a4 discs question
Discussion
question from a chum can anyone help?:
At 34,000 miles on a 2001 A4 (Tdi 130) there is some vibration under hard braking. The car has had an easy life (careful female owner) and has been serviced on schedule and just had new front tyres. The dealer is only too happy to replace the front discs (and pads) for £270. Is this too early for warped discs on a car like this? If so could it be a warranty item? Is there anyone who would give me an unbiased view on their condition as I do not trust Audi dealers as far as I can comfortably throw them?
At 34,000 miles on a 2001 A4 (Tdi 130) there is some vibration under hard braking. The car has had an easy life (careful female owner) and has been serviced on schedule and just had new front tyres. The dealer is only too happy to replace the front discs (and pads) for £270. Is this too early for warped discs on a car like this? If so could it be a warranty item? Is there anyone who would give me an unbiased view on their condition as I do not trust Audi dealers as far as I can comfortably throw them?
I doubt you will find anyone who will replace discs/pads under warranty unless they have actually fallen to bits of their own accord; wear depends so much on driving style and usage. I had to replace the brakes on my wife's car as the previous owner had driven it so little the discs had rusted and then worn odd grooves into the pads.
A visual inspection should give you a rough guide as to whether it's worth changing them. New discs are smooth and flat, worn ones will have grooves or ridges in them, maybe lips at the inner and outer edges and in the worst case hairline cracks.
Other things than can cause that sort of vibration are wheel balance and wheel bearing problems; the former you can get rechecked cheaply at any tyre place, latter you'll probably only diagnose by removing the wheels and brake pads then turning the hub by hand to see if you can feel any roughness.
HTH
AdrianR
BTW, I'm assuming here that 'heavy braking' doesn't mean so hard as to get the ABS to cut in.
A visual inspection should give you a rough guide as to whether it's worth changing them. New discs are smooth and flat, worn ones will have grooves or ridges in them, maybe lips at the inner and outer edges and in the worst case hairline cracks.
Other things than can cause that sort of vibration are wheel balance and wheel bearing problems; the former you can get rechecked cheaply at any tyre place, latter you'll probably only diagnose by removing the wheels and brake pads then turning the hub by hand to see if you can feel any roughness.
HTH
AdrianR
BTW, I'm assuming here that 'heavy braking' doesn't mean so hard as to get the ABS to cut in.
Just changed the pads and discs on my A4 2.5 tdi.May well be the same as your car.Would have been £65 for pads and £40 each a disc,original parts.Took an hour to change.Seems Audi are charging a good labour rate.Got some German discs and pads from Europarts,cost £90.Just bed them in this weekend (300 miles) and work very well.
Warranty on that kind of stuff is not easy,if impossible to get.
Warranty on that kind of stuff is not easy,if impossible to get.
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