# 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now?



## DarylS (Jun 13, 2006)

Hi all,
My wife drives a 2009 Jetta Wagon with the 2.5 5-cyl engine. We are getting waaaay less than other folks seem to be getting with their 2.5's. 
We got better mileage on our old 1998 Volvo V70 (a car that is about a third larger). We're averaging a bit less than 18 MPG in mixed driving, way less than the 21/29 City/Hwy they advertise. 
We've taken it into the dealer for a checkup but they claim everything checks out fine. Despite the assurances "alles gut" we are lucky to get 400km on a tank. Switching to premium made no difference.
The car is a lease so I'm not going to do any mods to it, and we've not changed our driving habits from the Volvo-days. I'm not too happy with the engine (should have got the turbo!) so will turn the car in when the lease is up.
Curiously, there is virtually no change between mixed driving and all-highway driving, I've never got more than 400km's out of a tank. Every other car I've owned got better mileage on road-trips, but not this one.
Has anyone has any experience with rotten fuel mileage in their 2.5 and is there anything mechanical that would cause this? I'm stumped.
Cheers,
Daryl


----------



## debo0726 (May 18, 2007)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

I get 27 mixed and the best on the hwy is 36, I think that you have bad driving habbits. How many miles on it and what kinda of oil do you use, grade of gas? I started with a K&N drop in fliter and still got 32 on the hwy and 24 mixed. Good luck


----------



## DarylS (Jun 13, 2006)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (debo0726)*

At first glance I would agree Bad driving habits could cause the issue however we've not changed how we've driven when we switched from the old Volvo to the new Jetta.
We're using full synthetic for the oil but I like your idea on the air filter. I've had the stock one out and it looked fine but it's still the factory original one so maybe is defective. 
Cheers,
DarylS


----------



## spitpilot (Feb 14, 2000)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

I drive fairly "sporty" and get about 20+ just in town and 25 or so mixed. Did a check on highway only crusin with only 1800 miles on the motor..got between 28+ (high speed crusin and some hills) and 31 (caught in rain and doin 55 mph)....so I'm thinking 21/29 is pretty fairly rated. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## IJSTROK (Oct 2, 2007)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

This doesn't sound right at all. Most of my tanks are 95% city driving and I am a "spirited" driver and I still manage about 22mpg. I've never gotten below 21. I would think that the only way you could get 18mpg on a tank would be a full day at the track.


----------



## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

Do you keep a mileage log? That would help immensely. Also, how are you driving? >80mph on the highway and drag racing to the next red light in the city or posted speed limit on highway and gentle driving in the city?


----------



## JettaMk5 (Aug 11, 2008)

*FV-QR*

I've read that your mileage will get better after the first oil change. I averaged 29 on the way home from work today...


----------



## daemontrym (Feb 13, 2008)

*Re: FV-QR (JettaMk5)*

Its an engine thats breaking in they are all bad on gas at first and use a little oil. So will be worse then others until the parts wear into each other and the oil soaks into the metal. You will see it get better after the first oil change like everyone else said. Plus when I changed from the stock fill to Mobile 1 0w40 mileage went up some as well.


----------



## _V-Dubber_ (Jan 30, 2007)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

Are you sure the advertised mpg for a Jetta Sportwagen is 21/29 because I know the slightly lighter Jetta sedan is rated at the same but did you also forget you're driving the heavier Sportwagen version with a smidgen worse aerodynamics. Plus, like other have said the engine is brand new and needs to be broken in. After the first oil change you will notice a bump in mileage. Watch your driving habits and make sure you put 93 in the tank. I have every fill-up for 25 months of ownership since the first fill-up. This engine I think is pretty consistent with mileage. I could drive sooo slow and conservative like grandma or I could beat the crap out of it and I always end up with a combined city/hwy mileage of 25mpg. Try that with a turbo.


----------



## Have A Nice Day (Jan 15, 2009)

Give it sometime and let the engine break in. You are driving a heavier car, I don't know the figures but just from the looks. Looking at a Rabbit compared to a Jetta sedan / wagon you could already assume the Rabbit looks just a tad lighter. I drive pretty spirited myself the worst I've gotten in town, shifting to 4-5,000 RPM in about a 5 mile range was 19. combined freeway / in town I get about 25mpg. Saying I shift around 3,000 RPM and cruise at 70 with some spurges up to 80-90 MPH here and there.


