tool to put car in maintenance mode

[URDN07]

hey all
im planning on doing some minor maintenance stuff on the car (changing brake pads) but looking into it because of the electric handbrake the car needs to be put in maintenance mode to release them.
is there a tool available so i can get this and other small jobs done?

[DV52]

@URDN07: Hi.

Yes, there are a number of tools that can be used to retract the calipers on a mk7 via the electric brake motors. I guess the two front-runners are both diagnostic devices VCDS and OBDeleven - but there are others!

As to which to purchase, it really depends on how you value stuff and on what level of effort you are prepared to put into learning how to use a diagnostic device! Both VCDS and OBD11 have their individual merits and their disadvantages.

You will find a few conversations on this forum comparing the two devices. Maybe use the search feature to read these comments before you thrown money at a manufacturer?

Don

[Hillbilly]

Can be done with a battery and two wires, one way opens the pistons and reverse wiring closes it

[DV52]

Can be done with a battery and two wires, one way opens the pistons and reverse wiring closes it

Hmmm...... never done it this way - but I guess it's technically feasible (yes, DC motors reverse direction if the applied voltage is reversed -this does NOT happen if the wires are reversed on an AC motor)!

However, if OP decides to use this suggestion, maybe a few issues to consider - this is the wiring arrangement for the EPB motors:
:

• Notice the numbers on the wires on the factory loom on the upper part of my picture (i.e, the wiring diagram). These EPB motors draw a hefty electrical current - "2.5" in my picture means a wire with a cross-section area of 2.5 square millimeters. To give context to this number - these wires are an order of magnitude fatter than the normal signal wires in the car! The temporary wires need to be at least of equivalent size

• Also, access to the terminals on the motor body requires disconnection of the connector -2- on the lower part of my picture. This is a good thing because, you do NOT want to back-feed voltage into the ABS control Unit when using this technique. As I said, the amps that will flow will be not insubstantial - so make sure that the temporary connections are robust (both at the battery end and at the the EPB motor end. Plus, I suspect that the monitoring facility in the ABS module will not be happy when connector -2- is unplugged and an error message might be stored in the module fault memory (not sure?). If so and ironically for a technique that avoids a diagnostic device, a diagnostic device will be needed to clear this error message

• And finally, the ABS Brake module in this car contains a kind-of short-term backup power-supply that the driver can use to operate the brakes if the primary wiring loom from the battery is severed in a collision (it's a largish capacitor) So allow the capacitor in the module to discharge before starting this technique - switch OFF ignition for at least 30 seconds before unplugging connector -2-

Or, maybe acknowledge that the simple task of brake-pad replacement as a fairly important aspect of occupant safety and use the proper procedure- via a diagnostic device (see video below)!

Don

PS: a Golf mk7 uses the newer UDS/ODX protocol modules - After viewing the introductory part of video - jump to 6:20 minutes!

[Hillbilly]

I have this scanner which is VAG specific. Current software is up to Sept 2023. Stand alone and does pretty much all maintenance requirements. Set parking brake, battery register, bleed abs, DPF soot levels, run fuel pump etc and very concise diagnostics. Can't code but will do adaptations and a lot more than there site says. Poor instructions come with it but for a one off purchase price it's been great. Is much better quality than pictures suggest. VW Scan Tool VW & Audi OBD2 Scan Tool Full System

Far better to buy this and do a lot more OBDeleven V2 Pro Pack '-' Diagnostic Tool | AutoInstruct

[doc_777]

For rear calipers, I release the park brake and wind the pistons back. The diagnostic tool method uses the electric motor to wind them back, rather than manually using a piston tool. The piston tool being also handy to push back the pistons in the front calipers.

IMO there's no right or wrong method - just don't be lead to believe you need a diagnostic tool to retract the pistons in the rear calipers.

[Lucas_R]

Realistically, if you want to do some DIY maintenance on ANY modern car (regardless of brand) you need a diagnostic tool.

