Brake cable ML W163

Replacement of the parking brake cable on the MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class (W163) car should be performed at a service station. Component demounting and installation is a quite laborious process. Moreover, even small errors during mounting of the parking brake components are inadmissible, as this very system is used for emergency vehicle stop in case of breakdown of the primary brake system.

For comfort of work, it is better to set the car onto a servicing pit or platform, but you can use a jack.

In order to demount the parking brake cable, you need to fully lower the control lever of the mechanism. This allows to remove load from the component.

For gaining access to the fasteners of the rear cable on the MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class (W163) car you will need to demount wheels, and sometimes the rear seat together with the armrest.

During installation, it is important to avoid bending or twisting of the part. Risk of cable jamming in its sheath increases in case of deformation, which is fraught with efficiency worsening or full inoperability of the parking brake system.

The component should be mounted so that it would be located at the distance of no less than 5mm from the lower arm. Otherwise the parts will rub against each other during driving, which in course of time will lead to abrasion of the cable and its rupture.

It is recommended to always replace the part by a kit. The parts have the same lifetime limit and operational conditions, so defectiveness of one of them is usually the sign of breakdown of others.

Adjust tensioning of the cable in accordance with recommendations of the vehicle manufacturer, which can be found in the MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class (W163) car technical documentation.

Inspect the parking brake shoes visually. If their thickness is below the minimum allowed value indicated in the manual, replace the parts with new ones.

Check correctness of cable tensioning and operability of the MERCEDES-BENZ M-Class (W163) car parking brake mechanism. For this you need to set the car on a 24° slope and activate the parking brake mechanism, moving the lever till you hear 3-9 clicks of the ratchet. The vehicle should be able to be held in this position during continuous time.