----------



## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (_V-Dubber_)*


_Quote, originally posted by *_V-Dubber_* »_Are you sure the advertised mpg for a Jetta Sportwagen is 21/29 because I know the slightly lighter Jetta sedan is rated at the same but did you also forget you're driving the heavier Sportwagen version with a smidgen worse aerodynamics. Plus, like other have said the engine is brand new and needs to be broken in. After the first oil change you will notice a bump in mileage. Watch your driving habits and make sure you put 93 in the tank. I have every fill-up for 25 months of ownership since the first fill-up. This engine I think is pretty consistent with mileage. I could drive sooo slow and conservative like grandma or I could beat the crap out of it and I always end up with a combined city/hwy mileage of 25mpg. Try that with a turbo.

From the VW.com site:
'09 Jetta Sportwagen:
Advertised MPG - 21/29 (auto and manual)
Weight - 3228 pounds
'09 Jetta:
Advertise MPG - 21/30 (manual), 21/29 (auto)
Weight - 3230 pounds
'09 Rabbit:
Advertise MPG - 21/30 (manual), 21/29 (auto)
Weight - 2975 pounds
'09 New Beetle:
Advertise MPG - 20/28 (manual), 20/29 (auto)
Weight - 2965 pounds
Of course, your mileage will greatly depend on how you drive your car. If you do mostly city driving and drag-race to the stoplights, you'll get as low as 15 mpg. Or if you're hypermiling on the highway you could get as high as 45+ mpg.


----------



## stangg172006 (Jul 21, 2006)

break in mileage is always low, give it a few thousand.


----------



## darkk (Jun 22, 2006)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

" 2.5l Mileage AWFUL"
winter gas drops mileage and if you let your car warm up in the morning before driving away kills mileage. you would not believe how much that kills.


----------



## DarylS (Jun 13, 2006)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

Hi folks, I appreciate all the replies, Thanks. A bit more info:
- The car has about 8000 miles on the clock, shouldn't it be broken in by now? When we had the lousy mileage last summer I chalked it up to the typical break-in tightness so wasn't that concerned, it's only now with the mileage still crappy that I'm getting a bit frustrated. I got her the Sportwagon because we wanted something that was more fuel efficient, not less!
- It's had one oil change (Castrol full synthetic) and I saw no change in the mileage.
- We've tried the "warm it up before driving away" trick, no difference. As I stated earlier, we've not changed our driving habits from our old Volvo V70 brick yet get a lot worse mileage even though the VW is a smaller vehicle. We don't mash the accelorator pedal nor do 80MPH on the freeway, if anything we are light on the gas pedal because we are trying to squeeze as much as we can out of a tank.
I've also checked for brake-drag but the brakes appear to be working fine...
ugh.








Daryl


----------



## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

Start a mileage log for each tank.


----------



## slomk5 (Feb 9, 2009)

what grade of gas do you use.. 87 will make these engines run like crap


----------



## vince557 (Feb 18, 2006)

*FV-QR*

my 08 auto gets around 26mpg mixed and i'm chipped on 93 oct


----------



## seanmcd72 (May 14, 2008)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

your wife is a LEAD FOOT! I have a heavy foot and I always get 23-26 mpg without trying. If I really pay attention and drive at or below the speed limit I can get 30mpg to and from work (22 miles mostly interstate). ('08 Manual Rabbit)


----------



## DrewTheBrave (Apr 25, 2008)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (seanmcd72)*

It really depends on the kind of driving you do. When my Rabbit was new, no matter how I drove, I couldn't get better than 18mpg. That said, virtually all of my driving is in the city, and the routes I take to school and work never go more than a mile or so without a stop. After the first oil-change, the car has gotten closer to 20-21mpg, but since the Sportwagen is a few hundred pounds heavier than a Rabbit, I wouldn't expect the mileage to be as good. 
I have averaged over 30mpg, but only on trips of about 30 miles on the freeway. The car has the ability to get good mileage, but unless you're going a constant speed for an extended period of time, then you won't see it. I'd suggest using the cruise control whenever possible. I'll turn it on any time I have a chance to, and just doing that usually raises my average fuel economy by 1 or 2 mpg. You may also want to check the tire pressure. Nothing kills gas mileage like under-inflated tires.


