2011-2018 VW Jetta Front & Rear Brake Replacement

What's up everybody!
This is a DIY how-to on replacing Front & Rear Brakes/Rotors on a 2011-2018 6th Gen. Volkswagen Jetta.
*DISCLAIMER: I am NOT a Master Tech, just a long time wrencher.
Car in video is a 2015 VW Jetta.

[@Anon-nt3xx]

Thanks for the video, helped a lot doing a 2013 TDI. Only differences were the 2013 had a caliper bracket on the front wheels, and I had to use a caliper compression tool on the rear caliper pistons to rotate the piston head as it compressed. I was lucky the rotor screws didn't fight me.

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

Always a win when the rotor screws go smoothly! Thanks for the comment 👍

[@rubengarcia9296]

FYI, you can also use a jack and the weight of the car if needed. I had to do that with my son’s jetta. Could not fit an impact wrench. Make sure to put anti seize on them to prevent that from happening in the future and minimizing rust.

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

Whatever works!

[@coltonburns6818]

Do these brakes not have brackets to hold it in place like little metal clips that came with the brake pads?

[@migcap7356]

I've worked own & owned VW's since the 80's. I don't know how many VW's you work on but it mandatory to use special tool on the rear brakes and NOT just a c-clamp. The two notches must rotate to reset the e-brake. If you don't then the chance of brake failure is extremely high. If the caliper fails, an new one will need to be installed. It's a pain and takes time but that's the correct way. Quick note, maybe try using just simple ratchet w/ T-30 screw. Less chance of stripping bolt, it locks w/ only about 10 lbs. WD-40, penetrating oil a few minutes before works wonders...

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

A special tool is indeed required to do the rear pistons. Even though I used a c-clamp, it did however rotate the piston to the right as I turned/cranked on it, rotating it in. I was going to say you can see this in the video….but I went back and watched it for the time-stamp & forgot I didn’t record me retracting due to it being a PITA to record with the tightness of the brake hose tension. I completely forgot until I actually went back and watched it. I was initially going to use the cube brake tool in the rear, however none of the notches on the cube actually would fit correctly. But if the piston is freely moving, you can get the c-clamp to spin the piston while turning it. I should have mentioned or notated it needing to rotate in. But I’m human unfortunately…and although rare, once in a while I forget to notate information. But nonetheless, I was able to rotate it in with the c-clamp. ALLDATA has the correct tool listed as part # T10165, for reference. As far as using a ratchet on the brake rotor screw…if it works for you great, definitely more than one approach could potentially work on rotor screws. But wouldn’t work for me here in the northeast….and definitely wouldn’t have worked on this particular car in the video, as they had been removed before (at least in the front), and stripped as I outlined in the video. Like I mentioned, heat/impact has virtually been failsafe for me on 100s of rotor screw removals, as long as the screws have not been tampered with in the past. It’s always been a super easy method for me as well.

[@lilshaun41ify]

Could you please tell me what size pads and rotors go on a 2014 tdi jetta .. thanks

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/volkswagen,2014,jetta,2.0l+l4+diesel+turbocharged,3307092,brake+&+wheel+hub

[@Maggie-xj3wx]

What size rotors are they

[@thebonechurchatl]

How did you push the caliper piston back?

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

@9:10

[@thebonechurchatl]

I should have been more specific, I meant the rear. I have ordered a tool for it as apparently it rotates clockwise with a special tool

[@user-yo1kf4qm4m]

How much

[@subbernh5192]

The 2015 rear look a whole lot easier to get at than the 2011. It's a lot tighter in there trying to torque those xzn bolts to spec. Sometimes you just have to use the German value, guten tite.

[@dasynn85]

Just to confirm, the rear caliper pistons don't need to rotate to retract?

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

They do actually. But I just used a c-clamp as outlined in the video and was able to rotate it in while cranking on it.

[@donwelke940]

My 2014 Jetta SE 1.8 has the same brakes. Had that stupid rusted bolt too, worked it back and forth could feel like the head was gonna strip. When I greased the caliper pins I smeared some on that stupid bolt and chased the rust out of the female threads with a tap so I don't have to fight it again. No shims came with the new pads and the original brakes had no shims. It has a rubber backing that extends around the ears of the pads, I'm guessing that is the shim but the new pads make a little click sometimes when braking and changing direction. Can't win.

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

Appreciate the comment 👍 as far as making a noise, you might have to just take them out grease them again and put them back in and it might just solve your problem, if you haven’t already. I know this comment is a little late lol

[@williamvollenweider9544]

Much to my surprise on the rear you can slide the rotor out without removing the caliper bracket.

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

Thats is an interesting surprise!

[@williamvollenweider9544]

And in the surprise bucket...On the fronts, I had to loosen the outer caliper bracket to remove the front rotors. My 2017 S front brakes have a slightly different design. Easy enough to loosen the bracket up with a 13/16 and long breaker bar. Thanks for the great video and all of the little tips like turning the wheel hard left/right when working on the fronts.

[@TheOriginalBeeCee]

Appreciate it! There are a few different designs for these cars, I believe 3 altogether throughout the years.

[@Nunyaknow22]

Yeah I was also able to remove the rear rotors without removing the bracket in my 2015 Jetta…there is just the right amount of space between the bracket to slide it out.