Volkswagen Passat Brake Pads: Specs, Fitment & Wear Symptoms
If your Passat has an electronic parking brake, DIY rear pad replacement without the right tool can genuinely leave the car immobilised.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — front pads (aftermarket) Brembo P 85 144 / Bosch 0 986 494 660
| Front brake pads (aftermarket) | Brembo P 85 144 (175 x 70 x 20 mm, wear contact included 200 mm, TRW/Lucas/Girling system, WVA 24738 and 25217); Brembo P 85 126X (160 x 65 x 20 mm, wear contact included 175 mm, TRW/Lucas/Girling system, WVA 25683 and 25684); Brembo P 85 146 (155 x 66/72 x 20 mm, wear contact included 145 mm, ATE/Teves/Continental system, WVA 23587, 23588 and 24696); Bosch 0 986 494 660 (160.2 x 64.5 x 20.4 mm, integrated wear sensor, WVA 25086); ATE 13.0460-2785.2 (160.0 x 64.5 x 20.4 mm, wear contact included 171.5 mm, TRW/Lucas/Girling system, E1 90R-02A0335/0074); ATE 13.0460-2617.2 (175 x 70 x 20 mm, wear contact included 185 mm, TRW/Lucas/Girling system, E1 90R-02A0334/0337); Ferodo FDB4433 (height 64.6 x thickness 20.2 mm, wear contact included, TRW/Lucas/Girling system, WVA 25086 and 25684). |
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| Pad sizes & variants | Three front sizes: 155 x 66-72 x 20 mm for the ATE/Teves caliper (WVA 23587 / 23588 / 24696, with the Ridex 402B0009 equivalent listed for cars built up to November 2016), 160 x 65 x 20 mm for the standard TRW/Lucas/Girling caliper (WVA 25086 / 25683 / 25684), and 175 x 70 x 20 mm for the larger TRW/Lucas/Girling brake (WVA 24738 / 25217). |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | None quoted in catalogue listings — order genuine pads against your VIN |
| Fitment notes | The caliper maker decides the pad: ATE-calipered cars take the 155 mm set, TRW-calipered cars take the 160 x 65 mm set, and the higher-output models with the bigger front brake take the 175 x 70 mm set; all sets listed include a wear-warning contact, with the ATE sets described as prepared for and supplied with the contact. The only build-date note is the Ridex 402B0009 155 mm set, limited to cars up to November 2016. |
A Genuinely Critical Warning If Your Passat Has an Electronic Parking Brake — Volkswagen Passat Brake Pads
Some models in this range use an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) on the rear, which genuinely changes the pad replacement job — the caliper houses a small motor that must be put into a "service mode" using a diagnostic scan tool (VCDS or OBDeleven) before the piston can be safely retracted. Skipping this and simply forcing the piston back with a standard caliper tool risks genuinely serious damage: documented cases include a torn piston seal and the parking brake becoming permanently stuck engaged, leaving the car unable to move at all without recovery.
Volkswagen Passat Brake Pads: Brake Pads Are One of the Few Truly Universal Parts
Every version of the Passat uses brake pads that wear down through normal use — the only real variable is how quickly, which depends on engine, trim, and (where fitted) whether the car has any form of regenerative braking to ease the load.
Volkswagen Passat Brake Pads: Watch: Replacing It
B8, pads only.
Volkswagen Passat Brake Pads: What They Do
Brake pads clamp against the discs to convert the car's momentum into heat, slowing it down. On any version of the Passat with hybrid assistance or regenerative braking, this system handles a meaningful share of everyday slowing, which can genuinely extend pad life compared with a purely petrol or diesel equivalent.
Common Sizes
| B7/B8 generation (2010 onwards), front pads | Sized to match the 312mm disc/caliper on this tier. Pad size genuinely scales with engine output and trim on this model, not just the disc diameter — always confirm the exact pad against your VIN rather than assuming from generation alone. |
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| B7/B8, rear pads | Sized to match the 300mm disc/caliper on this tier. Pad size genuinely scales with engine output and trim on this model, not just the disc diameter — always confirm the exact pad against your VIN rather than assuming from generation alone. |
| B5 generation, front pad | Genuinely a distinct part number from the row above on this same axle — trim or package differences like this typically mean a physically different pad, not just a relabelled one. |
| Current generation (2021), rear pad | Genuinely a distinct part number from the row above on this same axle — trim or package differences like this typically mean a physically different pad, not just a relabelled one. |
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Volkswagen Passat Brake Pads: Wear Symptoms, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Brake Pads Guide for warning signs to watch for, confirming fitment against your VIN, and R90-certified aftermarket brands worth trusting.
More Volkswagen Brake Pads
The same part, covered across other Volkswagen models.