Hi, guys (ladies, too). I’m new to this board, though not new to MBZ’s, having owned a 1978 300SD for some years in the pre-internet days.

Just took delivery (used, obviously) of a 1996 E300D with 141k miles. Has a rough engine issue, but I’ll save that for another post. For now, would appreciate your advice on three initial matters:

1. Brake light switch. All three brake lights are inoperative, and the bad light warning comes up on the dash when I turn the car on and touch the brake. I don’t think it’s the bulbs or sockets, since the bulbs are all good and the taillights and turn signals work. So the next logical culprit is the brake switch, which according to other posts seems to be a relatively high failure rate item. I removed the lower dash cover to access the brake lever, but found only a plunger and cable, no switch. Following the cable, it appears the switch itself is located somewhere behind the center console and is not accessible without removing the console. Can this be? (Frustrating!) Does anyone know of a DIY guide to removing the console and replacing the switch? Any other thoughts?

2. Shop manuals. A scan of other posts leads me to conclude MB did not print hard-copy versions of service manuals for this model year; the manuals are available only on CD. Is MBUSA the best source for these, or does anyone have other suggestions? A quick search on ebay yielded only aftermarket and maybe bootleg copy CDs. And on the outside chance anyone in Arlington-Alexandria is reading this, do you have a set I could borrow for a few days until I buy a set of my own?

3. OBD2 tester. I’d like to have the ability to read the diagnostic codes, but without spending $thousands for equipment. What’s the best option? I found (on another thread) a link to www.obd-2.com, which has software I can put on my laptop, and a cable, for $122. Anyone have experience, good or bad, with this product?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Paul