Got a 59 plate one as a hire car while mine is being repaired following a shunt the other day. Its got an electric handbrake that doesn't appear to work. I've tried evey combination of ignition on/off, foot on/off brake, gear shift in all the positions etc. No warning lights on the clocks either.
Is there something obvious i'm missing before i phone them on Monday?

is it automatic transmission ?

Do you know about the footbrake? It is under the left foot (above where the foot naturally lies. it is released by pulling a handle with the right hand roughly where you'd expect to find a bonnet release.

You also have electric parking brake – dab footbrake when at rest to apply ("HOLD" wil appear in the dash display) and just pull away against it to release.

BTW. Instruction book is probably hidden in the rear armrest…

thats a std parking brake on most mercs except the shoddy a-class & the not much better slk the new s-class a few years back started having these new electric parking brakes fitted operated from either a button on the left hand side dash or on mayback & s models through the cruise control stork

Ah right,no i didn't know about the footbrake, there is a A4 photcopy of some instructions in the glove box that talks about pushing a button but no mention of a foot brake!

Just been outside for a look, it has indeed got the footbrake and what i thought was the handbrake switch releases it.

Many thanks guys, saved me from looking like a plonker!!