What causes the brake noise in Audi Q5?
3 Answers
Audi Q5's brake noise may be caused by the following reasons: 1. Use of low-quality or overly hard brake pads: If inferior or excessively hard brake pads are used, they may produce a squeaking sound when rubbing against the brake discs during braking. 2. Presence of sand or foreign objects between the brake pads and discs: Due to the unique design of disc brakes, some sand or foreign objects may inevitably get between the brake pads and discs, causing noise during braking. 3. Severe wear of brake pads: If the brake pads have not been replaced for a long time and their wear reaches the warning line, they will emit a squeaking alarm sound, indicating the need for replacement.
I've been driving my Q5 for over three years, and occasional screeching sounds during cold starts are quite normal. It's mostly caused by the crystallization of the brake pad surface layer, especially noticeable in northern winters. During the last maintenance, the mechanic mentioned that Audi's OEM brake pads have a high metal content, which provides good heat dissipation but tends to generate noise. I remember one morning after rain, every time I braked to a stop in the first ten minutes, there was a 'squeaking' sound, but it went away after driving for a while and wearing off the water film. However, if the abnormal noise persists when the car is warmed up, you should check if the brake discs have developed grooves or if aftermarket brake pads were installed last time. My neighbor's Q5 sounded like an ambulance all the time after installing aftermarket pads, and it only quieted down after switching back to OEM parts.
Our repair shop commonly encounters three situations with Audi Q5 brake noise. First, the running-in period noise of newly replaced brake pads, which usually disappears within 500 kilometers. Second, the anti-rust paint layer on the edge of the brake disc not being completely ground off, which can be seen by the rust-colored friction marks when the wheel is removed. Third, the caliper guide pin not retracting smoothly. Last winter, we handled a Q5 with noise from the right front wheel, where the guide pin grease solidified at minus fifteen degrees, causing brake drag. We also encountered a special case: a car owner washed their car with a high-pressure water gun, which flushed a stone into the brake pad gap, causing a 'click' sound with each rotation. It is recommended to lightly brake a few times at low speed after washing the car.
