Why are my Audi brakes squeaking? Causes, Solutions, Next Steps

Are there mice in my brakes?! They keep squeaking!

It can be embarrassing to drive up to a stop sign only to announce your brief stop with a wail or high pitched squeaking and screeching. Audi vehicles are far too elegant to announce their arrival with squealing brakes. There are several possible reasons for this annoying problem:

Are your new Audi brakes squeaking?

Brake noise in a brand new Audi is a fairly common issue. Audi uses high performance brakes which are semi-metallic. The metal particles in the brake pads will cause squeaking when they rub against the metal brake rotors, which is normal. Also, normal brake function causes brake dust to accumulate which can lead to squeaking. A quick way to resolve either issue is to stop. Stop hard! Test out those high performance brakes. Have a little bit of fun, just be sure to watch out for people behind you. This should quiet those brakes for you. Regular wear will eventually do the same trick. As the Audi Certified Technician says, one or so hard brakes a day keep the technicians away!

Your Audi brakes are squeaking and your brake pad light is NOT on…

This can be caused by brake dust, which is a combination of brake pad residue, dirt, and chemicals from the road (like the mag-chloride we Colorado drivers are so familiar with). Our Certified Audi Service Advisors can verify this on the service drive and ensure everything is okay.

Your Audi brakes are squeaking and your brake pad light is on…

How long has the light been on? When the light comes on, it does not necessarily indicate that you need to come in immediately. You have anywhere from 500 to 1,500 miles once that light has come on to schedule an appointment. You will likely need your front or rear brake pads replaced, and possibly the rotors as well.

Your Audi brakes are squeaking, your brake pad light is on, and your brake pedal goes all the way to floor with little resistance…

This means you need to come in sooner rather than later – as soon as possible. Functioning brakes are extremely important for safety reasons and we want to make sure you get them fixed right away. If you do not feel that your brakes are operating as they should, strongly consider towing in the vehicle. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Has your Audi brake squeaking now become Audi brake grinding?

The vehicle definitely needs to come in! Please call our customer care department to schedule a service appointment.

Audi Brake Service Details

Replacing just the front or rear brake pads usually takes two hours with paper work and car wash. You are welcome to wait in our customer lounge area, or we can provide you with alternate transportation. If both the front and rear pads need to be replaced, or if your vehicle also needs new rotors, the repair will take a bit longer and alternate transportation is recommended. We have to see the vehicle and diagnose the braking issue before we can say for sure how long the repair will take and how much it will cost. Please call to schedule an appointment (833) 825-5423.

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If the squeaking you are hearing is in fact a mouse problem, and not a brake problem, we would advise you to get a cat, and to read “Are rodents chewing the wiring in your Porsche or Audi?“, another article here on our blog.