2015 Audi Q5 needing upper control arms? Too soon?

[thechrisjones]

So I just took my Audi 2015 Q5 in due to a ripped CV Boot that leaked enough grease to damage the axle as well. After this service was complete I was told the brake pads have about 2k miles left and quoted me $765 dollars to replace the pads, rotors, and sensor. Is it normal to replace pads, rotors, and sensors when just the pads are getting low? What happen to just replacing pads lol?

He also noted the upper control arms have torn bushings and recommended replacing front leading and trailing upper control arms at a price of $1061 dollars! Does this sound right? Is this normal for an Audi Q5 with 45k miles?

Thanks in advance for your 2 cents!


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[djn876]

Ask for pictures of the control arms, there are some marks in the rubber bushing from the factory, and if that's what he is seeing then no. Some have had to do then early.

If 10xx is the total including the 765 for brakes, that's not bad. If it's 1061 for just arms, tell them to GTFO. You can buy them for a couple hundred for all 4 and then maybe an hour of labor per side, so maybe 500? Can't say for sure as I just so the work in the garage but 1k for that is silly.

If you don't have a brake pad wear light on in the dash, you can reuse the old sensors. Ask for the brake rotor thickness and service limit. If it's above the limit, reuse them. I did rear pads and left the rotors alone and they are perfectly fine. By 80k I'll probably need to do everything. I'm guessing the rotors are still above the service limit.

765 for all 4 brakes including rotors and pads isn't a bad price though if you have to. If this is a dealer, you can get the work done a lot cheaper at an Indy shop.

[thechrisjones]

I took it to a “well known” German motor works here locally. So was the $1,700 dollar bill for replacing a front CV Boot and axel a rip-off too?

I already got the vehicle back so I think it’s to late for pictures.

Quote from mechanic: Control arms (4) are $1061 and front brakes complete pads rotors and sensor are $765

No service lights for brakes yet. I’m gonna get a second opinion. Maybe the Audi dealer too.


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[djn876]

I don't really know what the axle entails, plus not quite sure what the part costs so it's hard for me to say on that. I'd probably shop around a little though as that does seem like a lot others will chime in here. It may just be that he is buying OEM parts, where you can go to some place like FCP euro, find the OE manufacturer and buy for them for a lot less and then let them cover the labor.

If the car isn't lowered you can get some decent pictures just from wheel well, pulling the wheel off provides the access you need ideally though.

[Spoogie]

So I just took my Audi 2015 Q5 in due to a ripped CV Boot that leaked enough grease to damage the axle as well. After this service was complete I was told the brake pads have about 2k miles left and quoted me $765 dollars to replace the pads, rotors, and sensor. Is it normal to replace pads, rotors, and sensors when just the pads are getting low? What happen to just replacing pads lol?

He also noted the upper control arms have torn bushings and recommended replacing front leading and trailing upper control arms at a price of $1061 dollars! Does this sound right? Is this normal for an Audi Q5 with 45k miles?

Thanks in advance for your 2 cents!


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Complete nonsense. The first thing shops try to get gullible owners to buy are control arms. Oldest trick in the book.

I've put 160k spirited miles on my Q5 and while the lower arm bushings were reported "worn" they didn't cause me any problems. I ultimately decided to replace upper and lower because I had access to a mechanic that would do it cheap using my parts, and I had a pulse while braking that turned out to be rotors. Upper labor for arms was $100, lower was $200.

Highly unlikely that you need either. When you do (in a few years when there are actually symptoms of something wrong), buy OE, which is Lemforder from FCPEURO. You'll need two ball joints too.

Ball Joints $62

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...trw-4g0407689c

Lowers $517

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...der-8k0407152f

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...der-8k0407151f

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...er-8k0407694ad

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...er-8k0407693ad

Uppers $263

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...1160500168hd-1

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...per-8k0407506a

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...1160500166hd-1

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...ear-8k0407510a

About brakes: sounds high. Again, get the OE parts from FCP and then find a reputable mechanic to put them on for $100. Also, I've been getting a lot more miles out of my brakes so you might want a second opinion on that wear.

[Novarider]

Next time ask them to show you the "damaged" or "torn" bushings. Even if you don't know what you're looking at you can see if rubber is torn or not and how bad it is. Also do the same thing for the brakes. If he says they'll be worn out in 2k miles you'll have very little pad left and it will be obvious. If you don't know what you're looking at ask the tech to point it out to you. It's your car don't be shy.

You can do this at the second opinion shop and the dealership as well. Any shop really. If they say it's off the lift already, tell them to put it back on the lift. If they refuse, don't let them do the work.

[uncleiggy]

You definitively have to ask for pictures. I recently revamped ALL my front suspension on my 2009 Q5 which has only been driven in poor 3rd world country roads for its entire lifetime.
Original suspension lasted for nearly 10 years, but as I plan to keep this car for a few more years I decided to do a complete suspension work (I had it done brakes and socks when I bough it 2 years ago). Bushes were dry as bone casing all sorts of "spring mattress" like noises, all gone after the revamp using a Meyle HD kit (10 pieces), now it's quiet as it should be, going over stop bumps is a joke now and no longer an unpleasant experience.
I could have get along with just pressing new bushes but to be honest, the price difference was like $400 more than a new kit including labor.

[thechrisjones]

Thank you for all the great advice! I will for sure start asking for pictures!

Audi said the break pads had 5mm left and they should be good for another 10k miles.

I’m gonna take it to budget breaks were the guy said he would give me a free break inspection.

If he said the rotors are still at spec and can be turned would it be better to go ahead and have him turn them and put new pads on versus waiting till the pad wear more and taking a chance the rotors can’t be turned down the road?




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[djn876]

You probably don't even need to touch the rotors at all, if the pads are low, throw new ones on and be done.

I haven't had to do fronts yet, and rotors will likely be low at that point anyway, the backs I changed the pads and nothing else. No odd wear, or issues of any kind. Did that several times on my WRX too, never a problem.

[S4'ed]

The front suspension design of the Q5 (and most other Audi models) puts alot of stress on the rubber bushings of the 2 upper control arms. These bushing start to exhibit surface cracking in as little as 30,000 miles, which Audi considers "normal". Above 70,000 miles, these cracks have progressed deep enough to weaken the rubber bushing to the point that the alignment is effected, and often loose enough to cause clunking noises when going over bumps. Unfortunately this complex double wishbone front suspension design is not as durable as more conventional designs (McPherson strut or conventional double wishbone), and replacement of the control arms is pretty typical before 100,000 miles. This has been an ongoing issue since the introduction of this suspension design in 1996 (or so).