VW Golf mk4 parking brake cable removal and install

This video shows how to remove and replace the parking brake (emergency brake) cables on a Volkswagen Golf mk4. Please be sure that the vehicle is safely supported on jack stands before going under the car to work.
Link for parking brake cables:
amzn.to/2UMO5sO

[@cryptic_badger795]

Very clear and helpful video thanks and like yourself, the difficult part was where the cable enters the alloy tube that goes up to the parking brake, where most of the time has to be spent whilst trying not to wreck the tube.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you for the comment

[@floros3079]

Very detailed and with patience what is so necesary in stuff like ths one...good job man

[@robertblay8901]

A great video well done! I have the same job to do tomorrow and I can see clearly what to do and where the cable feeds through into the car. I'm impressed with your emphasis on safety.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Robert Blay - Thank you! I always try to be as safe as I can when working on a vehicle. Accidents can happen quickly!

[@sten002]

​@@Corysdiyautolfzfõ

[@bobegica]

Un video foarte bine realizat si explicit. Am urmat pasi descrisi si am schimbat cablurile de fr ana SUPER!!

[@bobbiecorner]

Great video, your light was great, you could really see what you were doing.

[@bamak1n]

Thanks man, watching this before i do this job this weekend :)

[@clickireland1113]

ory you give the clearest shots by far - really appreciate it thanks mil

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you!

[@spannerssockets6308]

A good how to video. I'd oil the length of the cable so it runs back and forth in the bowden smoother.

[@glennbrown7379]

Brilliant mate thx so much...expected it to be a pig of a job but with your video I’ll tackle it at the weekend..

[@Corysdiyauto]

Glenn Brown - Thank you!

[@hassanparchizadeh4803]

Excellent video and thanks. Please make more videos as you are good at explaining, filming and most importantly doing the work.

[@Corysdiyauto]

hassan parchizadeh - Thank you. I always try to explain things the best that I can. Stay tuned for more upcoming videos!

[@shamshadahmed7118]

100% agreed

[@h82fail]

I just did this yesterday - pulled up this video when I wasn't sure how the cable was supposed to be removed from the aluminum tube. Wanted to make sure it as just press fit before I went crazy. Might only be accessible because I had the exhaust down and removed the rear heat shield - Those aluminum tubes just wiggle right into holes in the floor with nothing holding them except the single black plastic clip under the car shown at 7:20. If you have the heat shield down I would recommend that - they wiggle right back in. Was struggling under the car - on the bench vice grip plastic next to tube and twist and it came right out.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thanks for sharing your experience bud. I'm happy that you found my video.

[@phillipcleaver7063]

From central England , many thanks for this video , I,ve had to remove the left handbrake cable off my caddy maxi van as it sticks due to corrosion , like the outer cable damage on your one , the fact that you showed the new cable alerted me to the fact that the rubberised collar on the end with a stamped - on spring circlip on it DOES NOT COME OFF , but is the end of the outer cable ! On a caddy maxi this part plugs into the end of an aluminium tube under the van floor that carries the inner cable up into the cockpit , this aluminium tube is not normally removed , as the lower end is belled out to make it locate in the front of a bodywork web which itself cannot be removed , so I sprayed the rubberised end well with w.d.40 , then carefully rocked & twisted it out with 2 pairs of water pump pliers , it comes out towards the back of the vehicle . On mine somebody had slightly bashed up the circular profile of the alum.tube so that the steel bead on the top end of the cable would not easily pull out through the tube , so , once again , a VERY CAREFUL series of squeezes with pump pliers on the alum. tube at right angles to the impact points enabled the bead to be pulled out. I will spray the inside of this aluminium tube well with w.d.40 before fitting the new cable , as it looks like it fills up with trapped water off the road . Many Thanks for using youtube in the best spirit , & best regards .

[@Corysdiyauto]

Phillip Cleaver - Thanks for the comment and I'm glad that you enjoyed the video. The WD-40 helps out in so many ways. I use it all the time!

