# Brake Replacement - 2018 TIGUAN 4M



## anonymous911 (Oct 19, 2009)

Anyone have done brake replacement on the Tiguan?

I would like recommendations on which brake rotors and pads to get for the Tiguan.

it is my wife’s car, and she doesn’t brake hard but I do brake hard when I’m driving.
It has 42k miles now. The rear brakes does squeal.


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## EVANGELIONHD (May 9, 2012)

If you are only replacing pads the ceramic ones from the autopart store are good enough,

Just remember that you need the computer to release the rear calipers for the ebrake before you attempt to pull them apart 

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## anonymous911 (Oct 19, 2009)

EVANGELIONHD said:


> If you are only replacing pads the ceramic ones from the autopart store are good enough,
> 
> Just remember that you need the computer to release the rear calipers for the ebrake before you attempt to pull them apart
> 
> Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk


What about the rotors?

I was told that its better to use the OEM pads and Oem Rotors.


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## EVANGELIONHD (May 9, 2012)

If you are also replacing rotors I would go the performance way for about the same price of oem, 
R1concepts.com

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## GregRob (Dec 16, 2020)

Just remember, the OEM rotors and pads are manufactured with cost in mind. If they function well enough to pass the regulatory safety standards, then they will be acceptable to the car manufacturer. The aftermarket rotor and pad manufacturers, on the other hand, are focused on performance. They will cost more but they have to be able to show better performance in order to sell their product. I will always go with the best of the aftermarket if only for that reason.


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## anonymous911 (Oct 19, 2009)

GregRob said:


> Just remember, the OEM rotors and pads are manufactured with cost in mind. If they function well enough to pass the regulatory safety standards, then they will be acceptable to the car manufacturer. The aftermarket rotor and pad manufacturers, on the other hand, are focused on performance. They will cost more but they have to be able to show better performance in order to sell their product. I will always go with the best of the aftermarket if only for that reason.



Looking at this Posi-Quiet Ceramic Front Brake Pad Set. I am not sure which rotors should I get. Again, it is my wife's Tiguan.


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## brianbgw (Mar 29, 2011)

anonymous911 said:


> Looking at this Posi-Quiet Ceramic Front Brake Pad Set. I am not sure which rotors should I get. Again, it is my wife's Tiguan.


Pretty much can’t go wrong with a name brand ceramic for a standard duty pad for a daily driver like your wife’s tig. Those centric pads you posted would be fine, I like Akebono Euro Ceramic and Bosch Quiet Cast Ceramic, Pagid and VW original pads are also good choices. 


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

GregRob said:


> Just remember, the OEM rotors and pads are manufactured with cost in mind. If they function well enough to pass the regulatory safety standards, then they will be acceptable to the car manufacturer. The aftermarket rotor and pad manufacturers, on the other hand, are focused on performance. They will cost more but they have to be able to show better performance in order to sell their product. I will always go with the best of the aftermarket if only for that reason.


Not quite true. VW sets performance benchmarks on how they want the braking system to behave, and have brake manufacturers submit products that would best meet VW requirements. They are not necessarily made with cheap cost in mind, like going to Autozone can getting their brake products.

Aftermarket rotors and pad manufacturers are not always focused on performance. Some do and some offer products for all types of perceived requirements, including factors such as low cost, low dust, low noise, which compounds can vary depending on the brake manufacturer's specifications for different products.

For example, Centric offers their "cheap" rotors aka C-Tek, to premium High Carbon rotors, to Stoptech rotors if you desire drilled and/or slotted. Pads, they have there super cheap C-tek to mid-price Posi-Quiet to "Performance" Stoptech Street and if applicable Sport pads. 

Some companies for example their business model is increased performance in some respects. I had Hawk HPS pads which were great most of the time... except cold winter mornings, which the first couple of stops were downright scary until the brakes got heat into them. 

Another example is EBC, they have OE Replacements (Ultimax) to upgraded street (Greenstuff/Redstuff) to full on race pads. Likewise, they have OE replacement level rotors to their "performance" slotted rotors.

Brembo, while everyone loves their million piston calibers, also makes OE grade replacement rotors and pads as well as "upgraded" rotors and pads.

Unless you're paying a hefty price, chances are, front rotors will be constructed like the OEM, using straight vanes instead of curved vanes or other vane technology that promotes better airflow in the rotor.


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## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

anonymous911 said:


> Looking at this Posi-Quiet Ceramic Front Brake Pad Set. I am not sure which rotors should I get. Again, it is my wife's Tiguan.


Good pad, but when you first install them, they may feel downright dangerous. You'll need to bed the pads into the rotor, to get a good pedal feel and performance.

Rotor? Try Centric High Carbon. I prefer them over the GCX as the High Carbon (with the black surfaces) uses their E-coat which stays looking rust-free longer than a water-based coating that is used on the GCX (and VW rotors)


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## JOSHFL420 (Mar 17, 2003)

**** this cars brakes. New rotors at 30k miles is absolutely ridiculous. Wifes is at dealer.....fronts are toast...tech says its common to need rotors on the Tiguan,Passat and Jetta

IMO do not put anything OEM on the car as a replacement. Find something with a better pad/rotor combo that doesn't leave deposits 

Ilike Centric stuff a lot with the Ceramic pads. Good combo


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## anonymous911 (Oct 19, 2009)

Morning!

I am set on ordering new pads and rotors. Let me know if I pick out the right pads and rotors


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

anonymous911 said:


> Morning!
> 
> I am set on ordering new pads and rotors. Let me know if I pick out the right pads and rotors


They look like nice daily driver setup.

