'09 Jetta Parking Brake Adjustment

Anyone do it yet? I'm still trying to figure out how to get to it. I did the '06 and the '09 console is different.

Do you know if you really need it? With the parking brake off, jack up each rear wheel and see if it drags when you spin it. My 06 with 50K+miles has absolutly no problems with the rear brakes.

As far as how to get to the adjuster at the lever, I have nothing.....................

The PB lever only comes up a couple of clicks and I'd like to add a little more. Besides, if and when I ever do the rear pads, I'd like to know how to get to the adjuster.

El Dobro said:

The PB lever only comes up a couple of clicks and I'd like to add a little more. Besides, if and when I ever do the rear pads, I'd like to know how to get to the adjuster.

Click to expand...

Just for interests sake, why would you want to get to the adjuster? I thought they self adjust once you turned the piston back in???

The PB lever on the back of the caliper has to go through a certain amount of arc to be able to extend and retract the piston the correct amount and if the cable is too short, it doesn't allow the piston to retract to where it should. The lever is also just a little further from its stop than it should be.

Sounds like your on it. If the lever on the caliper(s) isn't at the right place when the E-brake is released, there could be problems.

If every thing is correct prior to doing the rear pads, after replacing the pads, you actuate the hydralic brakes 3 or more times and then apply the hand brake 3 or more times and your done.

Just make sure you do not apply the hand brake prior to applying the hydralic brake for the initial adjustment or you could wind up with binding brakes.

I figured it all out and got the armrest section apart, so I can now get to the parking brake adjustment nut. Tomorrow, I'll pull the wheels and adjust the cables correctly.

You are in NJ...just do it while you are waiting in traffic .

Let us know the outcome.

I backed the adjusting nut off so it takes 5 clicks, as opposed to the two it was at, for the parking brake to hold. The wheels spin more freely now.

El Dobro said:

I figured it all out and got the armrest section apart, so I can now get to the parking brake adjustment nut.

Click to expand...

Congrats, Dobro. This now makes you the world's leading authority on the subject, so please share a how-to! Inquiring minds want to know.

I assume this would work on the 09's as well

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=223592

would have saved some time.

philip_g said:

I assume this would work on the 09's as well

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=223592

would have saved some time.

Click to expand...

The problem with the '09 is finding the access screws to get that far. Once you do, it takes only about another 7-8 minutes to get to the adjustment. When you're done with the adjustment, in my case adding more slack, you pretty much don't have to do it again.

El Dobro,

Can you explain how you got the console apart so you could get to the adjusting nut?

Thanks

You have to start by removing the little plate that surrounds the 110v plug. There's a slot at the top to pry it off. Behind the plate are two screws that have to be removed. When they're out, pull the back of the console (the part with the vents on it) off and disconnect the the inverter wiring harness. You've now exposed four more screws to be removed, two on the sides and two on the bottom.

Once all the screws on the back of the console are removed, we now go to the inside. Pull the lid up to access the aux plug. Pry the aux plug out and disconnect the harness. Now pry out the square plastic plug above it and remove the screw it covers. Pull up the parking brake lever and you can now remove the console compartment.

When the console frame is exposed, you'll see the duct for the rear a/c. Pull it up until it snaps out of it's retainer. It doesn't have to be removed. There are two screws on the bottom that have to be removed. Move the duct to the side and remove the screw underneath it. Push the duct back and remove the screw on the other side.

You can now raise the console frame enough to adjust the p/b cable. I use a socket to keep the frame propped high enough to reach the adjustment nut. I tried adjusting the cable per the Bentley, but it didn't work with my '09, so I just loosened the cable 'til I got 6-7 clicks on the p/b lever.

That's great. A couple extra clicks is probably a good thing since the factory does seem to adjust the E-brake to tight, some times........................You are set. If you change the rear brakes, just make sure you pump the foot brake several times prior to applying the hand brake several times when you do the rear brake adjustment and you should be golden.

Excellent write-up, Dobro; thanks from all of us. Could VW have possibly made it more of a pain in the arse to get to that adjuster? I guess maybe if you had to drop the engine....

I think a link to your write-up deserves a place in my FAQ.

Thank you, El Dobro!

El Dobro -- you could have likely saved yourself a lot of work by actually applying your parking brake every time prior to engine shut down.

It is true the hand brake cable is shipped taut from the factory but that's because VW expects you to actually use it and a cable will stretch over its life. My hand brake now has about four clicks of travel after four years and 68,000 km. The rear brake pads appear to be about 30% worn.

The theory that the rear brakes do most of the braking makes no sense on a car equipped with ABS. The Bentley service manual also makes no mention of it.

CM

Actually, I use my parking brake at all times since I park on a hill. It's a lot healthier for the brakes to adjust them correctly as soon a possible than to wait for the cable to stretch over time.

