Parking brake/ emergency brake

Either the latch spring is broken or something fell down in there that is holding the release.

That is what mechanics would do. Replacing the assembly takes less time than diagnosing the problem, then hoping you have the parts and can get them assembled without getting your fingers pinched. Our natural tendency is to try to repair things, but in this case it is less expensive for our customer in the long run.

Also, when we do this type of repair on a car that is in warranty, most manufacturers will not pay us to repair assemblies. Since they are paying for the parts, they insist we replace complete assemblies because it is the only way they can assure a proper repair. I worked for a very nice Chrysler dealership for ten years, and there were many times it cost them a lot more to send us complete assemblies when we could have repaired them. I suspect most other manufacturers work the same way.