car is '88 190e 2.3
when I am on the steep hill (San Francisco) and I aplly the hand brake to the max, the car still moves slowly (If I am not in the "P")
How do I fix this?

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1988 mercedes 190e 2.3 AT 160k miles

The parking brake shoes glaze with time and lose their OE friction coefficient. You need to burnish them. Find a nice long downhill and retard the car by pulling on the parking brake - LIGHTLY. Keep you thumb on the button so you can release it immediately.

A nice long downhill mountain grade is a great way to do this. With the short steep hills in Frisco it may take two to three "treatments".

Duke

can I do this on a freeway going 60 mph?
Milan

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1988 mercedes 190e 2.3 AT 160k miles

You can, but do it lightly and very carefully. The idea is to burn the glaze off by heating them up and wearing the glaze coating off.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

If you can apply the hand brake to the max you could have worn park brake pads (if separate from service pads in a 190E) and/or stretched cables.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL

Yes, apply it lighty for about five seconds three times with about 30 seconds between applications. Make sure you keep your thumb on the button and just lift up the lever until you feel a little drag.

Duke