My 2014 Audi RS5 with 20,000 miles had shuddering brakes. On Oct. 3, 2015 my local mechanic took all wheels off and we inspected the brakes. Visually we saw no problems, no blueing nor signs of overheating, or concerns with the rotors but they must be warped/out-of-round. He suggested I take it to the dealer, have them inspect the problem and the whole braking system.
On October 9, 2015 I took my car to Audi of Orland Park because they had earned a 2014 Magna Society Award. After an inspection, the Service Manager stated that the rotors have high and low spots, that I need new rotors and brake pads.
The Service Manager replied that Audi rotors must be replaced at 20,000 miles -he has replaced rotors every 13,000 miles on some customers cars
-I have never had changed rotors on any of our cars. I have had VW Bugs, Rabbit GTI and Jetta, Toyota SR5 and Land Cruiser FJ40, Mazda RX7, Chrysler Town & Country’s, Honda Accord’s and Oddysey, a Lexus RX350, plus I have had a Lexus RX330 and an Infiniti G35 last more than 90,000 miles. I have never had to replace a single brake rotor on any of those cars, only brake pads.
The Service Manager said that Audi brake rotors are thinner than other brands.
-According to my local mechanic, European manufacturers use thick pads and strong rotors on their vehicles for TUV certification. If Audi brake rotors are thinner, thus weaker than other brands' brake rotors, it is an engineering mistake on a 4,000lb GT car designed with torque vectoring and for use on European highways. If Audi brake rotors are getting warped without abuse it is a manufacturing defect.
The Audi of Orland Park Service Manager informed there was heat damage to the rotors and that he would show me.
-Remember that just 1 week earlier, my local mechanic and I visually inspected the brake rotors and we would have seen bluing and or cracks. The only thing the Service Manager was able to show me was brake pad residue on the rotors, nothing else.
A quick search on the internet revealed that a lot of owners have had warped rotors even from normal driving on RS5, RS7 and R8 models. Most were replaced under warranty or at Audi's expense, one replaced before delivery, another three times in 14,000 miles, and another with 29,000 with his second set of calipers, rotors and pads. There is clearly a subset of RS5s out there with lemon braking systems.
Also found that the flower rotors are a directional rotor, with internal webs designed to draw air through the center with centrifugal force expelling air out the rotor vanes to cool the rotor. However, Audi uses the same rotor for both sides, so on one side of the car the cooling vanes inside of the rotor are useless as they are working in reverse and air cannot flow against centrifugal force.
I am a 52 year old man living in a small rural community of 8,000 people. My 2 mile commute at a maximum speed of 30 mph involves 2 stoplights. This involves no overheating brakes, no hot brakes in stop and go traffic. I am gentle on the brakes, I don't slam on my brakes, and have never felt the ABS activate. My local mechanic deemed that it is highly abnormal that a rotor needs replacing on such a low-mileage car driven as I do, and that it must be a manufacturer's defect. If so, it should be done under warranty.
I feel this is a safety concern and feel unsafe on a brand new vehicle. I expected more from Audi of Orland Park and their Service Manager, as I was looking forward to be a loyal customer. I ask that Audi of America recognize this problem and take some responsibility by replacing the defective brake rotors and brake pads as they have done to other RS5 owners nationwide.
-My rotors and pads were replaced at no charge
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Originally Posted by ICU2
// @rs_cinqo
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