2004 S500 how to remove knee bolster to replace e-brake
 

My emergency (parking) brake is broken and so I am replacing the entire unit. I am unable to figure out how to remove the knee bolster, the carpet piece under the dash.

I have a 2004 S500 and I have all the screws and fasteners out, but I am unable to separate it from the plastic piece above. I can see the fastener where I have removed the light switch and handle, but can't figure out how to get it unfastened. It looks like a plastic hook that I should be able to push it off to separate, but no luck. I am not going too hard on it because I don't want to break things. I have attached a couple of pictures to show what I am dealing with.

Any help would be much appreciated.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...5035827ff9.jpg


Showing the tab on the left side behind and below the light switch.


https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...69756b33e0.jpg


The knee bolster that I am trying to remove.

Knee Boslter 2 Additive 0

I removed two bolts that are in the carpet and require and 8mm socket - 1 bolt on each side of the steering wheel. I removed a screw that was close to the middle of the plastic. I also removed a screw that is next to the computer connector (OBD2 port?). I am unable to find any other screws/bolts to remove. It seems that it should slide towards the passenger side to be removed. I can see where it is fastened looking down from the removed light switch, but I can't tell for sure which way it needs to go or if it is somehow snapped on.

Attached are the instructions to remove the whole parking brake assembly. You can see how everything goes together. Also see the attached lower knee panel removal instruction which you are stuck on. If you are replacing only 77a or 77 then the accelerator and floor covering instructions are not needed.

Good luck,

Bob

Thanks for the information. I have the other panels removed, just can't get the knee guard to budge. Looks like I need to pull down on it more before sliding it towards the petals. Shouldn't be this hard :(

I have put this on the back burner. With talk of needed a special tool to attach the cable to the brakes, I am probably going to to bow out on this and take to the dealer to do replace the assembly for me before I break something else and lose all the DIY savings (Cue the white flag waving emoticon)