Sticky cupholder cover and emergency brake pedal
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 64
Likes: 22
2016 E400
Sticky cupholder cover and emergency brake pedal
Covid boredom.
Fixed two niggling problems, the emergency brake pedal was slow to "pop" back and the ashtray/cupholder cover wouldn't close properly. Repairs are discussed elsewhere but this was my experience:
I used a Canadian product "Rustcheck" to spray the emergency brake mechanism and cable. There is a video posted on the forums, the gent uses WD40 followed by a brush with MB grease. The Rustcheck spray is quick and will stick to the spring as well as grease. I did pull the dash corner cover to access the mechanism coil spring. The pedal "pops" back with authority now.
The ashtray/cupholder mechanism re&re is available on YouTube. There are a few anxious moments when prying up the plastic "brushed" pieces on both sides of the console but nothing broke. I initially sprayed the tracks with Wurth silicone spray, this made the sticky door even stickier. I found that the rubber "bumpers" on the forward edge of the cover were rubbing on the tracks and restricting the movement. Trimmed them with a scalpel, greased the tracks with a small amount of regular grease and tightened up the winding mechanisms (as seen on the YouTube video) 180 degrees. The cover now works flawlessly.
That killed half the morning.....
Fixed two niggling problems, the emergency brake pedal was slow to "pop" back and the ashtray/cupholder cover wouldn't close properly. Repairs are discussed elsewhere but this was my experience:
I used a Canadian product "Rustcheck" to spray the emergency brake mechanism and cable. There is a video posted on the forums, the gent uses WD40 followed by a brush with MB grease. The Rustcheck spray is quick and will stick to the spring as well as grease. I did pull the dash corner cover to access the mechanism coil spring. The pedal "pops" back with authority now.
The ashtray/cupholder mechanism re&re is available on YouTube. There are a few anxious moments when prying up the plastic "brushed" pieces on both sides of the console but nothing broke. I initially sprayed the tracks with Wurth silicone spray, this made the sticky door even stickier. I found that the rubber "bumpers" on the forward edge of the cover were rubbing on the tracks and restricting the movement. Trimmed them with a scalpel, greased the tracks with a small amount of regular grease and tightened up the winding mechanisms (as seen on the YouTube video) 180 degrees. The cover now works flawlessly.
That killed half the morning.....
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 64
Likes: 22
2016 E400
Hopefully I'm not breaking any "rules" directing folks to these online resource videos:
Video previously posted on these forums by "ML3504matic" regarding handbrake mechanism lubrication which did the trick on my car. The video was posted by "Gio Benzo".
Video for the storage compartment/cupholder/ashtray removal:
Sorry I didn't take a photo but the rubber bumpers that were restricting the cover movement are located on the forward face of the large sliding cover. The tension strings run in the track and are secured inside the leading edge of the sliding cover. The rubber bumpers protrude from the edges of the cover where the strings secure and on my car were rubbing on the insides of the track enough to slow the movement of the cover. I nipped the protruding rubber slightly and added a small amount of regular wheel bearing grease using a tooth pick.
Video previously posted on these forums by "ML3504matic" regarding handbrake mechanism lubrication which did the trick on my car. The video was posted by "Gio Benzo".
Video for the storage compartment/cupholder/ashtray removal:
Sorry I didn't take a photo but the rubber bumpers that were restricting the cover movement are located on the forward face of the large sliding cover. The tension strings run in the track and are secured inside the leading edge of the sliding cover. The rubber bumpers protrude from the edges of the cover where the strings secure and on my car were rubbing on the insides of the track enough to slow the movement of the cover. I nipped the protruding rubber slightly and added a small amount of regular wheel bearing grease using a tooth pick.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 4,694
Likes: 1,829
From: Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX
2016 E350 Sport
Just a word of caution regarding console work.. I advise not to lube these parts excessively, if at all. Whatever lube is already there is sifficient without adding more. You'll notice there isn't much lube from the factory, and for good reason.
The horizontal moving console cover collects all manner of "things," from dust when you wipe off the top of the dash, to small food crumbs, toothpicks, fibers from paper towels, along with small items, like coins, and more.
Anything thin that you sit on the cover can also get drawn into the dash by the sliding lid... I once placed a business card on the console cover, and my son pushed the console open without thinking. The card now resides under the dash, where it occassionally slows lid operation.
(I've had the console apart twice already, and the procedure is tedious enough that Mr.Bus.Card can wait until the area requires a full cleaning. You'll be surprised what falls into this area and how dirty it gets)
The point is that any lubricant present in the console tracks attracts dust, crumbs, etc. and holds the crud in place til it builds-up enough to gum up the works. Thinking about this further, about the only lube I would consider in this area is a quick drying silicone spray. And then very sparingly. HTH.
The horizontal moving console cover collects all manner of "things," from dust when you wipe off the top of the dash, to small food crumbs, toothpicks, fibers from paper towels, along with small items, like coins, and more.
Anything thin that you sit on the cover can also get drawn into the dash by the sliding lid... I once placed a business card on the console cover, and my son pushed the console open without thinking. The card now resides under the dash, where it occassionally slows lid operation.
(I've had the console apart twice already, and the procedure is tedious enough that Mr.Bus.Card can wait until the area requires a full cleaning. You'll be surprised what falls into this area and how dirty it gets)
The point is that any lubricant present in the console tracks attracts dust, crumbs, etc. and holds the crud in place til it builds-up enough to gum up the works. Thinking about this further, about the only lube I would consider in this area is a quick drying silicone spray. And then very sparingly. HTH.
Last edited by DFWdude; May 2, 2020 at 12:08 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 64
Likes: 22
2016 E400
I'm assuming it was never apart previously, the lube in the two door tracks appeared to be of the "white lithium" variety and was liberally applied. I did clean out dust, a few crumbs and found a Cdn. "toonie" and a US quarter under the tray. I did clean the tracks and tried the silicone first, not sure why but it made the operation worse. Once I trimmed back the offending rubber and sparingly applied a bit of plain old wheel bearing grease with a toothpick, the door operation became very smooth.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
I'm assuming it was never apart previously, the lube in the two door tracks appeared to be of the "white lithium" variety and was liberally applied. I did clean out dust, a few crumbs and found a Cdn. "toonie" and a US quarter under the tray. I did clean the tracks and tried the silicone first, not sure why but it made the operation worse. Once I trimmed back the offending rubber and sparingly applied a bit of plain old wheel bearing grease with a toothpick, the door operation became very smooth.