[@Tegelane5]

In my Bora handbrake cable was also rusted together with guide pipe which leads it to cabin. I cut old cable and sleeve with wire cutters and then drilled remains of it out. Maybe not so good idea if pipe is aluminium but I recommend to have 7mm to 10mm drills ready otherwise.

[@Tittanu2012]

Thanks for this vid! Will use it next weekend when I change my cables

[@Tittanu2012]

Update: Managed to change the cables with ease thanks to this vid! Thanks again!

[@MartinSanchez-pw7re]

Excelente trabajo! Saludos desde Venezuela 🇻🇪

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you!

[@brianwilson6401]

Awesome video. Made my life a lot easier. Cheers dude.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you! Glad I could help.

[@markomarkovski6809]

dude, very nice changing of parking brake cables, but one imrpotant thing you have forgot it and that is that VW repair manual softwer caled ELSA recomends after instaling new park brake cables to make mandatory adjustment to achieve a distance bewteen lever and brake caliper stop from 1,5 mm and that actually coresponds to 4 notches, normallly you do that, by tighting the bold as long as you achive recommended distance from 1,5 mm and that is it. you do not havfe to accound in your head the number of clicks to be 4 of 5. just a smaal tip from me. chanking of the cables was very profesional made, thanks for the video dude

[@Corysdiyauto]

marko markovski - Thanks for the comment and I will make the necessary adjustment.

[@BP-lq2bg]

Thank you Cory!!! Very nice explanation.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you for the comment!

[@madeinlorraine]

superbe vidéo, j'ai acheté toutes les fixations des câbles, ainsi que les 2 câbles, je vais effectuer le changement. j'ai remplis les 2 tubes de w40 quelques jours avant, afin de pouvoir sortir les gaines de protection sans difficultés =)

[@Corysdiyauto]

Made in Lorraine - Great work and thanks for the comment!

[@ronrichards6246]

@@Corysdiyauto .

[@perianu55]

Good video Man .Thanks for showing us.Keep up the good work 👍.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you very much.

[@perianu55]

@@Corysdiyauto 👍

[@henrymassing1487]

Great video man. Really helps me with my golf. Keep up the good work!

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thanks man!

[@artisstrods6932]

People ho needed this video 🤡🤡🤡

[@marioalvarado4922]

Excelente video amigo todo muy bien explicado saludos desde Jalisco México

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you!

[@farid7968]

hi there ! thanks it helps for sure! take care man. Farid

[@jonmiplaystv3837]

Ty , mechanic fuckers wanted to charge me 150 , saves me lots of money 👍 and thanks for the new skill in the bag . Appreciate it😁

[@Corysdiyauto]

Glad I could help you out.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

Can work to cut the cable and pull the front end out forwards then you can get a self tap screw inside the part of the plastic bush that often breaks off inside the guide tube, attach mole grip and wack with hammer

[@dumitriupaul3752]

Thanks,very helpfull video!

[@Corysdiyauto]

You're welcome and thank you!

[@Y4KULLT]

Very good thanks

[@silvanatrasolini8901]

Thank-you I learned a lot from you.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Silvana Trasolini - Glad I could help you. Thanks for the comment.

[@3vil8unny]

very nice vid hope you do more like this

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you!

[@LouisworldMyLifeMyDiet]

Great video

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you

[@jasonga]

Good vid, showed me what I wanted to know...!

[@Corysdiyauto]

Hugo Stiglitz - Thanks for the comment!

[@jasonga]

@@Corysdiyauto thanks to your video my van has not now.....I'm in the UK by the way

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@jasonga - Your van has what now?

[@konstaxx4363]

Very good and helpfull video👍 thanks!

[@kylepalooza357]

This was great, thank you!

[@Corysdiyauto]

Kyle Palooza - Thanks for the comment!

[@haidarhaidar252]

Thanks It's very important n helpful

[@clarky5555]

Great video buddy, thank you so much.

