How to Replace Emergency Brakes in a VW Jetta

The original purpose of emergency brakes was to stop your vehicle in an emergency. Fortunately, the brakes on a VW Jetta rarely fail and the emergency brakes are most commonly used to keep the vehicle from moving while parked. The most likely type of failure for emergency brakes is when the brake cable rusts and seizes after it's not used for a long time.

Instructions

1

Determine which type of emergency brakes your VW Jetta will need. Emergency brakes typically function by activating the regular braking system on the driving wheels. The emergency brakes for the VW Jetta use the disc brakes on the rear wheels.

2

Raise the vehicle and remove the rear wheels with a socket wrench. Release the parking brake cable clip from the brake caliper so you can disconnect the parking brake cable with a socket wrench.

3

Hold the guide pin with a wrench and remove the upper mounting bolt from the brake caliper with a socket wrench. Swing the caliper downward so you can remove the brake pads.

4

Retract the brake piston into the housing by rotating the piston clockwise. Mount the new brake pads onto the pad carrier. Use a thread-locking compound on the bolt that mounts the caliper to the pad carrier. Tighten the bolt to 271 inch pounds with a torque wrench.

5

Connect the parking brake cable with a socket wrench and install the clip for the parking brake cable. Mount the rear wheels and lower the vehicle.

6

Check the parking brake operation and adjust the cable tension if necessary.