VW Golf MK4 Rear Caliper Brake Bleeding Problems

The rear caliper on my 2002 VW Golf TDI was sticking and having previously cleaned it to resolve the problem I decided it was best to replace as it was nearly 20 years old. New caliper purchased and fitment was very easy and straightforward.

• Jack & secure car, remove rear wheel
• Undo the 13mm bolts that secure the caliper to the carrier
• Remove clip that fixes handbrake cable below the caliper
• Loosen the 13mm banjo bolt that attaches the brake hose but don't remove yet
• Remove caliper from carrier and push handbrake cable out of the caliper slot
• Prepare new caliper and add some fresh brake fluid to the brake hose hole
• Undo 13mm banjo bolt to release brake hose and remove old caliper trying to avoid fluid loss
• Fit brake hose to new caliper and attach 13mm banjo bolt
• Reattach handbrake cable & fit clip
• Reattach caliper to the carrier and tighten 13mm bolts. You may need 16mm spanner to tighten
• Bleed system

VW Golf MK4 Rear Caliper Brake Bleeding Problems

While this all is straightforward the brake bleeding can be a real pain. I found that despite fully bleeding the system on my MK4 Golf that even when the pedal is hard with engine off, once started and the servo kicks in then brakes can go soft and spongy again. This is almost certainly due to trapped air in the caliper.

On my car the rear caliper was isolated with a clamp and the system tested again, the brake pedal was fine which indicated that the problem was at the rear caliper so needed further bleeding. At this point I was running out of time and daylight so ended up booking the car into the local garage to bleed the brakes again - they did the same as me but couldn't get the pedal any better which reassured me I was doing the right thing! 

VW Golf Thermostat Replacement Without Removing Alternator

The thermostat had failed in my Mk4 Golf TDI so I needed to replace it. A lot of the guides online show that you need to remove the alternator to get sufficient access but when I looked in the engine bay on my car (PD130 diesel) it seemed to have enough space to remove the thermostat housing without doing so.

VW Golf Thermostat Replacement With Alternator in place

I've done a video for YouTube showing the steps but it was quite easy to change the thermostat with the alternator still in place. I just needed to move the vacuum tank out of the way to give enough access.

What Power Engine is Fitted in my TDI VW? How to check build sticker

What engine is fitted in my TDI?

It's impossible to know definitely which TDI engine is fitted in your VW because Volkswagen use many variants of the same engine but with just a different map to give different power output. The badge on the car may not give info as TDI could be badged GTI in some markets depending what the dealer fitted.

The 1.9 TDI diesel for example can range from 75 to 150bhp and as a PD (Pump Duse) or standard injector engine. The only way to know for sure is to check the service book or the build sticker in the rear boot. The video below shows you how to check which diesel engine is fitted in your VW.

Download Copy of Blank VW Service Book Pages

As my cars have either high mileage or are relatively old the service books are normally full so I've needed additional pages for them. I'd seen some scans of blank service book pages online but they were quite fuzzy so I decided to recreate the service book page so I could print them whenever I needed to add new pages to the service books on my VW cars.

Scan of Blank VW Service Book Pages

If you want to download a copy of blank VW service book pages then the link below will provide a PDF with 2 back to back pages that cover 4 services to add to your Volkswagen service schedule book.

VW Golf - How to Empty Fuel Tank? Guide for Removing Fuel from Car

I recently scrapped a VW Golf Mk4 GTI Turbo that had over half a tank of petrol when it broke down so wanted to be able to remove it before taking to the scrap yard.

VW Golf How Empty Fuel Tank

The fuel tank has an anti siphon device so putting a tube into the filler neck is no longer a viable option. The quickest route is to remove the fuel pump and to remove the fuel directly from the fuel tank. This video shows how but essentially the fuel pump is under the rear seat.

• Disconnect battery. 
• Remove the seat
• Lift carpet
• Remove metal plate. 
• Unscrew the large fuel pump securing nut
• Remove pipes and electrical connector
• Lift pump out.

https://youtu.be/nq0kxzHtBT8

VW Connect Data Plug FAQ - Questions & Answer Tutorial

Having fitted the VW Connect to my 2008 Passat there are a few things I've found that don't seem to be very clearly explained in the Volkswagen documentation or website for the Connect data plug

Does the VW Connect plug store journey data?

No, the VW Connect does not store any data. It only communicates with a mobile phone when the car is running and without a phone connected then no data will be stored. If you forget to have your phone in the car or the car is used by someone else then the journey will not be recorded.

Does the VW Connect plug store journey data?

Do I need my phone in the car to use the VW Connect?

Yes.  If you forget to have your phone in the car or the car is used by someone else then the journey will not be recorded. Next time you have your phone in the car then that journey will be recorded with the mileage starting from the current value.

Can I connect 2 phones to the VW Connect?

Yes you can install VW Connect on multiple phones but only one can be in use at a time. So if two or more people use the same car then each could install VW Connect on their phone to record their own journeys. If two phones are in the car at the same time then it will be a lucky dip which one connects to the VW Connect for that journey. To force a certain phone to connect then you'd need to switch off bluetooth on the other phone.

How does the VW Connect access my mobile phone?

The VW Connect uses bluetooth technology to access your phone so you need to ensure that Bluetooth is switched on to be able to use it.

Can I remove the VW Connect Plug?

Yes. The VW Connect can safely be removed and refitted to your car at any point. You can even use it in a different car as long as it's supported by the application. In general this means that any car from 2008 onwards can be used with the VW Connect data plug.

How do I setup the VW Connect data plug?

VW Golf/Bora Rear Seat Base removal

Some time ago I shot a quick video showing how to remove the rear seat bases from the VW Golf Mk4. From the feedback the video wasn't as clear as it should have been so I've now done another version from a better angle.