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

City driving, I always get 15mpg and it pisses me off. Even when I try not to accelerate too fast I still get that low mpg.
On the freeway, I could get as high as 32 with lows of 27-28.


----------



## mdr (Dec 30, 2005)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DrewTheBrave)*


_Quote, originally posted by *DrewTheBrave* »_ Nothing kills gas mileage like under-inflated tires. 

Unless it's tight brakes. I remember reading some threads about the rears sometimes being adjusted too tight, wearing them too quickly. 
Tire pressures and condition, air filters, junk in the trunk, wheel alignments, junk on the roof, ill considered modifications, brake problems, thermostat stuck open, lead feet, really crappy gas . . . 
Easy stuff first. Pressures, take out the junk, watch the temp gage (should come up pretty quickly - within a mile or two), drive smoothly and anticipate traffic, go up one octane grade next fuel stop (less than 1/4 tank). 
I find once I'm up in 5th and 6th, the MPGs get much better. That's around 35-40MPH. If you're stuck in traffic slower, you're probably not going to get much better than what you're getting.


----------



## zakattak (Apr 28, 2007)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (mdr)*

i had a similar problem develop, but it was at a bit higher mileage. i checked my plugs and they had all but disintigrated. after changing them i noticed it come back to where i'm used to. as we have 10% ethanol year round and i'm a city driver(and i drive doing all the things you're not supposed to) it always gets 23-24. 
if you have done and checked everything you can you may be able to bitch your way out of the lease based on the car being something other than advertised.


----------



## daemontrym (Feb 13, 2008)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (zakattak)*

I get about 23/24 around town and 26-27 on the higheway(going 75-80). 
My gas mileage was crap when i first bought my rabbit 5spd last year. It had 10 miles on it when I bought it and its a given for a car to get crappy mileage and use some oil when it hasn't had its first service. I would suggest changing your oil to Mobile 1 0w40. When I did that I noticed I started getting better gas mileage. Not a huge jump but enough to notice at the end of a tank.


----------



## Jon1983 (Feb 21, 2009)

I bought my Jetta 2.5 (auto) at the beginning of October 2008 with about 9800 km on it (still completely stock), and started a fuel consumption log on the 2nd fill up (because I forgot to write down the odometer number after the first one).
So far, I'm averaging 12.2 L/100 (19.4 MPG) doing 95% city driving, mostly to and from work, over about 3200 km. I'm actually pretty happy about those numbers because (a) it's been a colder-than-average winter in this area, as you know, and (b) heated seats are GREAT on the really cold days.







I can definitely see this car averaging the advertised numbers over a full year of driving, even though those numbers are no doubt a tad optimistic.
On a few of the warmer/dry days we've had in the last 2 weeks, I've taken the car for a little bit of a workout (normally I would avoid revving past 2.5k), and I've noticed lately that the engine is running a lot smoother in normal driving. I assume that's normal behaviour/break-in of the engine, so I'm interested to see how it affects fuel consumption over the long term.
Getting 18 MPG versus the advertised 21 isn't really that bad, IMO. I don't know if things will average out or not, but certainly mileage at this time of the year will be a lot worse than during the summer. I wouldn't be too concerned yet. Gather a year's worth of data, and if the numbers are still that low, only then would I start to ask questions.


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

Does anyone have a template I can use for Gas Logs?


_Modified by SpiderX1016 at 10:27 AM 2-22-2009_


----------



## turbomonkeyexpress (Nov 26, 2004)

looking at the Sticker that came with the car it says 21-29 City/highway and in small print, it says expect results as low as 18 and as high or higher than 30.