[@Corysdiyauto]

clarky5555 - You're welcome bud.

[@shamshadahmed7118]

Nice job

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you

[@t5jerry]

GREAT REVIEW, thanks very mucho

[@JoaoLima-vl5ut]

Thanks

[@Corysdiyauto]

Welcome

[@dustsandtv]

thank you

[@lawrenceogden8682]

great video

[@benjaminjohnson8813]

That tube that you feed the cable through broke off when I pulled the old cable out, pain in the ass.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Benjamin Johnson - Oh no! Well, at least a replacement isn't too expensive.

[@yayoluiz4230]

Thanks bro

[@nihilsinedeo9488]

Thank you for the video! Very helpful! 🤗👍

[@Corysdiyauto]

I'm glad I was able to help! Thank you.

[@joepotentier]

Saved my damn life

[@ersindurmus5518]

Thank you

[@scottydoo330]

great video.....im looking to buy a 01 tdi jetta wagon...described as parking brake stuck in the up position. its some distance away. can i disconnect both in the rear to get it home then follow you video to put the new ones in?

[@Corysdiyauto]

Scott Schraeder - I love the Jetta Wagons! First of all, does the car move or are the calipers locked up? If something is wrong with the e-brake handle itself, then you won't be able to loosen the tension on the cables without disengaging the e-brake handle. Thanks for watching!

[@scottydoo330]

Ok so would I be able to loosen the 10 mm nut and pull the cables? The guy hasn’t text me back. It’s got 305,000 on it for 1200. He said the e brake is stuck and he’s not sure how to get it disengaged.

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@scottydoo330 That might work if you can get to the nut. Even if you get the cables loose, the calipers could still be stuck. The mechanism that the cable connects to on the caliper seizes up in some cases. Has the car been sitting for awhile?

[@scottydoo330]

Cory Mondics he said no but it’s Craig’s list. I guess I could snip the cable at the tears of the calipers

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@scottydoo330 - You never know until you look at it. Sounds like you better bring some tools with you!

[@bettiklerbettikler3556]

Guzel video golf4 bora toledo 2 icin ayni yontem

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you!

[@mmadio4506]

Is there a way to get the rear braket to be moving more freely? Less stiff. (The one that hold the end of the cable at the calipers). It just dones spring back open that well. Im hoping I don't need new calipers. Great video, thanks.

[@Corysdiyauto]

M Madio - I just actually replaced my caliper due to this reason. I tried to lube it up, but it was a temporary fix. The mechanism was badly rusted on the inside.

[@Corysdiyauto]

M Madio - Here's my video on lubing the parking brake mechanism. Hopefully it helps. kzbin.info/www/bejne/apC4YaCqa9p-nLc

[@mmadio4506]

Thats helpful. I'll try that out but I think youre right and I will have to replace it. It just looks to far gone. Thanks for all your help

[@yaboijery919]

do you have any other set of cables to use the ones you have linked are out of stock?

[@Corysdiyauto]

Check out idparts.com www.idparts.com/emergency-parking-brake-cable-1j0609721ap-22736-p-485.html

[@futurespacepirate83]

Decent video mate... Good definition! Keep up the good work. That bit you yanked away at... Does it not unscrew?

[@Corysdiyauto]

No, it doesn't unscrew, it just pulls straight out. That black plastic piece is tapered so that it fits tightly in the metal tube. The other side was a lot easier to remove for some reason.

[@MarcusRoper171]

The cables should always be under slight tension even with the handbrake disengaged. They should pull the caliper levers just off the stop tabs.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Mark Rohwer - That's an easy adjustment. Thanks!

[@subbernh5192]

Can't tell where the location is inside the car. Is that the rear of the console?

[@Corysdiyauto]

subbernh - Yes, it's the rear of the console.

[@josuejonathanmartinezgonza1703]

where did you get the brake cable clips

[@Corysdiyauto]

Josue - I got them from idparts.com

[@laersonvieira1227]

Ótimo vídeo obg !

