Parking brake pedal not fully returning up

[Oldspanners]

I didn't, looked like it could be holding up something important!!

Yes, just noticed your second photo.
On my W203 I had to remove some sound insulation that was stuck down to find it but looking at your photo it doesn't look like that either.
The only other method is to remove the rear wheels and move the adjusters with a screwdriver through the wheel bolt holes but if the brake is holding when operated it's definitely the cable that needs adjusting.
Edit. Or put your VIN into this and look at the exploded diagram http://mb-teilekatalog.info/

 

[Capra]

Yes, just noticed your second photo.
On my W203 I had to remove some sound insulation that was stuck down to find it but looking at your photo it doesn't look like that either.
The only other method is to remove the rear wheels and move the adjusters with a screwdriver through the wheel bolt holes but if the brake is holding when operated it's definitely the cable that needs adjusting.
Edit. Or put your VIN into this and look at the exploded diagram http://mb-teilekatalog.info/

Thanks, doesn't adjusting the rears just move the pads closer to the disks? Won't I still have a sticky cable, BTW the foot brake does work ok at stopping the car from moving.

 

[Capra]

Yes, just noticed your second photo.
On my W203 I had to remove some sound insulation that was stuck down to find it but looking at your photo it doesn't look like that either.
The only other method is to remove the rear wheels and move the adjusters with a screwdriver through the wheel bolt holes but if the brake is holding when operated it's definitely the cable that needs adjusting.
Edit. Or put your VIN into this and look at the exploded diagram http://mb-teilekatalog.info/

I cannot see any diagrams for - WDD2040232A8518614

 

[Oldspanners]

I cannot see any diagrams for - WDD2040232A8518614

You need to click on the green highlighted tab but here is the page and I can't see any adjustment like the W203 so it looks like it's done individually below the car.
http://mb-teilekatalog.info/view_Su...&catalog=62P&model=204023&group=42&subgrp=145

 

[Capra]

You need to click on the green highlighted tab but here is the page and I can't see any adjustment like the W203 so it looks like it's done individually below the car.
http://mb-teilekatalog.info/view_Su...&catalog=62P&model=204023&group=42&subgrp=145

Great, thanks for doing that. Really helpful site, I least it was an excuse to clean the seats.

 

[Auto Addict]

Great, thanks for doing that. Really helpful site, I least it was an excuse to clean the seats.

Did you ever cure this?

I've adjusted my rear brakes, but to hold the car with the parking brake requires considerable left foot force, then it's almost impossible to release.

 

[Capra]

Did you ever cure this?

I've adjusted my rear brakes, but to hold the car with the parking brake requires considerable left foot force, then it's almost impossible to release.

I didn't, it was looked at the indie when the car was services last month. Since then I now have much better parking break hold, the real test will be during the colder months, which is when it was a problem came about.

 

[Auto Addict]

I didn't, it was looked at the indie when the car was services last month. Since then I now have much better parking break hold, the real test will be during the colder months, which is when it was a problem came about.

The same with mine with colder months.

This must be a common fault, and there must be a cure out there somewhere.

Mines the same as yours, no plate under the rear seat.

 

[Capra]

The same with mine with colder months.

This must be a common fault, and there must be a cure out there somewhere.

Mines the same as yours, no plate under the rear seat.

The plate under the seat does not exist in the W204, shame. I believe mine was adjusted to so that the return spring was more effective. Hopefully that's it sorted.

 

[Auto Addict]

The plate under the seat does not exist in the W204, shame. I believe mine was adjusted to so that the return spring was more effective. Hopefully that's it sorted.

Thank you.

 

[onefortheroad]

Give all the mechanism a good spray with lubricating spray and work the park brake as you do. Nip up the rear handbrake shoes and try to get an extra click or 2 when applying handbrake . Seems to get you a bit more spring back when you pull the handle. Doing all this worked for me anyhow.

 

[Capra]

Give all the mechanism a good spray with lubricating spray and work the park brake as you do. Nip up the rear handbrake shoes and try to get an extra click or 2 when applying handbrake . Seems to get you a bit more spring back when you pull the handle. Doing all this worked for me anyhow.

I was tempted at doing this myself, but the car was in for a service anyway, so it was less hassle for me.

 

[onefortheroad]

I was tempted at doing this myself, but the car was in for a service anyway, so it was less hassle for me.

Nothing finer.

 

[M80]

Merc parking brakes are notoriously poor, often needing loads of left foot force to keep the vehicle stopped.
So much so that on a lake slipway I pulled the cable out of the adjuster on a Vito with a bang, so then relied on the parking pawl (I put it in park).

