VW Passat Rear Disc Brakes (1998-2005) also Audi A4 (1996-2001) 

Before fitting new pads I've always used the regular garage method to control the hydraulic fluid movement in the system (i.e. pre-vacuum pump era). I remove some brake fluid from the reservoir without letting the level get too low. This allows the caliper piston to push fluid back into the reservoir without causing a spillage of brake fluid in the engine compartment. It's a bit slower and if it's not done carefully can result in a spillage or if the fluid drops too low may require a brake bleed. I leave the reservoir top off and wrap an old towel around the reservoir to catch any spillage if it occurs. I always push the piston back slowly and check the level of fluid in the reservoir as I go. If necessary I remove more hydraulic fluid to keep the level low but not empty. Once the new pads, caliper & wheel is back in place I top the reservoir up with fresh DOT fluid and then pump the brake pedal "once", slowly. I check to see if the fluid has dropped and top up as necessary. The important thing is to make sure the reservoir always has a minimum level of fluid in it otherwise a brake bleed may be required. If you are inexperienced check the fluid level regularly. Do not pump the brake too many times without checking the fluid level, There's no need to rush things where brakes are concerned.

Agreed. I've done a dozen brake jobs without opening the bleeder valve and have had no issues, but I can't recommend it. as a best-practice, always open the bleeder valve as seen in this video. Any brake fluid behind the piston is squeezed out through the bleeder valve. The needle nose vice grips theoretically prevent air bubbles from moving up the brake line while the bleeder valve is open.

Thank you for doing an instructional video like this. You didn't talk unnecessarily and you didn't skip any steps. I like that you sped up through the mundane areas. This should be a template for all other instructional videos.

Never pinch a brake line!

Thanks for the nice comments! I totally agree! Keep it short and to-the-point.

Looks easy enough. I've been on a "work on my own car" kick, new CV axles (not just the boot) with all new sparks, ignition coils (damn VW anyways), and a transmission fluid change (not a flush). Looks like rear brakes is the next thing on the list... because the light came on and I'm at 100k on my engine. This video KICKS ASS! Thanks Hanoi.

My opinion? The absolute best thing would be to completely bleed the system every time you do a brake job. Failing that, I think the pinched line trick does two things... First, it prevents fluid from getting pushed back up into the ABS system and master cylinder (although having the bleeder vale open should prevent that). Second, it prevents gravity from pulling more fluid out of the system (leaving an air pocket behind the piston) while you complete the brake job. Hope this helps!

Done this job a few times on my 00 A4. Nice video, couple comments" I've never opened the bleed screw, only take the cap off the Resevoir' you can get the cube adapter and use a c clam with the flat swivel head removed". This lets you turn and compress. I've never put grease on the pads like that, I would be worried about it getting on the pads.

The service manual says that the caliper bolts MUST be replaced after they have been removed.

Bleeding the system when doing a brake job is the RIGHT thing to do, so you SHOULD do it. I take a shortcut in this video to avoid bleeding the system. I specifically open the bleeder valve and pinch off the supply line to prevent any back pressure from being applied to the ABS module. Good luck with your project!

Thank for the positive comment! It feels great to be able to contribute to the knowledge base that has saved me so many Saturday mornings!

You should also remove the 2 pins on the caliper and clean and regrease both pins and the 2 rubbers, which easily pop on and off, to insure they both move freely or you could end up doing this all over again in a few weeks from break pads not opening enough off the rotor.