----------



## Jon1983 (Feb 21, 2009)

*Re: (SpiderX1016)*

Here's the one I made (adapted from the one I'm actually using):
http://www.jonseigel.info/down...g.xls
Instructions:
- You have to consistently fill your fuel tank to the same point every time. It doesn't work if you only put in half a tank, unless you want to mess with the formulas in the worksheet.
- When you fill up, write the odometer reading onto the receipt so you can put it in the worksheet later.
- In the Excel file, I've made two worksheets, one for metric (in L and km) and another for imperial (in mi and gal). Feel free to delete whichever sheet you're not going to use.
- On the worksheet you chose, the first row is your initial odometer date and reading. If you don't know these, write them in on the next fillup.
- To enter data, for each fillup after the initial one, enter: the date, the odometer reading (which was written on your receipt), the amount of fuel, and the cost (optional). The statistics for the tank of gas you _just finished_ are then calculated on that line using formulas, with overall averages appearing in the heading line.
Cheers.


----------



## Rabbitoid (Feb 18, 2009)

*Re: (Jon1983)*

I can go over 400 miles on a single tank in my rabbit driving with economy in mind. And I can get about 200 miles out of it with "spirited" driving. I've been getting better mileage since I upgraded my wheels, which is weird since I thought I would get less.


----------



## 08Rabbit1 (Jun 30, 2008)

You're supposed to use regular gas in the car, absolutely no reason to use premium.


----------



## DUSlider (Nov 15, 2007)

You are in Canada, it is cold, you are probably using your heated seats and mirrors. This kills mileage, along with under inflated tires and a heavy foot in the cold. Also, long idle times are bad. Do you use the ebrake? It could be sticking?
Does your sport-wagon have the MFD that tells you the instant and avg mileage?


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

*Re: (DUSlider)*

Heated seats uses gas?


----------



## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

*Re: (SpiderX1016)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SpiderX1016* »_Does anyone have a template I can use for Gas Logs?


Got to fuelly.com or cleanmpg.com or even fueleconomy.gov. The logs at fuelly look better though.


----------



## CaTiRo (Sep 23, 2008)

*Re: (the_humeister)*

i have the 2.5 5 speed and im getting 26 mpg mixed driving and 29 mpg all highway. i normaly shift around 3500 rpm. i used 87 octane gas. if i was getting 18 i would be pretty upset. i know the sportwagen is heavier than the rabbit, but what about the jetta sedan?


----------



## mdr (Dec 30, 2005)

*Re: (08Rabbit1)*

Using a higher octane is just something to try, and it can make a difference either way, or neither. It's not like the olde days when timing was basically fixed by how much you turned the distributor. It's not stuck to just a mechanical program, but adapts to changing conditions to reduce emissions and improve efficiency. 
My A3 Jetta got better MPG city on 89 than 87 (~13%), particularly in the summer in PHX. Snuck it in on the wife, who asked if I did something to the car








I never got that much improvement because I felt like it had better throttle response (no measurements) and drove a little harder. 
92 was another couple percent, not worth the cost difference. 
During the 'winter', didn't seem to make as much difference. Lots of variables, seasonal mixes, etc, so it's hard to say 'why'. 
All anecdotal, one car, etc, etc, YMMV - really!


----------



## mdr (Dec 30, 2005)

*Re: (CaTiRo)*

Have a 2008 Jetta Sedan, 2.5l & auto tranny. Depending on traffic during the trip I see from 18-28MPG around town with a mix of street and highway (~25/75%?).


----------



## AlBeezy36 (Jun 25, 2008)

*Re: (SpiderX1016)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SpiderX1016* »_Heated seats uses gas?

Yes, so do the heated mirrors. Check out the manual.


----------



## blackhawk 76 (Jan 19, 2007)

*Re: (Albeezy36)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Albeezy36* »_
Yes, so do the heated mirrors. Check out the manual.

that could explain a lot. ha Mine are on all the time< i never bother to turn it off.
This tank I'm on now is HORRIBLE. I think at about 110 miles to the tanks and it's already at 1/2 a tank left. Maybe I should let off the accelerator some and stop making the exhaust make nice noises when I shift.


----------



## B.a. (Feb 7, 2008)

my 2dr 5sp rabbit almost always gets 25-27 mixed driving and i've gotten up to 30mpg on premium once driving to and from my parents on the highway averaging about 75mph.
use better oil. i only use mobile 1 0w40 euro blend even right now i'm like 1000 over due for an oil change and still getting like 26mpg


----------



## CaTiRo (Sep 23, 2008)

does the manuals get better mileage vs the auto in real world driving?