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thank you!

[@userjuan9889]

A guevo chingon video thanks

[@hassaneelhaloui6205]

Merci beaucoup

[@axa.axa.]

at 6:23 where does that hook connect to?? i pulled out the fuel pump and cant find where to hook it back up to...

[@Corysdiyauto]

Axa Axa - It's connected to the unibody of the car. You should see a hole there where the other end goes into.

[@axa.axa.]

@@Corysdiyauto found the hole indeed thanks. im back to change the cables, curious where you found the brake cable clips. got a link or part #?

[@Corysdiyauto]

Axa Axa - The clip on the caliper part# is 1H0609747 and the clip on the axle beam part# is 1J0609734. You'll need two of each. I hope this helps.

[@axa.axa.]

@@Corysdiyauto your very helpful thanks. these dang clips are going to end up costing me more than the cable... im going to slowly remove them cuz im a cheap bastard

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@axa.axa. - You can save them if you're careful.

[@nashboeckel5449]

2 door mk4 gti 1.8t the same way right?

[@Corysdiyauto]

Nash Boeckel - Yes, the setup is the same.

[@franciscochau4815]

where can you find the cables at?

[@Corysdiyauto]

Francisco Chau - Check out idparts.com

[@hippyskin6490]

How long does it take to fit n/s handbrake cable

[@Corysdiyauto]

Well, I would say about an hour unless you have trouble somewhere with removal or installation.

[@hippyskin6490]

@@Corysdiyauto cheers my friend 👍

[@esbenmedp2257]

Did you just buy 2 of the same cables? :)

[@Corysdiyauto]

EsbenMedP - Yes, they are the same size.

[@adhnaanyusuf8211]

Went to part shop and get the same cables

[@gerrys6265]

When you spin the wheels they should not sound like that! There shouldn't be any scraping sounds at all.....something is dragging, your brakes will heat up and you'll wear out your rotors and pads quickly.

[@Corysdiyauto]

That sound was a rusty dust shield rubbing against the rotor. The pads didn't wear out quickly and were adjusted properly. Thanks for your concern though.

[@gerrys6265]

@@Corysdiyauto OK, but it didn't have that tinny sound of a dust shield, more like the heavier sound of dragging brakes....and the rotor stopped instantly.

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@gerrys6265 - I can assure you that my brake pads/rotors don't wear out prematurely. They function very well regardless of what you hear in that video. That was many years ago and I still drive the vehicle on a daily basis without any excessive brake pad wear.

[@76061044520]

I wonder why you bother to change the hand brake cable, when you' re running on tyres that are over 16 years old? Before you know it the profile will come of the tyre.

[@Corysdiyauto]

Joris - The tires aren't 16 years old. Haha, how did you come up with that?

[@MinosdeLondres]

👍🇬🇧

[@edwardpascoe1663]

You don't explain the most difficult bit, how to get access to the cable area behind the handbrake area. I cannot see how to get the armrest thing off at all

[@Corysdiyauto]

Sorry that I didn't include that part. You don't need to remove the armrest, just the little storage compartment and cup holder. There are two round plastic covers that you need to pop off first. Use a plastic pry tool and pop them off from the top. Next you will need to remove the little storage compartment (ash tray). Look on the bottom of each side and you will see a plastic tab that's holding each side in place. Take a small flat head and gently get under the tab to release. Once you do that, the whole unit will be free and you can remove it. Lastly, the cup holder needs to slide out. You will see a metal cover on top that needs to slide to the rear of the car to gain access to the cable adjustment. There are a couple of metal tabs that you need to bend, which will allow you to slide the metal cover. I hope that this helps you.

[@jesussalazar1447]

What Israel the part Numbers to buy the clips

[@Corysdiyauto]

Jesús Salazar - The brake cable clip is 1H0609734F and the cable clip for the caliper is 1H0609747. You will need 2 of each to do both cables. I hope that this helps you.

