tmise

2003 MB CLK320 parking brake pedal is stuck in the down position. I could hear the ratcheting mechanism as I depressed the pedal. The pedal release is very loose when I pull it. The cable I don't believe is broken because I can see linkage being moved as I pull the release handle. Initially when I bought the car the parking brake pedal was VERY EASY to push down so I never used it. Recently I took it in for inspection and the guy said it was VERY HARD to push down and once he did get it to go down he almost couldn't get it to come back up. So anyway it didn't pass the inspection. When I got home I checked it out myself and pressed it down but can't get it to come back up. So it's been sitting in my driveway for a couple of weeks not being able to drive it. Please help!!

Plutoe

Get your head under the dash and with a screw driver try to disengage the ratchet!

tmise

I think your trying to say if you try with a screwdriver(I'm not sure) you might be able to get the pedal to release....I thought that's what you meant!

apegues

There is a small coiled spring that rolls out of its track, it releases the ratchet pawl when the brake release is pulled, just push it back in place and you should be Good to Go... I bought a whole new pedal assy before I checked it out and when I went to replace it, it was obvious what happened, I just popped it back in place with a flat head screwdriver and its been good ever since.

tmise

Appreciate the info apegues, will give that a try!

tmise

I managed to get the pedal to release. Noticed when I pull the pedal release there is a black plastic piece that rotates. On the outside of that plastic piece is an L shaped piece of metal. I pushed that metal piece forward/upward and the pedal released. But still when I engage the pedal the release has no resistance so the pedal stays down unless I push that metal piece with a screwdriver. That coiled spring is on the other side of the parking brake assembly between it and the car so it's nearly impossible to get in there to try and see if it came out of it's track. This L shaped piece of metal is part of the coil spring your talking about as I can hear the spring as I push on this piece.

apegues

FYI.... If you do end up needing the P.B Assy I still have the one I purchased

shadenfroh

So the ratchet and the spring are working fine, it's the release that's faulty? Take a look at the diagram, more specifically #62 and anything related to it. Everything there is to this parking brake is one or two screws away, so get in there and it should be straightforward.