OBDeleven is popular but i guess its limitation is that its designed for VW/Audi/Skoda products and as far as im aware, wont really work on a non-VW brand - like Mazda or Kia for example. OBDeleven Pro Edition Next Generation Professional OBD2 Bluetooth Diagnostic Scan Tool for Android and iOS (Beta) - VW, Audi & Skoda

Personally I use Carista and while it does not do as much as OBDeleven, it still does plenty and has service functions such as putting the rear calipers in maintenance mode for changing brake pads and I have used it on both my MK7 Golf GTI and my Audi SQ5 to change brake pads. Bonus is that it also works on other brands (although limited in what it can do) for scanning fault codes/check engine lights etc.

$65 to buy the device and you get 1 month access to the features for free. Then you can pay as required if you need access for a day/week/month etc. A full years access is about $70 and this is what I use because I use the device quite regularly. Carista OBD2 Diagnostic Scanner – Android and iOS | AutoInstruct

[DV52]

For rear calipers, I release the park brake and wind the pistons back. The diagnostic tool method uses the electric motor to wind them back, rather than manually using a piston tool. The piston tool being also handy to push back the pistons in the front calipers.

IMO there's no right or wrong method - just don't be lead to believe you need a diagnostic tool to retract the pistons in the rear calipers.

Wow!! What a very interesting thread - lot's of "innovative" suggestions for avoiding a diagnostic device!!

doc_777- I'm intrigued, of course it's possible to use a piston-tool to force the piston back - but are you saying that it's possible to safely use a piston tool on the rear brakes which has an EPB?

I have seen a mechanic do this - but it required the physical removal of EPB motor first (removing the 2 x torx-head bolts on the motor housing). This ensured that when the EPB motor was re-fitted, the position of the drive mechanism was correct for handbrake-OFF with the new pad width.

With the EPB motor in situ - how can the piston tool work without damaging the electric EPB drive if the old pads are so worn that the EBP OFF-position is too forward?

Please don't take offense at my question - I'm genuinely interested in understanding how this technique works!

Don

[Hillbilly]

This has been asked numerous times and without getting technical it has been done quite successfully with a 12v car battery and a pair of wires after disconnecting the motor at the joint.

Next cheapest is Lucas's Carista then the OBD11.

Im interested in Doc777's response as well.

[doc_777]

Wow!! What a very interesting thread - lot's of "innovative" suggestions for avoiding a diagnostic device!!

doc_777- I'm intrigued, of course it's possible to use a piston-tool to force the piston back - but are you saying that it's possible to safely use a piston tool on the rear brakes which has an EPB?

I have seen a mechanic do this - but it required the physical removal of EPB motor first (removing the 2 x torx-head bolts on the motor housing). This ensured that when the EPB motor was re-fitted, the position of the drive mechanism was correct for handbrake-OFF with the new pad width.

With the EPB motor in situ - how can the piston tool work without damaging the electric EPB drive if the old pads are so worn that the EBP OFF-position is too forward?

Please don't take offense at my question - I'm genuinely interested in understanding how this technique works!

Don

Hey mate, no offense taken - far from it I think reasonable questions always deserve reasonable answers.

I'll admit up-front, I own an OBDEleven device. Have had one since the early days, and have lifetime "pro" - so no ongoing costs. That being said, when I tried to use it to retract the EPB when changing the rear pads on my T-Roc, I was unable to get it to work.

I also have a quite well equipped tool collection - among that being a brake piston wind-back kit. Used on many vehicles over many years. Gave it a go on the T-Roc, and worked perfectly well.

I was exchanging the near-new VW pads which are incredibly dirty, for some Bendix Euro+ which I've found over a couple of vehicles to be substantially cleaner.

Edit: to clarify, I did NOT remove the EPB drive motor from the rear of the caliper - I wound back the pistons with the motor still in-place. No apparent damage incurred.