[@koko-eu4mk]

Jak miło tutorial made in England a linki made in Poland.Ok.

[@iwantitpaintedblack]

My inner Cable got rusted and stuck, so forcing the Handbrake lever up crushed the Soft Aluminium Guide pipe and all of it had to be yanked out

[@Corysdiyauto]

Sorry to hear that, what a mess. Was it easy to replace the guide pipe?

[@iwantitpaintedblack]

@@Corysdiyauto havent replaced it yet, i bought 12mm Aluminium Pipe, bent a 12cm piece about40 degrees, and designed a 3d printed part which gets bolted to the bottom of the chassis and holds the cable at place. the original guide pipe has 2 bends in 3D so itll be very difficult to slide in i imagine, but if i had to ill stick an endoscope camera at the end of pipe and guide it up

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@iwantitpaintedblack - That's creative! I've never used a 3D printer before, but it must be neat to have. I hope that it all works out for you.

[@iwantitpaintedblack]

@@Corysdiyauto Yeah and specially since its a Resin Printer, and ive used Tough Resin it is basically as hard as plastic My car will be going through Legal inspection tomorrow so ill know if its cleared and ill be allowed to drive for 2 more years

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@iwantitpaintedblack - Well, I hope that it passes for you. We have annual inspections here in Pennsylvania. Where are you located?

[@deadly2swords]

Great vid. What did you spend in parts?

[@Corysdiyauto]

Josh - Thanks! The cable clips were $3 each and the parking brake cables were $19.95 each. The total with shipping was $50.90. I didn't think that was too bad.

[@sann40]

Thanks!!!

[@Corysdiyauto]

Endi Trajkovski - You're welcome!

[@iro-huncarguy8367]

I cannot get that thing out. I haven't tried heat yet

[@Corysdiyauto]

Iro-Hun Car Guy - What thing are you talking about? The cable?

[@iro-huncarguy8367]

@@Corysdiyauto it's from the metal tube you feed the cable up. I'm done trying, but I'm getting help from a friend anyway because I'm changing my cars suspension anyway. Its all good for now Who needs a handbrake anyway? 🤣🤣🤣 It's a good vud though. I'm doing similar stuff on my channel

[@Corysdiyauto]

@@iro-huncarguy8367 - You might have to buy new tubes depending on how bad the corrosion is.

[@iro-huncarguy8367]

@@Corysdiyauto on the outside, zero corrosion. The other side both out and inside, also zero corrosion. I doubt its that. I could only lift it so much off the ground so it'll be fine when I get it up on a proper lift and I can use 2 hands

[@Corysdiyauto]

Iro-Hun Car Guy - Well, you'll have a much easier time once it's up in the air then. Thanks for watching bud!

[@truckcarroadragetrip5752]

Ok

[@josher14xx21]

This video was fucking awesome, thanks

[@justinmoseley7998]

Wish he showed us how tf he got to the cables at the front

[@Corysdiyauto]

Thatsubarudude - This other video that I made might help you kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWrVkoebZ9proqs

[@SE45CX]

Hey man, There is no car repair without swearing.

[@Corysdiyauto]

SE45CX - Haha, there is here.

[@THEGREATONE420]

don't think your supposed to jack the rear via the rear axle.

[@Corysdiyauto]

H Majhail - Why not? It works well.

[@THEGREATONE420]

@@Corysdiyauto people on the tdiforums say it can bend the axle

[@Corysdiyauto]

H Majhail - I never heard that before. I've been doing that for awhile now and never bent anything.

[@THEGREATONE420]

@@Corysdiyauto yeah they are a bit anal there.

[@paulmackilligin1754]

@@THEGREATONE420 It's a front-wheel-drive car, so that bit you're jacking up is not really an axle. It's a very substantial pressed steel swinging arm affair. It would be bad if it did bend, but I can't see how it would. Also, there's not a lot of weight on the rear there when the car's empty.