Mercedes-Benz 420SEL Brake Master Cylinder Replacement at your home or office.

Our mobile mechanics offer services 7 days a week. Upfront and transparent pricing.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(19)

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Customer Ratings

(19)

Brake Master Cylinder Replacement Service

How much does a Brake Master Cylinder Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Mercedes-Benz 420SEL Brake Master Cylinder Replacement is $420 with $280 for parts and $140 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
1990 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2LService typeBrake Master Cylinder ReplacementEstimate$746.20Shop/Dealer Price$897.06 - $1334.03
1991 Mercedes-Benz 420SELV8-4.2LService typeBrake Master Cylinder ReplacementEstimate$736.29Shop/Dealer Price$883.74 - $1318.17
Show example Mercedes-Benz 420SEL Brake Master Cylinder Replacement prices

What is the brake master cylinder and how does it work?

The brake master cylinder has a piston that pressurizes fluid in the brake lines to each wheel cylinder as you apply force to the brake pedal. That pressure moves the pistons that are in the wheel cylinders. As the pistons in those wheel cylinders move, they force the brake pads or shoes tightly against the rotors or drums allowing the car to stop quickly.

The size of the pistons in the master cylinder and in the wheel cylinders are carefully selected when designing a car. This allows drivers to apply moderate pressure on the brake pedal when stopping, but creates tremendous pressure applied at the wheel cylinders. A car can then stop quickly even at high speeds. Depending on how much force is applied to the brake pedal, the pressure in a car’s brake lines will typically be in the range of 800 PSI to 2,000 PSI.

Master Cylinder

When to replace the master cylinder?

  • External fluid leaks. There should be no fluid visible on the external surfaces of any portion of the master cylinder or the plastic fluid reservoir.
  • Low, slowly falling, or spongy brake pedal. Faulty internal seals on the piston can cause internal leaks and also seepage of brake fluid into the power assist brake booster. Internal leaks will typically be accompanied by a low pedal, a spongy brake pedal, or a pedal that slowly sinks as you maintain pressure. In all cases, you will experience reduced braking abilities.
  • Discolored brake fluid. No brake fluids, other than those specified for the year, make, and model, are fully compatible with a car’s internal rubber seals in the master cylinder. Discoloration of brake fluid can also occur due to moisture and particulate contaminants in the fluid.
  • Warning lights on the dash. If the brake system warning light illuminates, there are several potential causes but failure of the master cylinder is in the list of causes that would have to be investigated.

How do mechanics replace the brake master cylinder?

  • On vehicles with power brakes, the master cylinder is bolted to the metal housing of the power brake booster. There is usually an electrical plug connecting to a brake fluid level sensor on the master cylinder reservoir and that plug must be disconnected.
  • Once all steel brake lines are disconnected from the master cylinder, the master cylinder is unbolted from the brake booster and removed from the vehicle.
  • The new master cylinder must be bench-bled to expel air from internal passages that contain the piston. Then the new master cylinder is bolted to the brake booster and the brake lines are reattached. The electrical plug for the fluid level sensor is reconnected.
  • Whenever a new master cylinder is installed, brakes lines to wheel positions must be bled to remove air, old fluid and contaminants. If your vehicle is equipped with anti-lock brakes, the mechanic may use a bidirectional scan tool during brake bleeding to actuate the ABS pump, thus ensuring that all air is removed from the complex valving in the ABS system.
  • All brake line connections that were removed during the master cylinder replacement are inspected for any leakage and the vehicle is road tested to ensure normal operation of the brakes.

Is it safe to drive with a master cylinder problem?

No, any fault in the master cylinder, which is part of the braking system creates a safety risk. A fully operational brake system is essential to quickly stopping your car. Driving a vehicle isn’t safe, if the master cylinder is leaking or has other faults, as braking distances might be longer than normal. The braking system on a vehicle is among the most important safety systems and must be fully functional to safely drive your vehicle.

When replacing the master cylinder keep in mind:

  • The master cylinder is only one component of many in a vehicle’s braking system. During replacement of the master cylinder, all vehicle braking system components should be inspected to ensure maximum braking power is available.
  • The amount of friction material remaining on the brake pads and brake shoes should be verified.
  • Brake lines and flexible rubber hoses at each wheel position should be inspected for corrosion and deterioration.
  • The power brake booster should be evaluated to ensure that power assist is working properly.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Mercedes-Benz mechanics

Real customer reviews from Mercedes-Benz owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(19)

Rating Summary
18
0
0
1
0
18
0
0
1
0

Dave

24 years of experience
303 reviews
Dave
24 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Oil Change - San Jose, California

Erick

11 years of experience
182 reviews
Erick
11 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Oil Change - Palo Alto, California

Sayeed

18 years of experience
82 reviews
Sayeed
18 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Power Steering Fluid Service - Copiague, New York
Excellent

Carlos

29 years of experience
601 reviews
Carlos
29 years of experience
Mercedes-Benz 420SEL V8-4.2L - Alternator Repair - Riverside, California
Carlos is chill dude; showed up early and helped me out in under an hour. He also gave me tips on how to become a mechanic. Honestly will book him again if anything happens.

Excellent Rating

(19)

Rating Summary
18
0
0
1
0
18
0
0
1
0
Number of Mercedes-Benz 420SEL services completed
209+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Mercedes-Benz MECHANICS
1100+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

P0043 OBD-II Trouble Code: HO2S Heater Control Circuit Low (Bank 1 Sensor 3)
P0043 P0043 code definition P0043 stands for low circuit voltage for the heated oxygen sensor bank 1 sensor 3. This code can be seen with P0044 and P0042. What the P0043 code means The definition of P0043 is low voltage...
How to Transfer a Car Title in Maine
Whether Whether you’re buying or selling a car, or you’re giving one as a gift or about to inherit one, there are some things you’ll need to know. In all of these situations, ownership changes. That means that the title...
P0353 OBD-II Trouble Code: Ignition Coil C Primary/Secondary Circuit Malfunction
P0353 means a malfunction has been found specifically in ignition coil C. Problems may include broken connector locks and loose connection at coil.

Slow acceleration

Thanks for writing in about the acceleration issue with your 2007 Volvo S60. At first glance, I'd agree with you that the problem would be caused by the MAF sensor, as that's what commonly causes the slow acceleration issues and...

Career exploration

Hello, thank you for writing in. I would be happy to share some information with you. As with most careers, this field requires constant updates and staying on top of the latest technologies. If you are interested in this career,...

Car stoping at low speed

Hello. Being you just had transmission work I would suspect an issue with your torque converter which sits between the engine and transmission. The torque converter is designed to speed up and slow down in correlation to engine speed with...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com