Detaching and attaching brake cable (rear) at brake caliper — AUDI
Detaching and attaching brake cable (rear) at brake caliper on Audi: 10 steps. What to remove, in what order, and what to check after.
This page deals with unhooking and refitting a rear parking brake cable at the caliper on the 42 platform code listed below. The cable tension is released from inside the car: take out the centre console storage compartment and slacken the adjuster nut until both cables hang slack at the compensator. At the caliper, press the actuator lever down, unhook the cable end, pull the retaining clip and draw the cable out of its guide. Refitting is the reverse, finishing with a proper parking brake adjustment rather than just taking up slack at the nut. The one thing not to do is touch the bolts on the caliper body near the lever; they are marked as a malfunction risk and must stay put.
🧭 Before you start
Remove the centre console storage compartment and slacken the adjuster nut until the cables are slack at the compensator. Press down the actuator lever, unhook the cable, remove the retaining clip and pull the cable from the caliper. Refit through the guide with the clip, hook the cable on, take up the slack, adjust the parking brake and refit the compartment.
Fits: platform code 42
Don't miss
- Do not slacken the bolts on the brake caliper next to the actuator lever.
- Make sure the retaining clip seats fully in the caliper guide.
- Taking up slack at the adjuster nut is not enough; carry out the full parking brake adjustment.
- Check both cables are slack at the compensator before unhooking either one.
Written for this job from the workshop steps below · TorqFix editorial.
📋 Procedure
- Remove storage compartment for centre console (2)General body repairs, interior68Centre console; Removing and installing storage compartment for centre console.
- Slacken off adjuster nut (arrow) until brake cables (2, 3) are slack in compensator (1).
- ⚠ Risk of malfunctionDO NOT slacken off bolts (1, 3) on brake caliper. — Press down actuator lever (2) at brake caliper (arrow) and unhook brake cable (1).
- Pull out retaining clip (3) for brake cable at brake caliper.
- Pull brake cable out of brake caliper.
- Push brake cable through guide on brake caliper and secure with retaining clip (3).
- Press down actuator lever (2) at brake caliper (arrow) and attach brake cable (1).
- Tack up slack in brake cables (2, 3) by turning adjuster nut (arrow).
- Adjust parking brake .
- Install storage compartment for centre console General body repairs, interior68Centre console; Removing and installing storage compartment for centre console.
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Who makes these pages, and how
TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.
The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.
Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.
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The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.