----------



## DarylS (Jun 13, 2006)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*

OK Gang, since originally posting this thread we have filled the car twice. 
Here's the skinny:
First fill was 52.75 litres which took the car 397 kms, that works out to 13.28L/100Km's (or 17.66 MPG). We drove the car about 50/50 City/Hwy.
The second fill was 52.82 litres for 349 kms which is 15.13L/100km's (15.51 MPG). We drove the car about 75/25 City/Hwy.
The above is fairly representative of what we've been experiencing since the car was new. I've viewed everyone's replies and nobody is coming close to the dismal figures I am getting. We DO NOT drive the car with a lead foot, we're actually driving it carefully to try and eke out as many km's out of the tank as possible.
I've checked the Air Filter (seemed fine), changed the Oil (no diff), tried warming the car up first (made no diff), checked the thermostat (it was fine) and had the local dealer do a check of the car (nothing found amiss). 
It's winter so we are using the seat-heaters and heated mirrors but I don't think they would impact the mileage significantly. Same for the cold weather, other folks see decreases in mileage in the winter but not to the same extent as we've seen.
Can anybody think of anything I could look at to try and get to the bottom of this? 
This is VDub #6 for us, I've never seen mileage this lousy before. This was my first VW with the 2.5L engine, if I can't figure this out it will be my last...
Daryl


----------



## Jon1983 (Feb 21, 2009)

Turn off the heated seats and mirrors, or use them very sparingly, and see what happens. If you forget and leave them on, it can really add up over the course of a tank of gas.


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

*Re: 2.5l Mileage AWFUL, what now? (DarylS)*


_Quote, originally posted by *DarylS* »_OK Gang, since originally posting this thread we have filled the car twice. 
Here's the skinny:
First fill was 52.75 litres which took the car 397 kms, that works out to 13.28L/100Km's (or 17.66 MPG). We drove the car about 50/50 City/Hwy.
The second fill was 52.82 litres for 349 kms which is 15.13L/100km's (15.51 MPG). We drove the car about 75/25 City/Hwy.
The above is fairly representative of what we've been experiencing since the car was new. I've viewed everyone's replies and nobody is coming close to the dismal figures I am getting. We DO NOT drive the car with a lead foot, we're actually driving it carefully to try and eke out as many km's out of the tank as possible.
I've checked the Air Filter (seemed fine), changed the Oil (no diff), tried warming the car up first (made no diff), checked the thermostat (it was fine) and had the local dealer do a check of the car (nothing found amiss). 
It's winter so we are using the seat-heaters and heated mirrors but I don't think they would impact the mileage significantly. Same for the cold weather, other folks see decreases in mileage in the winter but not to the same extent as we've seen.
Can anybody think of anything I could look at to try and get to the bottom of this? 
This is VDub #6 for us, I've never seen mileage this lousy before. This was my first VW with the 2.5L engine, if I can't figure this out it will be my last...
Daryl


My god, you get the same MPG as I do








I have a CAI and Exhaust though.
But I use Heated Seats all the time! I guess I'm going to have to cut back on that.


----------



## BlackRabbit2point5 (Sep 6, 2007)

I barely got 11mpg before break in was complete but that was 95% city. now I only get 11mpg when I rip red lights a lot just to hear the turbo spool. Forge dv doesn't help the spool sickness any either


----------



## Morridin19 (Nov 24, 2008)

*Re: (BlackRabbit2point5)*

I found a big difference in summer vs winter driving, the additives to the gas in winter and the extra electronics used (rear window defrost, heated mirrors, fan on higher, heated seats)
In the summer I average 8.7-7.8L/100km (27-29 MPG), in the winter I get 10.5-9.8L/100km (22-24 MPG).
The gas station I normally (Husky) use adds gas line antifreeze and ethanol in the winter which is normal for most gas stations in Canada, this drops the effective caloric energy of the gas (meaning less of the gas burnt turns into energy for your car)
You could try getting your throttle body aligned... I know that made a little difference on mine (I installed a new gas pedal so I had to anyways)


----------



## CaTiRo (Sep 23, 2008)

Man I didn't realize winter driving for you guys affected gas mileage so much. 
I don't really use the seat heaters or mirrors that much. Outside today its 67 degrees, suppose to get up to the 70s. Its not like that everywhere?










