That is not a wand release. The only wand release is the button marked as such. The other button you mention is simply to release the very top piece, the wand will still be in the vacuum. I assume you have unwound the cord and that isn’t your problem? The next thing to do is to grasp the chrome part of the wand, hold onto the main part of the vacuum and try to twist it slightly.If you have someone else to hold it, so much the better. If it isn’t the cord, in my experience, it is just ever so slightly out of wack where it connects on the bottom. Try twisting one way, then the other and try the release button again.

First, unwind the cord from the machine and try to pull the wand again. It is poorly designed, in that if you have the cord wound on the machine, it ties the 2 parts of the vacuum together. If this doesn’t work, look at the space between the chrome pipe and the white plastic where the 2 pieces come together. If the space isn’t even on both sides, the unlocking mechanism won’t work. Apparently there is just enough space where it will stick in and not come out. if it isn’t properly aligned. You can try hitting it with your fist to push the larger spaced side in more, or if that isn’t enough power, take a small hammer and a block of wood and tap on it gently until it moves into the correct space.

Do you have the cord off the vacuum, unwound? As stupid as this sounds, if the cord is wound on the vacuum, it stops the wand from being removed! It essentially ties the 2 parts together! POOR DESIGN!