How to Put Brakes on a 1999 Jetta

The 1999 Volkswagen Jetta comes equipped with disc brakes on all four wheels. The braking components on the Jetta consist of the master cylinder, fluid, calipers, pads and rotors. Once the brake pedal is depressed, the brake fluid pressurizes the cylinder inside the caliper. The caliper then pushes the outboard brake pad to the side of the rotor. The outboard brake pad pulls the inboard brake pad to the side of the rotor as it is compressing. The compressing of the pads to the sides of the rotor stops the Jetta.

Instructions

Drive the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta to a safe area that has a level surface and set the parking brake.

Loosen every lug nut from each front wheel with a lug nut tool such as a tire tool or a lug wrench.

Position the jack carefully underneath the car, referring to your owner's manual to locate the proper jacking locations. The jack should be placed so that the jacking pad is not placing pressure on sheetmetal parts. Raise the front of the Jetta and put a safety stand beneath both side rails. Position the safety stands under the side rails close to the front wheels so that the stands can evenly hold the weight of the front end of the Jetta. Then, slowly lower the Jetta to the safety stands. As soon as the Jetta is sitting securely on the safety stands, stop the jack and leave it in the upright position.

Unscrew and remove each of the lug nuts from the front wheels. Carefully pull the front wheels off and lay the wheels in a flat position.

Starting with the driver's side wheel, locate the two caliper mounting slide bolts on the back of the brake caliper. There is one lower slide bolt and one upper slide bolt. Loosen and remove the lower slide bolt with the ratchet and a metric socket. Then, only loosen the upper slide bolt with the ratchet and socket.

Raise the bottom of the brake caliper all the way up so that the worn brake pads inside the caliper can be accessed and removed. Then, wrap the bungee strap around the raised brake caliper and hang the other end of the bungee strap to one of the closest steering components or the frame rail. The strap will hold the caliper up while replacing the brake pads.

Remove the inner brake pad from the retaining clip inside the caliper. Then, position the c-clamp inside of the brake caliper facing the outer brake pad. Slowly screw the caliper cylinder inward until it is flush with the outside of the cylinder housing. Turn the c-clamp clockwise to compress the cylinder.

Unscrew the c-clamp and remove it from the caliper. Then, install the new brake pads into the retaining clips inside the brake caliper. Look over the new pads to ensure that they are secure inside of the caliper. Also inspect the condition of the brake rotors by gently running your hand over the inner and outer surfaces. If there is excessive wear or grooving present, have the rotors turned (resurfaced) by a machine shop or an auto repair shop. Replace the rotors if there is excessive grooving on the face of the brake rotor.

Remove the bungee strap from the brake caliper, and lower the brake caliper with the new pads back over the brake rotor. Secure the caliper to the brake rotor with the bottom slide bolt. Then, tighten both lower and upper slide bolts firmly with the ratchet and metric socket. Slide the wheel back on and secure it to the rim with the lug nuts. Tighten the lug nuts with the lug nut tool.

Move to the other three wheels and repeat the same steps to replace the brake pads. Then, jack up the vehicle, remove the safety stands and lower the Jetta back to the surface. Slide the jack out from the Jetta.

Start the car and pump the brake pedal firmly to seat the new brake pads to the inner and outer sides of the brake rotor. After four or five pumps of the brake pedal, the brake pedal should start to have resistance about halfway to the floor.

Turn the engine off and open the hood. Check the brake fluid level inside the brake fluid reservoir. If the fluid level is low, add enough brake fluid to fill the fluid level up to the fill line on the side of the reservoir. Then, close the hood. This completes the brake replacement on the 1999 Volkswagen Jetta.