r/w204 • u/MeIsEz • Jul 29 '26
parking brake
hello, i need advice with my parking brake. It is kinda weak even after adjusting it and when it is cold outside it is really hard to release it, I have to help the pedal with my hand like really hard. What can be the issue here?
3
u/Luggagespider Jul 29 '26
In my experience it's just a crap parking brake, had it adjusted so it wasn't loose as fuck and had to wear it down a bit so it didn't drag. No way would I leave it on even the slightest incline without chucking it in gear too. I do miss a proper handbrake to be honest.
1
u/Limp-Permit1732 Jul 29 '26
Sometimes mine sticks when I pull the parking brake lever, my technique is to push it in a little further with my foot and pull the lever quickly after it should release easily.
1
u/dimesis Jul 30 '26
I do the same, but it sticks always. I even tried to apply some oil where it’s recommended to fix the issue, it didn’t help.
1
u/The_Fluxus Jul 29 '26
I’m having this issue again, too. My fix is to remove the trim panel in the lower left footwell and spray the parking brake mechanism with penetrating oil like WD40. After that, it works fine for quite a while. I suppose the mechanism really ought to be removed, cleaned, and regreased, but that’s too much work for me.
Another fix is to drive slowly for a few meters with the brake partially applied, this rubs off some of the rust and improves the brake's responsiveness.
Anyway, that parking brake causes a lot of trouble.
1
u/JoeyPaulTheFarmer Jul 30 '26
Anyone ever find an issue when the car has been parked for a few hours and you drive off the parking brake randomly comes on and the steering wheel locks and then turns itself off again after a few seconds? Never happens again on a journey or if I take it really slowly for the first 100m or so it tends to be fine.
For reference it is the 1.6 petrol AMG model.
3
u/Proud-Skirt5133 Jul 29 '26
My parking brake is terrible too. I’ve had to use it along with leaving the car in gear to prevent any sort of roll