Re: A4 squealing brakes update...

["Sean Ford" <sean@nwh.org>]

Would this be temperture related? 3 panic stops would warm those pads up
nicely.

Sean Ford
sean@nwh.org
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Newton, MA  02162 (USA)
'92 Audi 100CS 5spd  17K miles (and counting!)
'89 Suzuki Katana 600 14K miles (and hibernating)

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> From: John Legelis <fmrco!jlegelis@uunet.uu.net>
> To: uunet!coimbra.ans.net!quattro@uunet.uu.net
> Subject: A4 squealing brakes update...
> Date: Friday, March 21, 1997 9:22 AM
> 
> I took my 97 A4Q in for its first checkup at 4k miles to have a few
> things adjusted.  One of the biggest annoyances was the squealing brakes
> (rear?).  The noise particuarly irritated my wife, though I didn't find
> it so bad having driven my Alfa Spider for many years with very
> squeal-prone mettalic pads.  Anyhow, the service person called me and
> gave me the standard diatribe very similar to what's listed in the FAQ
> on Jet's A4 page, i.e. 
> 
> "The brake pads currently used by Audi are a semi-metallic type that are
> supposed to last longer than conventional pads, but they do tend to
> squeal"...
> 
> Having said that the service person did also mention that the pads tend
> to 'build up' when used lightly over extended periods, thus making them
> squeal prone.  'Build up' what, I asked?  No answer.  Anyhow, since my
> less-aggressive driving wife is the primary driver of the car, and since
> the brakes did not squeal when the car was new I took it upon myself to
> properly 'exercise' the brakes.  I found a lonely road late at night and
> performed three consecutive 60-0 panic type stops (my, the ABS works
> nicely).  Voila, no more squeal!   Maybe the service advisor new what
> she was talking about.  
> 
> Does anyone have any theories on why this 'abuse' of the braking system
> may have solved my problem?   It reminds my of the famous 'Italian Tune
> Up'(i.e rip around town and redline the motor a few times) prescribed
> for years my mechanics to clear the plugs on fouling-prone Alfa and
> Ferrari motors.  Crude, but effective.... :)