MB Medic Mercedes-Benz Repair Guides, Service, How To DIY
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In this guide (4 sections)
Did your emergency/parking brake release fall off, or is it no longer releasing the parking brake? It may be an easy repair, so you must check this first. This repair guide will show you how to fix and replace the Emergency/Park Brake Release Handle. If you can’t release the brakes because the release is loose, broken, has fallen off, or has come loose from the tracks, consider fixing it instead of replacing the release. In this case, we needed to fix a handle that had become loose. This guide will also show you the steps if you need to replace the handle.
| Make: | Mercedes-Benz |
| Model: | E CLK SLK ML S Class |
| Years: | 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 |
| Difficulty: | Easy |
| Cost | $45 to $90 |
| Time: | 20 Minutes |
Tools Required
If you are trying to fix the parking brake release, all that you will need is a set of screwdrivers and a set of Interior Trim Removal Wedges.
When replacing the parking release handle, you will also need a Torx Socket Set
Parts Required
You may be able to repair your existing parking brake release and not need a new emergency or parking brake handle. In most cases, the release cable may need to be reinserted into the channel. Check with your dealer for the correct part number if you need a new part.
DIY: How to fix or replace your handbrake/emergency release
Before you touch the release, secure the car against rolling. Park on level ground, put the transmission in Park, and chock a wheel. The point of this repair is to get a stuck parking brake to let go, and when it does let go the car is free to move, so set it up as though it will.
Step 1: Locate the Emergency/Park Brake
Locate the Emergency / Park Brake release handle. On the E-Class it sits low on the dashboard at the driver’s left, and when it has failed you will usually find it hanging loose or out of its channel.
Step 2: Remove the side panel cover.
Remove the side dashboard cover to access the rear of the emergency/park brake release. You will need to use a trim removal wedge. Any of these Trim Panel Plastic Wedge Removal Tools should help you with that. Release the panel clips carefully and check for any attached wiring before removing the panel completely.
Step 3: Check or remove the cable.
FIX: Look at the cable if you are trying to fix the handle. It will be visibly loose or sitting out of its channel. To fix the parking brake handle, pull back on the black part of the cable and slide the cable into the designated slot. Inspect the release cable and its retaining channel. If the cable has simply become detached and all retaining components are intact, reposition the cable end and seat it fully in the specified channel. If the cable, retainer, or handle is cracked or damaged, replace the affected component. Do not force the cable into place.
REPLACE: If you are going to replace the handle, you need to pull it out of the slot/channel it goes into. You remove it by pulling on the black part of the cable first, then pulling down on the cable.
Step 4: Remove the cable.
If you need to change the handle, you must remove the cable from the parking brake release handle. All you need to do is rotate the cable and pull it up. Release the cable end from the handle using the retaining method shown for the applicable assembly. Rotate only the cable-end fitting if the design requires it; do not twist or kink the cable. Follow the vehicle-specific removal procedure if the fitting does not release easily.
Step 5: Remove bolts
Next, remove the two Torx bolts that hold the release assembly to the dashboard bracket. You will need to use a Torx Socket to remove the bolts. If you need a Torx socket, you can find a set on Amazon for under $20; look at this Torx Socket Set, for example.
Step 6: Reinstall
Reinstall the new hand brake release in reverse order. Then confirm the cable is retained and routed correctly. Apply and release the parking brake several times while the vehicle is stationary. Confirm the pedal releases and returns normally. Verify the parking-brake warning indicator behaves as expected. Confirm the parking brake still holds the vehicle securely before returning it to service.
Related How-To DIY Repair Videos
Related Guides
- Emergency brake shoe replacement. If the handle works but the parking brake will not hold, or will not let go of the rear wheels, the shoes and not the release are the problem
- Storing your Mercedes-Benz for the winter, which covers why leaving the parking brake applied for months is what seizes it in the first place
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Before you buy parts, scan every control module, not just the engine. It shows the root fault behind the warning lights and tells you whether the problem is still active. See how to do a full health check.
Hi there
Whilst pulling the hand brake release cable on my 2007 ML350 it detached from the handle and gone vanished.. I removed the lower trim under the steering column to have a look but couldn’t find where it is gone.. pls help..