Mk7 VW hand brake adjustment

Handbrake adjustment on a mk7 golf, should work on all mk7s 2015 to 2020, where the handbrake light was constantly coming on while driving because the cables had stretched. Super easy adjustment to make, just need a 10mm deep socket , extension , ratchet and a trim tool or a flat head screwdriver with some tape on the end so it doesn't scratch. Good luck, hope this helps.

[@k1ngpooh]

Everything else on the web is either about the actually lever disassembling itself or people arguing back and forth that the adjustment is automatic. Thanks a metric ton my dude.

[@SyncroMotoring]

Glad I could help you , cheers!

[@prestonzifko2612]

2 years later i will second everything @k1ngpooh said! really glad for all the people who have never had to adjust their handbrake but commenting that doesn’t actually help tighten mine 🙃 so it was a /HUGE/ relief when you described my issue straight off, and then… showed how to fix it! clear and concise, i’ll see king’s metric ton of thanks and raise another british ton 🧱

[@Jmacelwee]

I swear this was the most direct no BS no rambling how to video I’ve ever seen

[@SyncroMotoring]

Thanks. From a guy that works on his own car I tried to film it the way it would help me . Glad it helped you . Cheers!

[@pistol44pete1]

100% wish more videos like this. Thank you for the help. this was easy to follow and solved my issue.

[@lightmobile]

I know right!!!

[@kirk22221]

With your directions I did this to my daughter’s 2015 Golf. The dealer quoted her over $500 to fix this problem. I used my trim tools and 10m socket. Total time was less than 20 minutes at a cost of zero. Thanks very much.

[@SyncroMotoring]

@@kirk22221 glad it helped , cheers!

[@shychilla]

Mine had this issue suddenly, I was going to call my mechanic, but fortunately, I found this video! I'm going to try fixing myself tomorrow before work. Thank you for this!

[@johngefke]

Some of the best camera work for auto repair I have seen on KZbin! And no useless talking...thanks!!

[@SyncroMotoring]

Thanks , cheers!

[@AngeloTheTruth]

This video is why I love KZbin. Straight to the point, thanks for this.

[@SyncroMotoring]

Thanks for the feedback 🥂🥂

[@desmondcorreia8765]

Thanks for sharing. 3 years and this video is helping others.

[@SyncroMotoring]

Let’s keep it going , I’ll post again if I find something else diy worth on this platform. Would suck to pay for this adjustment at a shop . Cheers!

[@zackfrenkel4932]

Worked wonders. Some tips I found: -Negotiate the socket onto the bolt by fingering the wire through the holes in the center console. Can help if it gets stuck on there. -Jack the back of the car up and see if the wheels spin freely to avoid glowing red brakes. -Leave the trim off in case you need to adjust later on. Easy fix, thank you OP!

[@SyncroMotoring]

Great tips, thanks for the feedback !

[@mcdeeeeez]

Thanks man you saved me some money! I’d been driving with that shit bouncing around for months and parking in gear everywhere

[@SyncroMotoring]

I know the feeling , lol. Glad it helped, cheers!

[@bryanmathes4232]

Oh man. I was trying to figure out how to get the back panel piece off earlier. You are a lifesaver. Thanks. The video I saw earlier was an older GTI with a cup holder under the vent.

[@benjamingarbers308]

Absolute life saver, was about to take it in and came across this video. Straight to the point no wasted time. I appreciate you!

[@SyncroMotoring]

Thanks for the feedback, cheers!

[@jpj]

This just started happening to my e-brake within the last week. Planning on tackling this after work today. Thanks for the right-to-the-point video!

[@ThePaint360]

Thanks man, I was contemplating for the longest time and then it got to be so every time I did a pull the light would activate and chime. Man was it annoying, so I finally just took the 10 mins and got it done.

[@SyncroMotoring]

Oh yea, the beeping was the motivation for this one .glad it helped , cheers!

[@markopolo123688]

Thanks for making this straightforward with no runaround. Wasn’t having much luck on the forums but it’s as easy as expected. Thanks for the help!

[@YouWorkForMeNow]

Dude, I owe you a beer. This video was exactly what i needed.

[@SyncroMotoring]

@@YouWorkForMeNow glad it helped you out ! Cheers! 🍻

[@davidstrope2696]

Awesome Dude! Thanks! Also, if you tighten it too much you could cause one of the rear brakes to drag. So it’s a good idea to check that the wheels spin freely with the parking brake level down.

