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VW Passat Rear Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on a 2012 to 2015 Volkswagen Passat with the compatible part numbers.

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2015 Passat Rear Wheel
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Insert Metal Hook Tool
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Pull Out Black Plastic Caps
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and the updated 2016 NMS (new midsize sedan) VW Passat TSI in changing the rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other VW Group vehicles such as the Beetle, CC, Tiguan, Golf, Touareg, Jetta, GTI, SportWagen, Eos, Rabbit, Bora, Vento, Lavida, Coccinelle, Maggiolino, Fusca, Audi A3, A4, S4, A6, S6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, A5, S5, and TT may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement rear brake pads with their part numbers include the following: Bosch BP1456, Akebono EUR1456, Raybestos PGD1456C, Hawk Performance HB695F.609, Power Stop Z23-1456, ACDelco 17D1456C, TRW TPC1456, Bendix D1456 and VW 5K0 698 451 A.

The items needed to complete this procedure include a floor jack, two jack stands, a lug bolt wrench, a 13mm wrench or socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet, a 17mm wrench or pliers, a caliper piston tool such as the Lisle # 28600, a tube of synthetic brake parts lubricant grease and a set of new rear brake pads.



 
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Lug Caps Removed
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Loosen 5 Lug Bolts
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Raise Rear of Vehicle
The first few steps are to park the car on a level surface, make sure that the emergency / parking brake is not engaged and chock both sides of the front wheels to prevent the car from moving.

Look under the cargo mat and locate the small silver metal tool with a loop on one side and a small hook at the other end. It is attached to the Styrofoam organizer near the floor jack and the lug bolt wrench.

Insert the hook in to the middle of the black plastic lug bolt covers and gently pull them out.

Set the five lug bolt covers aside in a safe place.

Slightly loosen the 5 lug bolts on the rear wheel by turning them counter clockwise with the tire iron.

(The lug bolt wrench in this Passat was the wrong size, so I had to use my electric impact wrench with a 1 1/16" socket.)

Raise the rear of the car with the floor jack and securely support it with the two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

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Spin Off Lug Bolts
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5 Lug Bolts Removed
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Rear Rotor, Bracket, Caliper
Spin off the five lug bolts in the counterclockwise direction and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the rear wheel to reveal the brake caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

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Rear Brake Caliper
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Loosen Top Caliper Bolt
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17mm - Hold Slider Pin
The rear brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side of the caliper facing in towards the center of the car.

Loosen the two caliper bolts by turning them clockwise (as seen from the outside of the car) with the 13mm wrench.

If the caliper slider pins turns as you are trying to loosen the caliper bolt, hold it in place with a 17mm wrench.

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Loosen 13mm Caliper Bolt
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Spin Out Upper Bolt
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Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt
Continue spinning out the two caliper bolts in the clockwise direction and set them aside in a safe place.
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Spin Out Lower Bolt
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Two 13mm Caliper Bolts
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Lift Caliper Out of Bracket
Carefully pull the rear brake caliper out of the bracket and off the old pads.

Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord or some twine.

Try to avoid stressing, kinking or bending the rubber brake fluid hose.

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Rear Caliper Removed
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Lubricate Caliper Slider Pins
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Lisle 28600 Piston Tool

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins need to be well lubricated.

Pull the two caliper slider pins or "guide pins" out of their dust boots.

Apply some brake grease to the smooth parts of each caliper slider pin.

Push the caliper slider pins back in to place.

This 2015 Passat TSI is equipped with "screw in" type rear caliper pistons that need to be turned in the clockwise direction to retract them back.

(Earlier model years may have traditional caliper pistons that can be pushed back in by using a "C" clamp.)

Find the side of the Lisle # 28600 caliper piston tool that has the best grip on the piston.

Attach the piston tool to a short extension bar and a 3/8" drive ratchet.



 

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Retract Screw In Piston
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Remove Old Inner Pad
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Old Outer Pad

An optional step is to remove the brake fluid reservoir cap by twisting it off in the counterclockwise direction. Removing the brake fluid cap will allow the fluid to more easily travel backwards through the hose when you turn back the piston.

Slowly turn the caliper piston back in the clockwise direction until it is flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it.

Repeatedly check the brake fluid in the reservoir while you are compressing back the piston to make sure that it doesn't over flow.

Remove the old pads from the bracket.

Both the inner and outer pads are equipped with wear indicator or "squeal" bars at both the top and bottom of each.

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Wear Bars - Both Pads
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Install New Outer Pad
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Push Pads Against Rotor

Apply a layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper piston. Do not apply brake parts lubricant grease to the friction surface of the new pads or to the face of the rotor.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) if inhaled.

 If your Passat previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the rear end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with new rotors. If this is the car's first rear brake job and the rotors appear to be in good condition, you should be able to just change the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the Torx T30 set screw on the front of the rotor and the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place. Replace the Torx set screw and tighten the two caliper bracket bolts.

Install the new inner and outer brake pads in to the bracket.

Push the two pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

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Lower Caliper Over Pads
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Spin In Lower Bolt
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Spin In Upper Bolt
Lower the caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the caliper slider pins within the bracket.

Spin in the two caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the car).

Tighten the two caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction with the 13mm wrench to just past hand tight or about 25 lb-ft of torque.

If the caliper slider pins moves as you are trying to tighten the caliper bolt, hold it in place with a 17mm wrench.

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Tighten Top 13mm Bolt
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17mm Wrench Holding Pin
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Rubber Valve Cap
If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid might be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain a few air bubbles.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT 4 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located under a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper near the upper caliper bolt.

Replace the rear wheel and spin on the five lug bolts in the clockwise direction a few turns by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the lug bolts with the tire iron in a star or "criss-cross" pattern.

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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
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Push On Rear Wheel
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Spin On 5 Lug Bolts
Carefully lower the vehicle from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the lug bolts in a "criss-cross" or "star" pattern to 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or about 103 lb-ft (140 Nm) of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

(I used an electric impact wrench with a 100 lb-ft torque stick to tighten the lug bolts.)

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Torque To 103 lb-ft
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Push On Bolt Caps
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Rear Brake Pads Replaced

Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, pour in some fresh DOT 4 fluid.

To break in your new rear brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy and/or not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for fresh drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug bolts are still tight.

Don't forget to write down the brake pad change in your vehicle's service records.

For more, check out all of my Volkswagen Passat DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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