Best Brake pads for Volkswagen Tiguan

Note: I've been using Powerstop Z23 disk/pads on front/back for few years.

I just finish installing new rotors/pads on my 2019 R-Line Tiguan - O.E.M. Hardware gave up at 34K Miles.... I installed A.P.R. front and rear rotors... HAWK Front & Rear Performance pads

Last time I did brakes on my Tiguan I did Centric high-carbon, coated rotors and Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic pads that I got off of Rockauto. They have 20k miles on them now and I have zero complaints. They just do what they are supposed to, and have almost zero dust. Perfect in my book.

Like others, I too run Zimmerman blank Z coats on both vehicles, EBC Red pads on the Beetle & Hawk 5.0 on the Tig.

Just turned 30K on my 18 SE 4 MO, oil changes at dealership every 10K and just replaced the rear brake pads myself. That's it - has been a reliable, comfortable car with a great size to mpg ratio.

Calipers cleaned up with new EBC pads, as well as a complete fluid flush.

I replaced front pads and rotors on my Tiguan, and afterwards, when going between D <-> R and applying the brakes, the first brake application causes a "clack" on both sides at the front. Pads are Bosch 1633A. spring clips (integral to pads) are seated properly. Pads and rotors were bedded properly. Wheel lug bolts torqued properly. I have the official instructions from VW. I've probably done ~20 brake jobs in my life, mostly Volvos (over half of those were sliding-caliper designs like the Tiguan's). What I tried (with no success): searching and searching and searching forums, only found 2 other people with a similar issue on FCP's Brake Replacement YouTube video measured and compared all latereral dimensions of the pad's plate between new and old, same dimensions re-installed the pads all bolts are torqued properly (caliper carrier 200 Nm; caliper pin bolts 35 Nm) found a Tech Bulletin from VW that mentions there are inner- and outer-specific orientation for the pads. This appears to apply only to the Genuine (labeled TRW) pads, as all 3 Bosch pads are identical in every way that I can discern bought a set of Genuine VW pads (labeled VW), ensured the correct orientation of pads according to the Tech Bulletin, and they still clack. pad backing plate dimensions are the same as the Bosch. Ack! More money! bought a set of genuine caliper carriers (with the thinking that perhaps when I wire-wheeled the old caliper carriers to remove rust, it took off too much material). I didn't install them because I measured all the dimensions that interface with the pads and the new are identical to the old.

The only other good thing from this visit is that they measured the brake pad thickness which confirmed that I need to replace the pads soon. We are currently at 59k and the rears are in the red at 3mm while the front was at 5mm.

Back from a 5 day trip and my car was parked with the park brake on. ( Auto brake) The result was the pads stuck ( rusted?) onto the discs. I had to speed up to "break" them loose. Pathetic quality!

I saw the same thing on our car. We are right under 4K miles and it seemed very ODD to me. Also def a lot of break dust. I have to wash the car/wheels at least once a week because they start turning dark grey.