[@vrtah8488]

Can confirm. Just did this. About to fix it myself. Only drove about 10 minutes 40mph. Hope no damage was done

[@swaniemk7gti876]

Also did it my back drive side wheel felt like it was on fire and Tpms came on so gotta fix it in the morning probably gonna have to do new rotors now so littttt!!

[@itsmebanana3163]

Awesome tutorial worked perfect now I have a E-brake again mine was loose as a goose

[@Paresh256]

Omg dude!!! You are an absolute life saver!!! I was stressing about taking my car in to fix this and am sure they would have hosed me to replace everything when it was such an easy fix. Thank you so much buddy!!

[@SyncroMotoring]

Definitely saved some coin, glad to help!

[@mcdeeeeez]

Thanks for the video! $5 deep 10mm and about 10 minutes later it’s fixed

[@MrJamiedineen]

Short and sweet, perfect explanation and saved me some money

[@Rjs190288]

Still helping people 4 years on 👌👌👍 thanks man appreciate the to the point video

[@SyncroMotoring]

@@Rjs190288 glad it worked for you, cheers !

[@LieutenantDan]

Wow I really wasn’t expecting to find a solution this simple, Thank you :)

[@SyncroMotoring]

Glad to help, cheers!

[@mplafferty]

Great video, thank you! I had issues getting my sockets in there and was able to use an open 10mm wrench with a few small turns.

[@l3adf1sh1]

Fixed the handbrake in my GTI easily thanks to this video.

[@Katana_00]

Worked like a charm. A flexible drill bit extension would be ideal. You saved me hundreds ❤

[@ryantornai945]

Im glad they left that compartment is open. On my Mk5 I just dremeled a hole to access the adjustment nut

[@SyncroMotoring]

Mk5s are fun, that’s a solution! I did a mk5 and had to remove the entire centre console . Cheers!

[@jedifrost]

Thanks for the video. Easy, short, simple, to the point, as most of these DYI's should be.

[@MrPlum1282]

Life saver! I have a Skoda Octavia on the mqb platform with this issue. You’ve saved me a ton of time! Thank you for sharing with us!

[@SyncroMotoring]

Glad I could help, cheers 🥂

[@davidrelyea6284]

Good video. I was able to use a 10mm wrench at an angle. The rear vent flexed a little and the nut is close enough to grab onto for half turns.

[@SyncroMotoring]

Good trick aswell , cheers!

[@7thurs]

I’m going to try this before I go out and purchase a new E Break. Thanks for the post👍🏾

[@darealkosmo]

any idea how this even happens? One day it was tight, the next day loose.

[@joshjones3189]

Thank you sir!!!! Simple n direct to the point, I miss these types of videos

[@kenckang]

thank jesus i thought i was the only one with this super annoying problem. been dealing with it for a long time. where do i get a trim tool like that?

[@SyncroMotoring]

And automotive tools store like princess auto in Canada or harbour freight in the US, or even Amazon

[@4estfire]

Thank you very much for your simple-to-follow tutorial. Just fixed my wife's MK7 Sportwagen and it went smooth as can be thanks to you. Much appreciated.

[@SyncroMotoring]

Glad to hear it helped!

[@JohnFromArlingtron]

Brilliant! I just noticed this today on my 2015. So simple a fix.

[@Kung_Fu_Kenny]

MK7 GTI DSG this fix worked perfectly. Thanks big dog! 👊

[@SyncroMotoring]

🍻🍻

[@05blkgti]

Great little video! Literally a 10min fix. Thanks for the help!

[@nathantaylor6378]

Thank you, fixed my GTI with this video. Very helpful!

[@ska4edubov]

1-2-3 done! Thank you sir!

[@SyncroMotoring]

🥂🥂

[@aladdinhathouti853]

You explained it very well, i appreciate you, hope its the same for the gti

[@RSXengineering]

This fixed the issue on my Mk7 GTI DSG. Thanks

[@buddysshop1860]

Thanks! Much easier then mk5 and 6

[@mattgladebrook798]

Thanks for doing this video. Went smoothly on my 2016 GTI. Saved so much money

[@nathansteele8832]

This was a life saver! I thought for sure I was going to have to take it in. Thanks for making this!

