Hand brake / foot brake not releasing since cold weather

[Hong Kong Phooey]

Hi All
Not sure if this is the correct forum but I am having an issue with the release of the foot operated parking brake since this cold weather has arrived. I pull the handle to release it and the foot operated pedal rises (as it should) but the warning light on the dash is still illuminated and a message pops up on the dashboard advising me to release the parking brake. Both the message & the warning light go out after I've traveled about 20 meters.
Any help or advise would be much appreciated, thanks in advance.

 

[Pookis Dad]

Possibly sticky cables or shoes.

The most common reason is rust, possibly driving through water and it has frozen the pads/shoes onto the drum/disc. Or more likely a film of rust has built up and is causing stickage. Mostly thanks to gritters and salt....

 

[mancman]

That's the reason I stopped using the footbrake in the winter.

 

[Robin59]

Hi All
Not sure if this is the correct forum but I am having an issue with the release of the foot operated parking brake since this cold weather has arrived. I pull the handle to release it and the foot operated pedal rises (as it should) but the warning light on the dash is still illuminated and a message pops up on the dashboard advising me to release the parking brake. Both the message & the warning light go out after I've traveled about 20 meters.
Any help or advise would be much appreciated, thanks in advance.

I've got this issue at the moment, when I pull the handle there isn't any real resistance or feeling of anything being released like I've always experienced and heard with my other Mercs, the red warning light stays on, I drive slightly forward and pull on the handle a couple of times, again with no feeling of anything and the light goes off!

Any ideas?

 

[television]

I've got this issue at the moment, when I pull the handle there isn't any real resistance or feeling of anything being released like I've always experienced and heard with my other Mercs, the red warning light stays on, I drive slightly forward and pull on the handle a couple of times, again with no feeling of anything and the light goes off!

Any ideas?

Your brake equalizer has probably gone rusty, 220 needs freeing off and lubricating, you could have an access panel under the rear seat.

 

[Robin59]

I'm going to busy during the week, thanks again.

Due to the immediate help & support I've already experienced, I've just subscribed to the Silver package

 

[television]

I'm going to busy during the week, thanks again.

Due to the immediate help & support I've already experienced, I've just subscribed to the Silver package

Happy members make a happy forum, you are most welcome

 

[Scoob]

Actually, there's a "fix" done my Mercedes dealers that causes the parking brake to stick.

Basically, there was a fault on certain models (my 2012 C-Class Estate, friends 2012 E-Class Coupe) where the shackles on the parking brake would rub metal-on-metal on part of the rear brake assembly. The "fix" was simply to remove said shackles, but they were (in part) responsible for allowing the parking brake to disengage fully.

In typical MB Dealer fashion, knowing all this, they give you just two choices: i) Shackles on with definite noise and possible wear / damage, but a parking brake that releases as it should, or ii) Shackles off, noise gone but a parking brake that will not release properly.

When both I and my friend had the shackles removed after reporting the loud, metal-on-metal screeching noise, we both suffered the same parking brake issues. Basically, the brake would not fully disengage and would proceed to rub constantly. MB solution was never use the parking brake. Nice.

I'm sure dirt or corrosion can cause this too, but for myself and my friend it was this "fix" that caused the issue for us. Note: at the time of this fix, my car was just over a year old, and my friends car wasn't even six months old.

A proper solution was never provided by MB for the sticking parking brake issue.

Scoob.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Good post to read up on .You never know when you need to get this one fixed. I can only say dont use foot brake in the winter after a run .Park up , put brake on , shift it to park , .Out side chock the wheel or wheels if you want to do more than one. Remove the foot brake Take the selector to nutral .Now the car is on the chocks ,re select park again ..