PLEASE READ. This is an excellent film! I would take nothing from it or the creator but, I would like to add some experienced food for thought and for safety. I NEVER clamp brake hoses and never recommend it. It is NOT NECESSARY to clamp the brake line at all, in 99% of cars. Clamping a brake line at any point, especially the rubber part, can cause internal cracking and be extremely dangerous. It can also cause small pieces of the rubber lining to come off and travel through the system and block open valves in the master cylinder. Unless you have a Lamborghini with a hybrid Elctro-Hydraulic braking system (which you should touch anyway), you should NEVER clamp a brake line. I lost a friend because he used the "ViseGrip" method incorrectly. It caused his brakes lines to fail while he was driving at interstate speeds. He came upon and was not able to stop for a multi-car pileup that he then added to. He hit at full speed, was ejected through the windshield, despite wearing his seat belt, and he died. The gentleman who made this excellent film stated he was told to clamp his hoses by a mechanic. It wasn't his idea, he is sharing advice he received that worked for him, as demonstrated. It looks like he prepared and used the "ViseGrip method" correctly but many inexperienced (young) people who watch these films take shortcuts. ** If you know and think about the basics of fluid dynamics, you know that pressure always releases/ventilates at the nearest weak spot. If you just turn out the bleed screw for the caliper, or jut take it out, you will not need to clamp the hose(s) because all of the pressure you create will flow out of the bleed screw/hole and not even try to backflow through the more restrictive brake lines. ** The "ViseGrip method" was something a Japanese sport car mechanic came up with to avoid damaging the very expensive brake fluid pressure, brake fluid temperature, and fluid reservoir volume sensors and seals on Asian sport cars used for street racing/drifting. This method was derived to help professional mechanics avoid damaging their customers' other brake system parts during a simple brake replacement job so they would not then have to pay for out of their profit margin to replace those parts. This method, as for as I have been able to find, was not derived by any OEM engineer or factory certified mechanic. It is a "backyard" or "shade tree mechanic" method. While useful and effective, these types of tactics can be dangerous if patience and common sense aren't applied. The "ViseGrip pressure relief method" isn't terrible, it works good but, be careful you don't over-pinch and crush the line, especially old rubber (more than 1-year, 12,000 miles (yes, seriously)), or you WILL cause that line to fail and could lose your brakes. Unfortunately, I've observed line failure on several cars I've repaired for folks that have tried this method. As the gentleman who made this film showed, be SURE to put rubber hoses over the jaws of the ViseGrips. Bare metal ViseGrip jaws will cut/damage the brake lines. Better yet, go to NAPA, O'Reilly, AutoZone, or wherever, and buy the inexpensive PLASTIC PLIERS specifically designed for this type of work and that do not cause damage to rubber hoses. Using the "ViseGrip" method isn't actually necessary on most cars that don't have "brake fluid sensors" in the master cylinder. The hydraulic brake system on cars is a two-way fluid system by design. The system is designed to have the fluid backflow/flow backwards. When you lift your foot off of the brake pedal, that's exactly what happens, the pressure releases and the fluid returns to/toward the master cylinder/fluid reservoir. What actually causes damage is impatient young men forcing things harder and faster than they are designed to go instead of allowing things to work at their designed pace. So, when they compress the caliper pistons with a large C-clamp or caliper piston tool, they like to gorilla-twist the compressor tool because, "it wasn't moving fast enough". Doing so then causes the brake fluid to backflow at up to 10x the factory design return pressure and it blows the master cylinder pressure sensor seal, brake fluid temperature seal, brake fluid reservoir level sensor seal, and/or the brake fluid reservoir seals. They cause this damage because they are impatient, not because the fluid went "backwards". If you go slow, let the fluid move at its designed pace, you will not damage anything that didn't already need to be replaced in the first placed! Take the brake fluid reservoir cap off. If you added fluid because, "it was low", put some cardboard under the car to soak in the excess fluid. You should never have to add brake fluid to a car built after 1980. NHTSA regulations require auto manufacturers to design all vehicles made/imported for America to have "lossless" brake systems meaning, there is enough fluid to suffer all four wheels' braked pads grind down to metal-on-metal without adding any fluid. If you need to add fluid, you need to replace more brake system parts than just shoes/pads! You also need to check to be sure your lines aren't woven/braided metal sheathed or laminated and/or rubber-mesh-rubber reinforced internally (90% of cars after 1970). Some VW/Audi GT, SS, and TT models come with larger brakes and high-pressure systems that require reinforced / braided aftermarket lines. If you crush / deform the metal materials, you WILL be replacing them. Especially when your car doesn't stop straight or when you find that caliper is lagging from crushed/pinched metal mesh. Whether you clamp or bleed the caliper, you are going to lose brake fluid. DON'T FORGET to top off the brake fluid reservoir with the appropriate D.O.T. rated fluid for your year/make/model. The reservoirs on those cars aren't that big anymore and the fluid volume loss from two rear calipers (especially twin-piston) will cause the reservoir to drop below the minimum fluid level and draw air into the system which can/will cause loss of braking authority (power). Best to push brake pedal once GENTLY and then check the reservoir level, after every pedal push, until the brakes seat firmly and good pressure is felt at the pedal.