[@xpychicken]

Thank you! Saved me a trip to the dealership😂

[@thereiter6604]

Thanks for u service

[@ericzawoYT]

LEGEND!!! You just saved me a whole bunch of coin. Thank you thank you.

[@sbl0323]

Thank God for making this video! This is exactly the problem I’ve been having, is there a torque spec for that nut?

[@SyncroMotoring]

No torque spec that I'm aware of. Of you go too far it'll be dragging the brakes that's all. Just tighten and check for play. Once the play is gone you're done adjusting

[@jonathanpepper9743]

Absolute legend. Thank you so much! You're a real hero.

[@AnthGott]

Usually caliper seizing up caused the play, tightening will make it bind on.

[@SyncroMotoring]

That happens aswell, but most of the time it’s the cables that have stretched . A Quick Look to make sure the caliper lever is sitting on the stop while the parking brake is down ,is a good idea 👍🏻

[@drees6956]

Thanks for posting this! Just fixed mine, same issue. Cheers.

[@torontokyle]

Hell ya thanks dude! Just saved my ass!

[@SyncroMotoring]

Glad it helped, no more beeping . Cheers!

[@anders88P]

I just replaced the wire and brake calipter on one side because the handbrake did not work equally on both sides. Do you know how to adjust after this job? Still not working like it should..

[@davidhunt122122]

You can do this, but you can also do this by pressing the brake pedal down as hard as possible, and pulling the brake handle up until the slack is gone.

[@SyncroMotoring]

That will bring the caliper piston out and account for brake pad wear. It’s not the same as this. We’re adjusting for cable stretch here .

[@rauljurjac]

I didn’t know they made manual handbrakes on mk7 is this some different variant?

[@skipcycle4580]

I've got a 2015 GSW and it's manual.

[@jeffp4753]

I been looking for this for months finally thanks.

[@TheOwangeJuice]

I’m so glad you made this video

[@koolkeef]

Thx for saving me a couple hundred bucks and a trip to the dealer, lol

[@AaronSkone]

Need to get some plastic trim removal tools but then hopefully I can get this done

[@SyncroMotoring]

@@AaronSkone you can, you got this!

[@AaronSkone]

@@SyncroMotoring Update: This worked! It was a little bit of a pain, the clip that holds onto both cables kept coming undone just while I was trying to get my socket on the nut, but once I got that reattached and was able to get my socket on well enough, it tightened right down. I wonder what causes the nut to come undone in the first place, but my handbrake has never felt so tight and solid. Thanks for this video!

[@bensoccer27]

Thank you brother!

[@islandmarksman2781]

Thank you

[@killfire08]

Any videos showing how to replace that parking brake cable??.

[@mikehattie1448]

Thanks so much!!! I am sure my mechanic would have hit me for 250.00.

[@SpaceMissile]

great vid!

[@dominicfernandes7100]

Thank you !

[@kaylynntje39]

thanks this was great!

[@lucienl9465]

TY!

[@abubakarusman3165]

Help me fix handbrake

[@gurxingh7661]

Thx

[@julienaudet-vallee8105]

thanks!

[@jasong9472]

thanks bro

[@MichaelF1021]

🙌

[@tomodoros6846]

I feel like you skipped the most important part...which is where to wedge off the cover

[@MidwestSteeze]

I used a putty knife tipped with electrical tape so it doesn’t mar anything and started at the bottom near the floor and worked my way up. Once each side initially *popped* along those long straight edges, I was able to lift it out with my hands.

[@mattm9428]

Electric hand brake adjustment VW

[@PanamaSticks]

"Push in and up, and the panel should pop up". NO, IT DOESN'T. I spent two HOURS trying to move it, and all I succeeded in doing is MANGLING the plastic on both sides. There's obviously something else holding it. And what the heck did emptying the armrest compartment, and pulling the rubber insert accomplish?

[@divdev2000]

I had success in ~2 minutes with a flathead and a rag. I only pried at the very top of the panel enough to release it. Once it was up about 1/4" I was able to pull the panel off by hand without too much force.

[@PanamaSticks]

@@divdev2000 Thank you, but this has resisted hours of attempts. A friend also tried unsuccessfully.

[@stevedougherty3720]

Did you ever find a way to get the panel off. Mine is stuck as well. ??

[@mistercory03]

Thank you