The brief
Mr Goh brought his E200 in for a major oil change service, and part of that service is putting the car on the lift for an undercarriage inspection, which is where the rear brakes turned up overdue. Two jobs in one visit: the service, and the rear brakes before they were metal on metal. The engine oil and filter do the hard work of keeping the engine clean and protected, so they go on schedule. The brakes, meanwhile, wear with use, and the rear pads on this car had passed the wear line, with the rear discs scored from running thin. Brake pads that are overdue stop working properly and start damaging the discs, and once the discs are scored they go with the pads, so it gets done as a set.
The diagnosis
On the lift the E200 came up needing the oil and filter, due, and the rear brakes: the rear pads were worn past the wear line and the rear discs scored from running thin, both due replacement as a set. The front brakes had life left, the suspension and the rest of the undercarriage were sound. So it was a major oil change service plus rear pads and discs, the service items refreshed and the rear brakes brought back to spec.
The work
The engine oil was drained and refilled with the correct Mercedes-spec oil and a new oil filter, the other filters and fluids checked and topped. At the rear, the worn pads and scored discs were removed, the calipers cleaned and the slides freed, and new genuine Mercedes-spec discs and pads fitted, every fastener torqued to the manual figures and the brakes bedded in. The undercarriage and tyres were checked while it was up. A road test confirmed a clean start, smooth running, and the rear brakes pulling up firm, even and quiet.
The outcome
Fresh oil and filter, fluids topped, the rear brakes firm, even and quiet on fresh pads and discs, and a clean undercarriage check. Mr Goh got the E200 back serviced and braking properly. The undercarriage inspection that's part of the service is what caught the rear brakes, so doing them with the oil change kept it to one visit rather than a return trip.