How do brake pads work?

To slow your car down or bring it to a stop, your brake pads are used to clamp down on either side of the brake discs attached to your rear wheels, to create friction and reduce speed.

Audi

Audi AG is a German automobile manufacturer, established over 100 years ago in April 1910, and has been owned by the Volkswagen Group since the 1960s.

How popular is Audi in the United Kingdom?

This marque design and engineer luxury vehicles and distributes them worldwide. In the UK alone, there were over 1.7m Audi vehicles on the roads in the final quarter of 2018; a number that is continually growing year after year, and has more than doubled in the past decade.

Audi’s success can be attributed to its ability to move with the times, retaining its reputation as a prestige manufacturer and as part of the ‘big 3’ German marques responsible for high sales throughout the world market, alongside Mercedes and BMW.

Luxury executive vehicles for every type of driver

Audi’s current range features predominantly luxury executive and family cars of varying sizes: with compact to full-size saloons, coupés and sportback models, complemented by a growing range of SUV and sports car models.

Vorsprung durch Technik

The Audi brand is easily recognisable by their 4-ring logo—originally representing the four car companies to create Audi’s predecessor company, Auto Union—and their world famous slogan that ran for over 30 years, translated as ‘Being ahead through technology’. Despite no longer being used in their mainstream marketing, the meaning behind it still stands true of the brand today.

Audi: A sensation in rallying motorsport

Throughout the 1980s the Audi Quattro was famous for dominating rallying worldwide. The introduction of their four-wheel drive turbocharged model went on to win the World Rally Championships in both 1983 and 1984 and amassed a number of podium finishes and titles throughout the decade, all across the globe.

Audi’s reliability and reputation

Audi ranked 20th place out of 30 car brands in the What Car? Reliability Survey in 2018. Audi’s reputation for creating reliable running vehicles has steadily improved over time to become a strong contender to some of the Asian brands that have continued to dominate in this area.

How often should brake pads need replacing?

Symptoms of malfunctioning brakes

Your car doesn’t slow down or stop as well as usual

If you feel that your brakes don’t work as well as normal or they don’t seem to provide the normal level of performance, then your brake pads could be damaged or worn out.

You can hear a squeaking or grinding noise when you brake

Any unusual sounds coming from your brakes during their operation could be a sign that the brake pads are damaged or worn down to the base plate metal.

Your brake warning light on the dashboard is illuminated

If any of your dashboard warning lights are illuminated, the sensor that detects problems or worn out parts and components has detected an issue and activated the system.

The brake pedal is in a lower position than usual

Any change of position in your brake pedal could be because of a problem with the brake pads, discs or brake fluid.

The car vibrates under braking

Excessive movement or vibration when braking could be due to problems with brake pad or disc positioning, or state of repair.

When your car pulls to one side under braking

If only one brake is working correctly, it can cause your car to pull in the direction of the functioning brake.

What happens when we replace your brake pads?

• Our efficient and fully qualified mechanics will inspect the brake system for signs of wear, damage and breakage.

• They will establish which brake pads need to be replaced and fit new ones as necessary.

• You will also be advised of any other parts that may need to be replaced for the best operation and health of your vehicle.

• Once the brake pads have been replaced, our mechanics will test it thoroughly to ensure the correct operation of the new parts and make any adjustments required for premium performance.

What causes your brake pads to stop working correctly?

The main reason your brake pads will stop functioning correctly is usually down to general wear. Over time and constant use, the friction material on the surface of the brake pad will wear out.

It’s also possible that foreign objects thrown up from the road can become trapped in the braking system can cause damage to the brake pads. The failure of other brake system components could lead to the incorrect operation, jamming or failure of your brake callipers, causing excessive wear or damage to your brake pads.