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The wife's RS4 went to Audi today for DRC work and whilst there they checked a squeal from the front brakes.

I was called earlier to say that the pads and discs are 90% worn at 20,000 miles- does this sound right? Surely the pads will wear before the discs as both are the originals. They wanted £1000 to start with for new front pads and discs but have dropped to £810 as we are "loyal customers". I know nothing mechanically but it seemed a bit strange to me.

I have asked them to keep the old parts if I go ahead but have no idea what I am looking at! Can anyone help?

Ian

Ian,

Have you always owned the car or did you buy it used? I bought mine used and had to have the discs and pads replaced, albeit the discs were warped by 20,000 miles. It depends largely on how they are used but it is known to happen.

If you have any technical or mechanical car nouse about you I beleieve there aree guides somewhere on here on how to change discs and pads but you could get the parts cheaper yourself I would imagine. Discs around £450-£500, pads £150-200.

HTH.

Also, if it is a squeal and I get that occassionally it is because I haven't been using them heavily, i.e light braking; they do like a bit of a going over every now and again. A sprirted drive and some hard breaking allowing them to cool with a drive with minimal brake usage afterward usually does the trick. I would have also thought you low break pad warning light would have come on by 90% worn?

Has the light come on on the dash?

20,000 is prety good for the pads (Dependign on drivingtstyle of course)

The light came on on my car at about 12K which I was pretty surprised about. (Previous BMW did 30K+ on its first set)

I was told that the discs would need replacing as well as they were under minimum thickness. Only being slightly cynical, (as well as being involved with engineering thus happening to have a micrometer in the car) I asked for confiormation of the minimum thickness and checked them myself.

Stangely, it would appear that the Audi technician was incapable of checking disk thickness....

An Audi tech wrong about easily replacable wear and tear items to generate more business? Surely not!

We have had it since new.

20,000 miles on the pads seemed reasonable, I was just surprised that the discs needed doing at the same time, I would have expected a couple of sets of pads per discs.

As for changing them myself, I can do tyre pressures, screen wash and oil and that is my limit!

I said that I would pop in later and have a chat with the technician and look at the parts before they do the work. Apparently, the warning light is just about to come on!!

At the moment it is stuck in the workshop waiting for a tool to check the pressure for the DRC issue.

IanWest wrote:At the moment it is stuck in the workshop waiting for a tool to check the pressure for the DRC issue.

I thought that was a thing of the past, and all dealers now had the tool - obviously not...

Who knows? It has had to remain static for 18 hours prior to the test apparently so they kept it overnight.

If your pads are 90% worn your warning light should have come on?


Also, are Audi saying the whole thickness of the brake discs is reduced below minimum limits??

Or

Do you have 3 noticeable scoring lines on each disc that have gone so far in it warrants a new disc?

The reason I ask is the pads have 6 copper pins embedded in them. When the pad wears past a certain point these pins make contact with the discs and light up the dash warning light. (see pics in this link)

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... c&start=30

The problem is the pins score the disc way before the warning light comes on and damage the disc to the point they can’t be reused.

I had a new set of pads put on under warranty at 18k. I noticed the scoring appearing on my discs at a very early stage (I was told by Audi several times before they gave in the pads still had 45% wear left!!) My winning argument was by the time the pad warning light came on, my discs would be knackered!!

Interestingly, Audi have since superseded the OE pads with a new version, my dealership couldn't tell me what was new about them but it wouldn't surprise me if they have altered the warning pin design.

I find it hard to believe your discs have simply worn down by 20k unless you spend most of your time on a track...

Replied on TT Forum

Audi told me my discs needed replaced at 18k but it was COMPLETE nonsense, the car has just hit 32k on the same discs and now they do need done Audi said I have 4k left in them, so which is it? Anyway I've bought my pads from ebay £149.99 + 9.99 postage (Audi quote £220 for the part alone) and my front discs from Virdee £495 delivered (Audi quote £686 for the part alone) so just on parts I saved £251 and im going to save a further £130 by fitting them myself totalling £380 and that's not to be sniffed at. (almost the exact cost of my up and coming vinyl wrap!)

My advice, have a good look at the discs yourself do they actually look worn or scored, do they have a major lip on them? Take what Audi say, forget it and then decide for yourself. why dont you post some pictures up?
I have had my car on the track 3 times and i drive it like a 'cock' daily - your discs should last to nearer 30k.

Has anyone written a guide to changing the pads and discs?

Not as yet, but if you could take pics during and post it up once your done - It would be much appreciated, I am sure! (I know I would use it)

The reason I ask is the pads have 6 copper pins embedded in them. When the pad wears past a certain point these pins make contact with the discs and light up the dash warning light. (see pics in this link)

It was my understanding that the pins are rivets and are nothing to do with the pad wear sensor. The problem is that the pad wears to the rivets which then scores the disc before the pad has worn down sufficiently to activate the wear sensor and the dash light.

All I'll say is we've have seen alot of cars recently, where the dealer has said front pads worn 60%, when they're like new....and 80%, when they're like only 50-60% worn in reality. And in most cases discs have been like new!

Greedy for work it seems to me!

Well brakes are all done but car is still with Audi. They are unable to cure a suspension fault. Apparently air is getting into the system and whenever they vacuum it out, it comes back.

They have replaced some lower suspension bits but can't find the problem!

Meanwhile we have a second Q7 on the driveway, they initially supplied a new A4 3.0 TDi but the wife hated it. Might have to push for another RS if it takes much longer. It doesn't help that the sun has been out now for a while and she wants her Cab back.

Well my car ius beginning the steering and body judders when braking over 50mph... seems that the discs have warped AGAIN! last replaced at 10k miles under warranty, now done 22k miles. I think Audi should cover the warping issue just as they have done with the DRC Issues.