Fantastic video Hano! Thanks for putting this together.

Thanks for taking the time to make these videos. I'm scheduled to do this work on my 05 Passat mid summer. This video has helped a lot to learn the process.

sounds like an adventure.. i will look around n see what happens i hope i didn't blow the master cylinder .. but ill keep u updated .. thanks a lot for the replies and the advice .. great channel buddy cheerz

Been watching a lot of these and this one is the best by far. Nicely done, so helpful. Thanks.

Nice video. Thanks for sharing. A couple points of interest... Pump out the pads a few times with the engine off before you start it. Also, it looks like there is too much lube on the brakes. Use lube sparingly.

Best tip in this is using the self grip pliers as hose clamps, i never thought of that. I use a G clamp to push the piston in.

There's some heated debate on this topic including... 1.) whether to open the bleeder valve at all,... 2.) whether to clamp the brake line, and... 3.) whether to perform a full flush every time the system is opened.

It's the ABS module. I sent my module to this guy in VA who fixed it for 99 bucks.

Excellent video. The Haynes manual says to fully release the parking brake from underneath then completely remove the caliper.The top caliper bolt is blocked by the parking brake actuator. I was uncertain about this and found this video. Watching this video I had an Ah-HA moment. No parking brake interaction required! Remove the bottom bolt only and leave the caliper on! Hooray youtube! Hooray HH! I also do the bleed avoidance maneuver. I will be doing a full flush of the brake fluid soon.

Most references I've found recommend replacing those pit bolts each time. NOt sure why if they're in good shape, but it's worth mentioning.

Cool sound ! 2:55 :) Thank you !

Thx one of the best shot videos I've seen on car repair clear and concise to bad audio is way to low.

no need to clamped the brake line. all you need is release the hand break and push hard while turning the cube with a rachet the piston cylinder will slowly go down. If your having difficulty pushing it back then put a piece of wood or metal appx. 10" from the spring that's holding the hand brake line and lean it towards the chassis right side passenger side) of the vehicle and by the exhaust pipe (left side passenger side) so the caliper won't move backward.

The '98-05 VW Passat and '96-01 Audi A4 are the same platform, so your '03 A4 is one generation newer. That doesn't mean there aren't common components between generations, but... Make sure you do your research to see which vehicles use the same calipers as yours. If you don't have a shop manual, call an auto parts store and ask which part works for your car.

Glad to be of service!

thanks i had proper tool but never came up with idea to open bliding valve now it will probably be posible to twist cylinder back..

There is some discussion in the comments section about bleeding brakes. Bleeding the system when doing a brake job is the RIGHT thing to do. I take a shortcut in this video to avoid bleeding the system. I've even compressed FRONT calipers before WITHOUT opening the bleeder valve and it has worked, although that technique is not recommended because supposedly it puts undue pressure on the brake master cylinder.

First. You don't need to loosen the bleeder to push the piston back in. Second. You don't have to put the inner brakepad in place before you put the disc back on. Third. You DON'T beat the brakepads into place......

I really don't think it is necessary to pinch the brake line. I open the bleeder when using the caliper retraction tool. Then close it. After pad/rotor replacement I then bleed that wheel incase any air got into the caliper or brake line. Of course you will need someone to work the pedal for you or use a one man bleeder kit. Then top off the master cylinder. The 2003 passat uses DOT4 which is synthetic fluid for those who might be interested. Don't use DOT3. 3 can use 4 but 4 can't use 3.

By 2 lines I mean that from all rotor area there is just contact with the pads on the bottom(1") and (1/2") on the top of the rotor. I can see the marks after breaking. Pads are 2months old, at first I thought replacing them is all I need to do. Hand brake works, not 100% I need to pull the lever a few clicks more, but it was like that even with the old pads. The hub assembly and assembly bolts are very rusty so I thought might be time saving to replace it in the same time

Great job, but the wheel must spin more freely once the handbrake is released. The solution is to clean verry well the rust on the surface the brakepads are sliding so they can retract freely once the brake/handbrake is released. Some models come with an stainless steel sliding accesory kit wich should be designed there in the first place also for front calipers. Ceers

On some piston calipers they screw in with a c clamp and lock pliers.

