tiguan parking brake fault

[jankela]

my 2009 tiguan with 42000 miles has the amber parking brake annunciator on. it started after replacing rear brake pads. also have message "parking brake fault see owners manual" upon power up. every thing work just fine. ideas?

[nitroscope8]

The dealership needs to properly retract and caliper pistons electronically and set them out after a brake job. They the basic settings adaptation must be performed. If t his was NOT done at the dealer you need the dealer to correct this. Without the proper VW tools, this job can cost you a lot of money in calipers.

[Ann Fisher]

2008 Tiguan had problems with parking brake from new. Brake locked on when parked and would not release. Dealer finally replaced wiring loom and it settled down for 2 years. at 70K miles, in Dec rear brake pads replaced. 2 weeks later parking brake warning light came on while driving and intermittantly a few times more. Major service in Jan - dealer replaced brake motor passenger side. 2 days later warning light came on again while driving and stayed on. Dealer investigated again - found a 'wiring fault' at front of car and fixed. Drove home, parked overnight. Warning light and error message as soon as ignition on and brake refuses to release on drivers side. Back with the dealer.
I will NEVER buy another car with an automatic parking brake.

[krogers58]

Here's the procedure I followed, and I do have the computer cable and the software, but it wasn't necessary to have them to complete the rear disc brakes on a 2010 Tiguan S. First, I used the software to back the brakes off. Next, I removed the calipers, but found it almost impossible with a "C" clamp to push the piston far enough open to get it back on the rotor with the new pads. What I did was use a torx, to remove the electric motor attached to the backside of the caliper piston. There are two screws which you will need to undo to remove the motor, and no fluid will leak out, so no bleeding necessary. Nest I used a triple box socket head which fit the caliper side of the electric parking brake. I then turned it, and the piston backed off to the full open position. I think if I had forced it open with a "C" clamp, I would probably have destroyed the caliper. Also, I'm not that sure the software was as necessary as everyone says to do the rear brakes. If you can get the caliper off of the rotor without too much difficulty (i.e. no hammering) then it's my opinion you can do this brake job without any issues or software. You simply need to manually back the caliper off enough (I went all the way until I couldn't turn it anymore). I can't remember if it was clockwise or counter-clockwise, but it will become apparent with the piston opening or closing. Assembly of the electric parking motor was simple and straightforward. I looked at the service codes, and there was a parking brake fault code listed, which I cleared, and then drove it for about 10,000 miles, and the error code for the parking brake hasn't returned. Hope this helps people, so that they don't try to force open the piston which will probably damage the caliper. Mine works like a champ, and no issues since. I can't remember the size of the triple box socket that I used, but you could probably use a standard screwdriver with a wide head. Just be careful so you don't screw up the splines on the caliper side. It was not difficult at all to back off the caliper, by hand, it was so easy, I didn't connect the ratchet to the triple box socket I had. GLTA.

[shawng]

Had you used the proper tools to gently press and turn the piston to retract them, you would not have had to go through the ordeal of removing the motors. Had you used a c-clamp, you would have destroyed the callipers. I hope others who read your post DO NOT attempt such nonsense.

[missdameanour]

Similar situation to Jankela my 2009 VW Tiguan had its rear brake pads replaced. Yesterday the parking brake faulty warning light came on but seemed to drive fine. It did it again today en route to the garage that replaced my brakes and as I was driving all the parking warning lights came on and continually flashed. I showed the guys the replies to this blog thinking it was going to cost me a fortune to fix however after an hour of investigations they came back to me and had found a 20p piece jammed in the automatic handbrake....so if anyone else has this issue please check around the button as small items can get lodged.