How to Change the Brake Pads on a 2004 Jetta
The 2004 Jetta belongs to the fourth generation of this sedan that is made by German manufacturer Volkswagen. The Jetta is a very popular car in the North American market, both as a new car and a pre-owned vehicle, thanks to its combination of handsome styling and high-quality engineering. Part of a Jetta's routine maintenance is performing brake pad changes. This can be done by a professional mechanic, or by the owner with the right tools and approach.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Socket set and ratchet
- Screwdriver
- Pliers
- New brake pads
- Brake cleaner
- Brake fluid
Instructions
-
-
1
Park the vehicle on a level, well-lit surface. Loosen the wheel's lug bolts and raise the vehicle with a floor jack, lowering it securely onto jack stands. Remove the lug bolts and the wheels and set the wheels aside.
-
2
Remove the large spring clip on the outside of the caliper with a pair of pliers. Disconnect the brake wear sensor that goes to one of the pads. Remove the plastic caps on the caliper bolts (on the top and bottom of the back of the caliper) by prying them off with a screwdriver.
-
-
3
Remove the caliper bolts by placing an open-ended wrench on the lock nut and a socket on the bolt and turning counterclockwise. Slide the caliper off the rotor. Tie the caliper to the chassis or suspend it with a zip-tie or wire so there is no weight on the brake line.
-
4
Remove the old brake pads from the caliper and from the caliper carrier. Spray brake cleaner on the brake caliper, rotor and nearby parts. Wipe everything down with a clean rag. Unscrew the lid to the brake caliper reservoir. Remove some of the brake fluid with a syringe so the fluid does not overflow when the caliper piston is compressed into caliper.
-
5
Place one pad of a C-clamp on the caliper piston and the other pad on the outer part of the caliper. Compress the piston to make room for the new pads, which will have more material on them and therefore will be thicker.
-
6
Install the new brake pads. One installs into the caliper piston with a spring on the back of the pad and the other installs on the caliper bracket. Slide the caliper over the rotor and install the caliper bolts. Reinstall the spring clip on the caliper and plug the brake wear sensor wire into the new pad.
-
7
Repeat the above steps on the other corners of the vehicle. The procedure is the same, with the exception of the caliper piston on the rear calipers. To compress these, you will need the special caliper tool, available online or at auto parts retailers. The tool has an attachment that fits into the piston. The tool then turns and compresses the piston into the caliper.
-
8
Fill the brake fluid reservoir with fresh brake fluid. Install the lid. Pump the brake pedal until it feels firm. Reinstall the wheels and lower the vehicle to the ground.
-
1
