Does your LS have the electric E brake? My 2004 has the electric and I assume all the LS do, but I could be very wrong. The electric brake is that flat pull up "handle" that is about 2 inches square and sits in the flat part of the console. The "handle" is really just the electric switch with a spring loaded return.
You mentioned that it stays up. If the "handle" itself stays up, either somehow you broke the return spring or YOu reassembled things and cause the "handle" to rub against the console or something inside the console.
If the switch returns to normal but doesn't do anything I would suspect you missed an electrical connection or perhaps blew a fuse.
Wish I could help more, but I have not had this problem in my LS so haven't taken a good look. I am basing my opinion on lots of tinkering in my life and my engineering trouble shooting background.
You might have to remove the console again or maybe if you are lucky that part comes out or is on a separate panel. I would take a close look at the console cutout around the "handle" to make sure it is not touching.
Also if you have the electric, how does it feel when you pull it up and if you have to, how does it feel to push it back down? There should be almost no resistance and it should feel a bit springy. If it drags, you have interference. If it is smooth but not springy, then the spring is broken of disconnected.
If you have the old style parking brake lever, then you probably forgot to reconnect the cable.
Just some general trouble shooting ideas.
Jim Henderson