CAATS_Man said:

El Dobro -- you could have likely saved yourself a lot of work by actually applying your parking brake every time prior to engine shut down.

It is true the hand brake cable is shipped taut from the factory but that's because VW expects you to actually use it and a cable will stretch over its life. My hand brake now has about four clicks of travel after four years and 68,000 km. The rear brake pads appear to be about 30% worn.

The theory that the rear brakes do most of the braking makes no sense on a car equipped with ABS. The Bentley service manual also makes no mention of it.

CM

Click to expand...

Well why would a service manual mention it anyway? Does the service manual go into design minutia about the car, or tell someone how to service it?

The mod that cuts a hole in the rear (backseat) for a 2009 jetta is not possible. There is the inverter in the rear , then a blank panel behind it, and finally the brake mechanism is a different animal. It does not adjust like any other VW of prior years. I will post a photo, but it is way different.

If anyone has a procedure to adjust P-brake on 09 that would be great.

My 09 has 91,000 kms on it. The rear brakes have always dusted up from minimal braking. In fact the two times I took the car to North Carolina from Toronto I could watch the brake dust collect. I even measured the rotor temp after a highway drive and coasting to a stop without the brakes. The rears were definitely sticking somehow.

At 91,000 I did my first set of rear pads which actually isn't that bad. There didn't appear to be an adjustor at the caliper it self nor at the cable, so I backed off the bolt one full turn hidden under the middle console (most of it had to come up).

Immediately the car has gone from an average of 5.9L / 100km (50-50 hard driving) to 5.5 - 5.7L (after three tanks). I've even seen 4.xL on my MFD a hand full of times after an hour highway run in the last 3 weeks. I've only ever seen that once before the adjustment in a two year period.

In fact I bet that if I did my NC run now I'd be 5.0L /100km.

I used NAPA premium ceramic pads which don't dust up as much anyway, but there has been literally NO dust. If anybody is doing this on their MKV at this first rear brake change make sure to get the brake kit with the new shims. Obviously all the heat generated for the sticking brakes (though the pads did last a LONG time considering that) warped and discoloured the shims and they didn't hold the new pads at all.

El Dobro said:

I backed the adjusting nut off so it takes 5 clicks, as opposed to the two it was at, for the parking brake to hold. The wheels spin more freely now.

Click to expand...

Parking brake off - Wheels should spin free.
Parking brake onn at 2-3 "clicks" - Wheels should be locked in place.

Spec IS 2-3 clicks but I suppose its for your liking.

Perreault17 said:

Parking brake off - Wheels should spin free.
Parking brake onn at 2-3 "clicks" - Wheels should be locked in place.
Spec IS 2-3 clicks but I suppose its for your liking.

Click to expand...

My '06 was the same way. I back it off to 5 clicks and everything works fine.

After a few weeks and about 4 tanks I can say that a run from Oshawa to Hamilton was 4.9L/100 kms. I've never seen that in 2 years. Average is 5.5 to 5.7L/100 kms 50-50 driving. Car has never broken 6.0L combined. BIG difference. Those brakes were definitely dragging. They lasted long that way though!!!

I also believe my brake cables are too tight from the factory.

If I lightly pull up on the brake handle, you can feel the tension on the cables even before the "BRAKE" light comes on in the dash.

Also, Look at my Fuelly sig. Combined 36MPG? No. That should be better than that.

I will try loosening my cables and see if it makes a notable difference. I will also spin the rear wheels prior to and after loosening the cables to see if there is less drag.

Will report back with my findings.

My 06 has 142K and I just replaced my 2nd set of rear brakes. My PB wasn't sticking - it was actually too loose and not holding. That's why I replaced the brakes again. But the PB is still not tight enough. I use it all the time because I'm always on hills.

I guess I'll have to take the 110v inverter and console apart unless someone has another suggestion.

Sorry to revive a dead thread, but I was previously active on this thread so it seemed more appropriate than creating a new thread.

So I finally did the parking brake adjustment.

I, of course, opted to do this the hard way. By removing the console.

I cut up my hands a bit, but it already appears to have made a difference.

After adjusting, I made a 60 mile round trip.

If I remember correctly, before I would be able to net about 37 mpg. This time I netted 43.

Is it possible the misadjustment made that big of a difference?

Dunno if your MPG boost is due to this (I would guess YES), but when I first got my car the rear rotors were always *HOT* after my commute to work (mostly highway) whereas the fronts were merely warm.

I adjusted the parking brake that first week, and after the adjustment, the front and rear are roughly the same temp after a long drive.

I've done this on my 09. I have a cubby in my Canadian TDI under the vents in the back. I had to remove a bunch of screws to lift up on the console, but not out to get at the adjuster. It was tight and I think I loosened it two full turns.