Squeaking Brakes? Maybe?

rubber squeak

Never heard of a rubber squeak coming from brakes, but just fyi that I believe the rear brakes wear out faster than the front on these cars. I experienced it first hand and it's been discussed in this forum before and I believe that's the fact.
"That's the Fact Jack"

Thanks I'll have to take a look at them.

In my experience a squeak that happens as you let off the brakes is usually the brake pedal pivot or where the master cylinder attaches to the pedal. It can be hard to tell that the squeak is actually coming from inside the car.

esse10 said:

but just fyi that I believe the rear brakes wear out faster than the front on these cars.

Click to expand...

I used to think this too. I replaced my rear brake pads the first 3 times at 30, 60 and 90k miles. Then I discovered that VW had added return springs on the parking brake cables in later model years:

Volkswagen New Beetle 2.0 Braking Parking Brake Hardware - ECS Tuning

VWVortex.com - Parking brake is not releasing as it should

Since adding these my highway gas mileage has gone up by 1-2 mpg and I've had very little brake wear in 40k miles.

Sticking or misadjusted parking brake cables can be part of the problem as well:

VWVortex.com - DIY - Replacing and adjusting e-brake cables on a MKIV car

Thanks! Went and ordered those springs right away. It has been in the single and negative digits for weeks here in Michigan so I'm thinking that had something to do with it. This sound did start happening after I started using the parking brake because I thought it was broken the first month I had the car. Going to replace all brake lines in the next to months because the parking brake doesn't work unless it is pulled almost all the way up.

good to know

red99 said:

I used to think this too. I replaced my rear brake pads the first 3 times at 30, 60 and 90k miles. Then I discovered that VW had added return springs on the parking brake cables in later model years:

Volkswagen New Beetle 2.0 Braking Parking Brake Hardware - ECS Tuning

VWVortex.com - Parking brake is not releasing as it should

Since adding these my highway gas mileage has gone up by 1-2 mpg and I've had very little brake wear in 40k miles.

Sticking or misadjusted parking brake cables can be part of the problem as well:

VWVortex.com - DIY - Replacing and adjusting e-brake cables on a MKIV car

Click to expand...

It's good info. to know and thanks but I don't believe my rear brakes are stuck slightly because of the handbrake cable. If one of my brakes was slightly sticking I would know. Thanks for the info though.