[zdravke]

After 4-5 BMWs in a row, I'm back to Audi and not really impressed. All the bugs aside, I don't remember when was the last time I could hear brakes when braking in any of the cars I owned in the last 23 years or so, but now I do and it's quite annoying. Not to mention that they are used instead of e-brakes for no apparent reason at all, wasting brake pads, discs, energy and my nerves. They are very audible on low speed maneuvering, so I can always tell when they are engaged. Almost as if they used sandpaper instead of brake pads.

I just wanted to check if this is "normal". I have only around 3570 kms on the clock.

 

[Chasing Cars]

Welcome to the forum.

I have to agree that the noise from the pads/disks rubbing seems exceptionally loud on E-trons.

 

[coski]

I have an e-tron 55 SUV that's over one year old with approximately 3,000 miles. The mechanical brakes are loud because they aren't used regularly with enough force to prevent surface rust from forming and this is the sandpaper sound you are hearing. I was able to fix the problem on my vehicle and quiet the brakes by following some of the steps required for bedding in new brake pads. On a long road with no stoplights or traffic, I repeatedly accelerated to 35-40 MPH, shifted to Neutral and aggressively braked to about 5 MPH. After about 10 repetitions of this, I drove without braking long enough for the pads to cool down. If you do this, avoid braking to a stop. Shifting the transmission into Neutral before braking ensures that the friction brakes are applied rather than the regenerative brakes. I expect to have to repeat this procedure every few months.

 

[pressurized]

This method will clear the brakes effectively but I don't think you have to do the repeated aggressive braking thing. While I typically hear the scraping when I brake to a stop at the end of my street at the start of the day and after a couple more stops after that, it's pretty much gone after a few stops - typically. Basically you just need to do a few rotations of the discs with the brakes applied, in my experience. But you are absolutely right that braking in neutral stops recuperative braking in favour of only mechanical at any speed.

 

[Chasing Cars]

I agree, it goes away fairly quickly with normal driving.

I also find that the longer the car stands unused the bigger the rust build up, which is noticable by an even louder 'dragging disk' kind of noise.

 

[tjc1800]

Agreed, after almost 2 years and 17000 miles my 55 technik has always made a very noticeable brake rubbing noise in normal use. Passengers even ask what it is!! To be honest, I thought it was quite funny. My other car, a 17 year old v6 JDM MPV, has always made similar noises and I thought there was something wrong with it, even taking it to my mechanic on numerous occasions with no issues found. The fact I could lease a brand new £70k Audi that made terrible braking noises just like my old Nissan made me think my old car must be ok!! !! I assume it's nothing to worry about and it doesn't bother me. I might think differently if I had actually purchased the Audi with my own money I suppose though!!!

 

[pressurized]

To be clear here, the grinding/scraping noises we are talking about here are only experienced as the car is braked to a stop below somewhere around walking pace, correct?
If the noises are occurring at speeds any higher than this in normal driving (i.e. not in neutral), then I'm quite certain that the car has a problem!

 

[Chasing Cars]

To be clear here, the grinding/scraping noises we are talking about here are only experienced as the car is braked to a stop below somewhere around walking pace, correct?
If the noises are occurring at speeds any higher than this in normal driving (i.e. not in neutral), then I'm quite certain that the car has a problem!

Yes and no. I get it as I pull away (no braking) and it deminishes as I start to increase speed. Road and wind noise probably masks it as the car gets into the 30mph range. The first braking more or less clears it and by later in the journey it is gone ..... until next time.

 

[Fitzie]

I get noisy breaks every Monday after the car had sat for the weekend, when it is damp out. A couple of stopights later, they are quiet again

 

[polyphonic]

Welcome to VW group vehicles. Mine squealed the whole ownership period. Fundamentally disagree that this is necessary for braking performance in a street car. Stick to BMW or other brands if you don’t want to hear this annoying sound.