouldn’t depress the piston until I had completely reinstalled everything and dropped the vehicle to the ground. Then I essentially started over but knew how to compress the caliper this time.
Sorry for the long comment but if it can save someone the time and money I spent figuring it out, then it was worth it.
I changed my MB E-430 brakes. It was very similar to my older Chevrolet Pickup. Should be a $100 or so job because its so easy.
I got a quote for replacing rear brake pads and rotors for $895 which I think is rediculous. I better learn how to do this myslef or find a new boyfriend that has DIY skills. )