Sounds like an ABS module problem to me. Also, from what I understand, ODB2 scanners are notoriously bad at diagnosing VW issues. VW has their own proprietary scanner called the Vag-COM. Verrückter Deutscher!

Glad you found it helpful!

great video, thanks very much, it made my saturday morning job much easier seeing how you did things.

you can open the fluid reserve , screw in piston and siphon off the top , no air in system good to go ?

Hi Pbielek, I'm glad you found the video useful. I'm not sure what you mean by "two mark lines which are making contact with the rotors". Did you replace the pads too? Are you able to apply your parking brake? How can you tell the calipers are not "pressing brake brake pads all the way? As far as the hub goes... I haven't replaced a hub assembly, so I'd direct you to the manual for that one. Why do you want to replace the hub assembly anyhow?

Best way for me 😊

That's bizarre! Is it like that on both side of the rotor? If the outside pad is not making good contact with the rotor, but the inside pad is, you probably have stuck slider bolts. The two metal pins that the caliper slides on sometimes get rusty and seize. Remove the caliper, remove the slider bolts. Inspect and replace if necessary.

Did you use a C-clamp on both rear calipers? Are the regular rear brakes working on both rear wheels? I'm just trying to figure out if you should go buy a new rear caliper (or two). If the regular rear brakes are working at both wheels, you could probably just continue to drive that way. If you only broke the parking brake self-adjuster at one of the rear calipers, you could probably just continue to use the one working parking brake. Otherwise, you can get an OEM caliper for $100. Good luck!

Great video. I love the speed-ups. I'll be doing this this weekend.

Definitely replace the calipers soon. Did you open the bleeder valve before C-clamping the pistons? If not, you could have potentially damaged the brake master cylinder too:(... I don't think the clutch hardness could be related to the brake issues. Good luck!

Excellent tutorial. Just about to do this myself. THANKS

RU-vid doesn't allow links to be posted in comments, but if you Google "drive accord pinch off", the first hit should be a thread concerning this topic. The thread contains a lot of nay-saying, and specifically references Eric the Car Guy's video.

Could you use a large syringe to pull fluid from the reservoir so you don't need to bleed the fluid from the line/valve?

hey yes unfortunantly i did both sides with a c clamp.. the parking break is out it doesnt work and the car seems to be loosing break fluid.. so u think the calipers are gone.. also my clutch got harder since the incident ..

Great video

so i used a c clamp to do the bak and my parking break gave out .. i didnt realize that i had to use the special too...so wats next ? should i re-open and push it bak with the tool or its too late ..?

Hi there, thanks for helpful video. Last weekend I changed my rotors following all your instructions. However I discovered that my calipers are not pressing brake pads all the way, there are 2 mark lines which are making only contact with the rotors. I wanted to replace calipers and brackets, while attempting to do that I found more rusty screws(hard to remove) on wheel bearing hub assembly. Question: what needs to be done to replace this assembly, is it screwed in just with that 5 bolts?

This was quite helpful and informative...great job! I have a 2004 Skoda Octavia vRS and I got my break shoes (all 4) painted recently. Ever since then i have been getting the feeling that the acceleration of my car is being obstructed ever so slightly...as if there is a slight resistance ...or friction...and there is a rubbing sound that becomes audible to me above 100-120kph.....When I looked at each break shoe properly...i observed that all 4 of them are touching the drum ....my mechanic said after driving a few kms the extra paint layer will wear off...and that there is no problem ...its normal. Is this normal? Should I just carry on driving this way ...Will this put any unwanted load/stress on the engine? Seeking your advice ...

tengo un passat del 2002, y me esta pasando el liquido de freno al super tanque y luego lo quema , humea muchisimo, me dicen la bomba de frenos tienes el conjinto dañado, ¿se puede reparar o es necesario cambiar la bomba?

