Mercedes Sensotronic brake-by-wire SBC ABS Pump System Failures

Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) ABS pump systems are commonly found on higher end Mercedes such as the E-Class, SL & CL Class, CLS etc.. the SBC Sensotronic ABS pump is a brake-by-wire system and Mercedes Benz were one of the first vehicle manufacturing companies to apply this system to cars.

How It Works
The Brake-By-Wire Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) system is quite different to the conventional hydraulic abs braking system because it doesn’t have a brake servo at the reservoir to start with and the brake pedal is connected to the ECU by wire. The sensors on the brake pedal offer a way of communication, telling the on-board computer how the brake pedal was pressed, how hard it was pressed & how quickly it was pressed etc. The computer then calculates the required pressure and activates the braking system producing braking force at each wheel via modulators.

The problem with Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) ABS Pump Braking Systems
The Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) ABS Pump has a service life (also known as a life expectancy) programmed into the control module which works off the number of brake actuations. Once this limit has been reached, the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) light may illuminate on the dash or a brake related warning may appear on the trip computer. Once this happens, the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) system is de-activated and the hydraulic braking function mode is activated whereby limited braking pressure is applied to the front brakes thus increasing the braking distance.

When the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) ABS pump fails, you are led to believe that the unit will require replacing and in some cases (depending on the vehicle application) it can cost up to £2500-3000 for a replacement unit (+Labour, Programming & VAT).

Connected to the STAR diagnostic system, the fault code C2498 will show the fault code description “Service Threshold Reached” as a current & stored fault code. This code cannot be erased without replacing the system.

Common Part Numbers:

Mercedes Part Number – 005 431 0012
Mercedes Part Number – 005 431 0612
Mercedes Part Number –  005 431 3412
Mercedes Part Number –  005 431 7112

Bosch Part Number – 0265 250 067
Bosch Part Number – 0265 250 065
Bosch Part Number – 0265 250 077
Bosch Part Number – 0265 250 092
Bosch Part Number – 0265 960 025
Bosch Part Number – 0265 960 012
Bosch Part NUmber – 0265 960 019

How Can Sinspeed Help Reduce This Cost & Fix The Problem?
Rather than replacing the unit with an expensive new part or even replacing with a second hand part (just waiting for it to fail).. we can remanufacture your existing unit and reprogram the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) control module to increase the service life expectancy of the unit. This is becoming a very common problem and we’re able to carry out full repairs to these units and offer a very competitive fitting rate.

For more information & a quote, call us today on 0203 815 9441.