How to Change VW Rear Brake Pads

1. Park your VW on a flat, level surface. Loosen, but do not remove, the lug nuts that hold the rear wheels with a tire iron or lug wrench. Raise the rear of the vehicle with a high-quality floor jack and lower it onto jack stands placed on either side of the car. Never work on a car that is supported only by a floor jack, for safety reasons.
2. Finish removing the lug nuts on either side of the car, then pull the wheels off of the hubs and set them aside. Spray brake cleaner on the brake components, including the brake caliper, rotor and nearby components. Wipe everything down with a clean rag.
3. Locate the brake caliper bolts, also called caliper pins. These face the wheel well and are located on the top and bottom of the caliper. Use the appropriately sized socket or hex wrench to loosen and remove the bolts. The type and size of bolt will vary depending on the year and model of VW. You may also need to hold an open-ended wrench on the inboard side of the nut to help loosen it. Remove the large spring clips on the outside of the caliper with pair of pliers, if your calipers have them.
4. Slide the caliper off of the rotor. Support the caliper on a platform or tie it to the suspension with a piece of wire so that there is no weight on the soft brake line, which could potentially damage it. Disconnect the wire for the brake pad wear sensor; older VWs will not have this sensor. Remove the old brake pads from the caliper. Depending on the model, the pads may also still be attached to the brake caliper bracket.
5. Remove the lid for the brake master cylinder in the engine bay or in the case of the VW Bug (not the new Beetle) in the front trunk. Remove a small amount of the brake fluid with a syringe so that it does not overflow when the piston in the caliper is compressed. On newer VWs, the caliper piston is compressed by placing a special caliper tool on the piston and then turning the tool to compress the piston in the caliper. On older VWs, you can simply use a C-clamp. Place an old pad on the piston, and compress the piston with the clamp to make room for the new, thicker pads.
6. Install the new brake pads in the same orientation that the old ones were installed. Reconnect the brake pad wear sensor, if applicable. Slide the caliper back over the rotor. Install and tighten the brake caliper bolts. Reinstall the caliper spring clips with a pair of pliers. Repeat the above steps for the other side of the car. Replace the wheels and lower the car to the ground. Fill the brake fluid reservoir with fresh brake fluid. Pump the brakes until the pedal feels firm.