I mentioned in another thread that I simply upgraded my pads only, keeping the stock rotors, and have much better braking performance. I don't know that you need to go with new rotors unless yours are damaged or you're driving quite aggressively.


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## anonymous911 (Oct 19, 2009)

gerardrjj said:


> They look like nice daily driver setup.
> 
> I mentioned in another thread that I simply upgraded my pads only, keeping the stock rotors, and have much better braking performance. I don't know that you need to go with new rotors unless yours are damaged or you're driving quite aggressively.


How many miles did your have?


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## gerardrjj (Sep 4, 2014)

anonymous911 said:


> How many miles did your have?


my car is at about 56K right now. The front pads were fine, the rears were mostly worn and the inner driver side back there was down to metal, hence what drove me to investigate and replace the pads. No disk damage, I stopped driving it as soon as I heard the tell-tale metal on metal sound.


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## anonymous911 (Oct 19, 2009)

gerardrjj said:


> my car is at about 56K right now. The front pads were fine, the rears were mostly worn and the inner driver side back there was down to metal, hence what drove me to investigate and replace the pads. No disk damage, I stopped driving it as soon as I heard the tell-tale metal on metal sound.



The front rotors are scorched. and the rear has discoloration to it. At low speed like under 15mph, you can actually feel it and hear it, and over 25 mph, you dont hear it or feel it. 

The noise start to appeared after driving down mountains a lot in Vermont (Mad Glen River Mountain and Green Mountain). 

I felt that its better off to get new rotors and be done with it.


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## MavSBM (Feb 27, 2008)

gerardrjj said:


> my car is at about 56K right now. The front pads were fine, the rears were mostly worn and the inner driver side back there was down to metal, hence what drove me to investigate and replace the pads. No disk damage, I stopped driving it as soon as I heard the tell-tale metal on metal sound.


Old thread, but still applies. My rears went out at 46K. What are people getting out of the fronts? They appear to have some meat on them, but will they go to 60K or am I looking at a change in the next 5k or so?


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## littlewhite (Jan 22, 2004)

For replacement or upgrade, Posi quiet and Akebono are good. I had them a few times in my prior vehicles. Since is a daily/wify car posi quiet and centric rotors will do!


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## brianbgw (Mar 29, 2011)

MavSBM said:


> Old thread, but still applies. My rears went out at 46K. What are people getting out of the fronts? They appear to have some meat on them, but will they go to 60K or am I looking at a change in the next 5k or so?


I got 62k out of my rears and 78k out of my fronts. Definitely could have left the fronts a while longer.


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## jjr57 (Sep 17, 2018)

Same experience here. Rears at just about 46K and the fronts have quite a bit of life left in them. I did not do the rear rotors this first time around but will on the next pass.


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## MavSBM (Feb 27, 2008)

Thanks for the replies. Amazing that you got 62K out of the rears...I'm hearing relatively early wear and I don't drive the Tig that hard...it was metal to metal without warning. I'll check the fronts at the next rotation cycle and hope to get a little more life out of them.

I did the rotors as I had pretty bad scoring. (before the metal to metal)


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## M Diddy (Sep 25, 2002)

anonymous911 said:


> Morning!
> 
> I am set on ordering new pads and rotors. Let me know if I pick out the right pads and rotors
> 
> ...


Same setup I went with on the wife's Tig. Great setup. Plan on doing the same on my Arteon when I need to change those.


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## brianbgw (Mar 29, 2011)

MavSBM said:


> Thanks for the replies. Amazing that you got 62K out of the rears...I'm hearing relatively early wear and I don't drive the Tig that hard...it was metal to metal without warning. I'll check the fronts at the next rotation cycle and hope to get a little more life out of them.
> 
> I did the rotors as I had pretty bad scoring. (before the metal to metal)


My daily commute is about 60 miles roundtrip, most of it is highway where there's not much traffic so I expect that my brake life is probably a little above average.


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## decafam (2 mo ago)

I've had good luck with BLAUPARTS rotors on my Passat, if I had to choose some for the Tiguan, that would be my first stop before going OEM


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## No Pork (Jan 3, 2010)

Heres a DIY for brake rotor and pad replacement


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## OmegaVW (Feb 14, 2021)

.
I have EBC front sets on an 08 C30 T5 M66 and 03 GS300. Both are Redstuff pads rather than Green as in the Kit below. Exceptional brakes so will use these when times come for our 2020 Tiguan. The black coating on the rotors are Break-In material.









Amazon.com: EBC S2KF1463 Brake Kit : Automotive


Buy EBC S2KF1463 Brake Kit: Rotors - Amazon.com ✓ FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases



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.









.


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## EBC Brakes (Jan 26, 2021)

OmegaVW said:


> .
> I have EBC front sets on an 08 C30 T5 M66 and 03 GS300. Both are Redstuff pads rather than Green as in the Kit below. Exceptional brakes so will use these when times come for our 2020 Tiguan. The black coating on the rotors are Break-In material.
> 
> 
> ...


Glad to hear you like the brakes! Just to inform, the Brake-in coating is on the pads and is used to make for a smoother and easier bedding, the black thermic coating on the rotors is rust prevention. The pad sweep area will not stay black as the pad removes material from the rotor, but if rust ever forms on this area the pad will also remove this. The coating is mainly for the areas which the pad does not touch to prevent rusting


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