_Modified by CaTiRo at 10:22 AM 2-26-2009_


----------



## marga (Aug 31, 2007)

Hey, might be a long shot, but this could be the culprit:
Check the rear wheels. Jack up the car and see how freely the wheels turn when the ebrake isn't engaged. If there is resistance, you might need an adjustment on your ebrake cable. Lots of people have had issues with the pads rubbing on the rotors with too much force on the rear tires.
I'm in Ottawa, and I'm still getting around 22mpg avg, with mostly city driving. I don't drive with MPG's in mind for the most part either. Your mileage shouldn't be so bad.


----------



## kaptinkangaru (Aug 17, 2006)

i 2nd the motion^^^
i just did this today, and found some good resistance. ripped apart the interior and adjusted it, now the wheels spin freely. i expect to pick up a couple MPG too.


----------



## Morridin19 (Nov 24, 2008)

*Re: (CaTiRo)*

well seeing how its -27C (-17F) right now it does effect the engine, as it has to work harder to heat up and get the oil flowing, as well as having additives in the gas to ensure your gas lines don't freeze due to condensation.








Also I found heavy snow/ using the traction control eats a lot of gas too.


----------



## vwgtipowr (Aug 26, 2002)

*Re:*

Because of additives and the car running richer in the cold, mileage will always be worse in the winter. Plus people tend to let their cars warm up in winter which eats gas sitting at idle.
I have an 08 rabbit with just under 20K on it. In the summer I have no problems getting 33mpg on the highway, and I very easily achieve 450 miles per tank if I drive like a grandma and do mostly highway.
I only use 87 octane. I use the factory VW synthetic oil every 5K. No mods on my car yet. Although rear sway and driver gear springs will be coming in spring








Just a side note, when cruising on highway I get better mileage when I do NOT use cruise control, and this is most likely because I can use lighter variation in the gas pedal to maintain speed.
This is one of the reasons I love this car cheap gas and great mileage to boot. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 
Might want to scan it with cag-vom see if you have any codes in there. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## CaTiRo (Sep 23, 2008)

so did you find out what's the problem?


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

*Re: (CaTiRo)*

I think im going to try out the handbrake thing. On a sidenote: is it normal to have a lot more brake dust on the rear wheels.


----------



## DUSlider (Nov 15, 2007)

The heated mirrors turn off after about 10 minutes of driving I believe. However, if you drive around with the heated seats on all the time that is probably why your mileage sucks so bad...


----------



## marga (Aug 31, 2007)

*Re: (SpiderX1016)*

It's pretty normal, but at the same time a decent indicator that you MAY have the ebrake issue.
Let us know what happens.


----------



## kaptinkangaru (Aug 17, 2006)

more dust is a VERY good indicator that your hand brake is over tightened. my back wheels were always much dustier than the fronts. 
how many clicks of the brake does it take till it gets tight? mine was barely even 1 or 2, it should be more like 5-7. adjusting it is pretty simple, but you'll need to take out the armrest and maybe even the center console.


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

*Re: (kaptinkangaru)*


_Quote, originally posted by *kaptinkangaru* »_more dust is a VERY good indicator that your hand brake is over tightened. my back wheels were always much dustier than the fronts. how many clicks of the brake does it take till it gets tight? mine was barely even 1 or 2, it should be more like 5-7. adjusting it is pretty simple, but you'll need to take out the armrest and maybe even the center console. 

8Now that you put it that way, I think it is the handbrake. I only get like 2-3 clicks and it's already tight.
Now all I need is a guide


_Modified by SpiderX1016 at 9:47 AM 3-5-2009_


----------



## SpiderX1016 (Jul 22, 2008)

I just tested it. It spins freely but you can hear some contact. Is that normal?


----------



## kaptinkangaru (Aug 17, 2006)

no,you shouldn't hear any rubbing. are your rear pads worn substantially worse than your fronts?
as far as a guide, here you go.
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zer...06846
this will show you how to get the armrest off. once you do this, all you need to do is back the nut off at the yoke where the cables meet.


----------