Had to disassemble whole rear caliper cause couldn't get piston to screw back in, it was only spinning but not going in. Finally put it all together and managed to screw it back in by pushing it a lil while turning (I was using a channel locks). Very disappointed now because my master cylinder lost pressure on the secondary circuit (the side towards the front of the car) so I believe I have a jammed piston. Any thoughts will be appreciated. I changed all 4 brakes but didn't open the bleeding screws so just pushed the old fluid back to the master cylinder. First time this happened to me. Lesson learned! 2002 Passat 4 motion.

did you get the "brake fault STOP see service manual" with beeps??? mine does it all the time? brakes are good, brake fluid is full????....WTF some one plz tell me how to fix it? ABS mod? and the check engine light is on, hooked it up and it shows no faults? I can reset engine light but it just comes back????

wow..i dont recall opening any valves when i pushed the piston back :( well the vehicle i have is an a4 Quattro 03 . so i was wondering if i can get the calipers from the junkyard.. so is the Passat compatible with the a4 Quattro ? cheerz

The piston gets pushed back out by the pressure of the brake fluid like the front. The need to screw in the piston has to do with the parking brake self-adjuster within the piston. Although the caliper will work without this step, you should apply and release the parking brake to extend the parking brake self-adjuster before pumping the brake pedal to set the piston. "myturbodiesld0tcom" has a great video showing a disassembled caliper that will help you make sense of this concept.

When I removed the bleeder valve cap, it flew away, not to be seen again. How important is the valve cap?

Cant u just use a c clamp to work the cylinder back in? Do u have to open the valve at all?

I just want to confirm before I do this. Has everyone that has done this, automatically screwed up their ABS module? Or are there a bunch of people who've done it, and not had any problems with ABS?

my god every video they do it hard way, just grab pliers turn piston in 2 seconds done...

Brian Tardivo You can compress brake pistons with a c-clamp and the old brake pad or a piece of flat stock.

Does the piston screw back in or is it just pushed like the front?

also wenn du die führung sauber gemacht hättest und diese den mit kupferpaste bestrichen, würden die belege besser reinrutschen und du brauchst nicht drauf rum hauen. ebenfalls mit dem bremskolbenrücksteller den mit der methode machste die gummis kaputt da sie von der bremsflüssigkeit purös werden können.und der bremssattel wird im normal fall komplett abgebaut schrauben ebenfalls wechsel da diese sicherungsschrauben sind.

I was wondering if any of you guys could help me. My son carried out this repair for me and now my brakes are hard to depress, they work, most of the time! Two or three pumps renders them useless. daren't drive it now! Any suggestions, please?

Isn't it better to just loosen the cap on the brake fuild container, rather than pinching off the brake lines?

SUPERB, thanx a lot,)

Service manual says to flush the break fluid, open right rear bleeder, flush fluid by pumping the break while engine is running. Do this until fluid runs clear (make sure to top off master so you don't push air in. Is there some sort of check valve in the caliper bleeder?

dad parked my volks with the handbrake on, took the battery out and left it for 3 months - handbreak seized - know how I could take the hb off or unseize it without removing the weels?, caliper disc breaks, 99 passat, can I take off the back wheels and get the hb off ??? HELP!

What's the part number for that tool you used to push the caliper back in?

So i have to remove the rotors and i have no other choice correct?

Thank you

Fucking genius lol thanks for the tips

U didn't mention any of the special tools that u used....that dont look like a normal C clamp to me?

You vote your dates wrong. It's 1997-2000 (B5) and 2000-2005 (B5.5). And 1994-1998 (B5) with 2001-2005 (B6).

Nice!

fancy sockets

I tried to remove the left rear rotor on my 2002 Passat 4-Motion but it is completely stuck. I tried hitting it with a hammer (with light to moderate force, though not with a sledgehammer) numerous times all around the rotor. The rotor did not budge. The rotors have been on there for at least over 8 years and maybe they are originals factory-installed in 2001. I gave up since I did not want to damage anything.

how the hell do you fasten the disc? via the wheel?

Neither of my pistons moved that easily. They're both stuck, and I'm not sure why.

wait.. he didn't need to mess with the handbrake?

03 vw Passat 1.8T

a hammer and a flathead screwdriver, leave handbrake off and put the car into gear to prevent any roll. now try and prize them apart!

expel air...