Removing and installing brake caliper, rear brake C 38: VW Golf Cabriolet
Step-by-step removing and installing brake caliper, rear brake C 38 for the VW Golf Cabriolet: 15 steps.
Workshop procedure for VW — the exact step sequence and torque figures, straight from real workshop data.
🧭 Before you start
Fits: VW Golf Cabriolet (517, 2011–2016)
- Opens: brake fluid
Don't miss
- Unscrew both securing bolts from brake caliper; to do this, counterhold on guide pin.
- Firmly depress brake pedal several times with vehicle stationary so that the brake pads are properly seated in their normal operating position.Check brake fluid level.
📋 Procedure
- Remove wheels.
- Push lever on brake caliper (2) in direction of arrow and unhook handbrake cable (3).
- Press together both locking lugs (1) and pull out handbrake cable from bracket on brake caliper.
- Connect bleed bottle bleed hose (1) to bleed valve of brake caliper.
- Open bleed valve.
- Apply brake pedal depressorV.A.G 1869/2.
- Close bleed valve and remove bleed bottle.
- Unscrew brake line.
- Unscrew both securing bolts from brake caliper; to do this, counterhold on guide pin.
- Pull brake caliper from brake support plate.
- Secure brake caliper to brake carrier with new self-locking bolts.
- Screw brake line to brake caliper.
- Bleed brake system .
- Engage handbrake cable on brake caliper with both locking lugs, then hook in lever on brake caliper.
- Fit wheels. [Note: Firmly depress brake pedal several times with vehicle stationary so that the brake pads are properly seated in their normal operating position.Check brake fluid level.]
🎬 Related video tutorial
Independent AUTODOC tutorial for the same job, filmed on a different model (T5 TRANSPORTER Van) — the technique carries over, the fasteners and figures on this page are the ones for your car.
How to change rear brake caliper on VW T5 TRANSPORTER Van
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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.
Seen a figure that does not match your manual? Write to us — we correct it and note when. support@torqfix.com
The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.