If the 'shoes' are adjuted correctly at the rear wheels the parking brake is more effective. Just applying more adjustment under the rear seat (clearly other cars may vary), or from below on the Vito (same style of adjuster just that access is a little different) won't aid effectiveness of it holding but can cause the pedal to return high and extinguish the dash alarm. Hooking under the pedal with the left foot and pulling up can have the same effect.

At the adjuster, and often due to lack of use (the Merc effect) the pivot point can seize with rust. Some lubrication may help, but some times a wire brush to shift the rust, and then lubrication is the best solution.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=m...AhUvSRUIHemACc0Q_AUIDygC#imgrc=tsUR57Ier5C7rM:

The photo shows the pivot point at the left,
the balancer pivot can also seize.
There is already evidence of rust as the mechanism is open 'some' to the environment from below. It's the prop shaft you can see below.

This looks like a 203, but I expect most to be similar, The Vito 639 is the same but bolted on from the underside. inverted and totally open to all road gunge.

Here the bottom of the photo is front. The access to it is a removable plate from below the rear seat , and if I remember, is o/s. One larger bolt forward (maybe 13mm spanner) and 2 smaller screws rearward (maybe 10mm spanner).

If it's real bad, or as I've seen the spring has broken, a new adjuster will cost £68 approx. Not difficult to replace.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-...219573&hash=item468527c35f:g:nZIAAOSwHupbmhdi

My view, plenty of copper grease at the pivot points, pushed in with a paint brush. Use the parking brake regularly but not if the vehicle is going to be left for a long period as the shoes might stick then.
If the shoes stick, into reverse and boot the loud pedal, if there's no wall behind you that is.

 

[Auto Addict]

Merc parking brakes are notoriously poor, often needing loads of left foot force to keep the vehicle stopped.
So much so that on a lake slipway I pulled the cable out of the adjuster on a Vito with a bang, so then relied on the parking pawl (I put it in park).

If the 'shoes' are adjuted correctly at the rear wheels the parking brake is more effective. Just applying more adjustment under the rear seat (clearly other cars may vary), or from below on the Vito (same style of adjuster just that access is a little different) won't aid effectiveness of it holding but can cause the pedal to return high and extinguish the dash alarm. Hooking under the pedal with the left foot and pulling up can have the same effect.

At the adjuster, and often due to lack of use (the Merc effect) the pivot point can seize with rust. Some lubrication may help, but some times a wire brush to shift the rust, and then lubrication is the best solution.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=m...AhUvSRUIHemACc0Q_AUIDygC#imgrc=tsUR57Ier5C7rM:

The photo shows the pivot point at the left,
the balancer pivot can also seize.
There is already evidence of rust as the mechanism is open 'some' to the environment from below. It's the prop shaft you can see below.

This looks like a 203, but I expect most to be similar, The Vito 639 is the same but bolted on from the underside. inverted and totally open to all road gunge.

Here the bottom of the photo is front. The access to it is a removable plate from below the rear seat , and if I remember, is o/s. One larger bolt forward (maybe 13mm spanner) and 2 smaller screws rearward (maybe 10mm spanner).

If it's real bad, or as I've seen the spring has broken, a new adjuster will cost £68 approx. Not difficult to replace.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Genuine-...219573&hash=item468527c35f:g:nZIAAOSwHupbmhdi

My view, plenty of copper grease at the pivot points, pushed in with a paint brush. Use the parking brake regularly but not if the vehicle is going to be left for a long period as the shoes might stick then.
If the shoes stick, into reverse and boot the loud pedal, if there's no wall behind you that is.

The mechanism must be underneath the car (W204) as there is nothing under the rear seat.

Have already adjusted the brake shoes to no avail.

Will wait for a nice sunny day, and have a look underneath.

Thanks for all your replies.

 

[onefortheroad]

The mechanism must be underneath the car (W204) as there is nothing under the rear seat.

Have already adjusted the brake shoes to no avail.

Will wait for a nice sunny day, and have a look underneath.

Thanks for all your replies.

Have you put your vin into 7zap ? It may show you if you have this adjuster .

 

[EmilysDad]

The mechanism must be underneath the car (W204) as there is nothing under the rear seat.

Have already adjusted the brake shoes to no avail.

Will wait for a nice sunny day, and have a look underneath.

Thanks for all your replies.

At your age Barry, you should be getting other people to crawl under your car for you .....

 

[Auto Addict]

Have you put your vin into 7zap ? It may show you if you have this adjuster .

No, I must do that, thanks.

 

[Auto Addict]

At your age Barry, you should be getting other people to crawl under your car for you .....

I did try to get Mark on the case, but he's gone very quiet.

 

[onefortheroad]

https://mercedes.7zap.com/en/eu/fg/...lueefficiency/61s/204203/fg/0/0/42/0/145/0/0/ ---- thats what i get , maybe try your vin , it may show otherwise.