A461523 2034181-

Technical Service Bulletin
46 Brake noise analysis and handling
46 15 23 2034181/12 October 13, 2015. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 46 number 15-02 dated
February 9, 2015 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)
Year
VIN Range
Vehicle-Specific Equipment
All
2012 - 2016
All
Not Applicable
Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision
Date
Purpose
12
-
Revised header data (Added models)
11
2/9/2015
Revised header data (Removed models)
Revised attachments (Updated questionnaire)
10
1/29/2015
Revised header data (Added models)
The customer may report hearing brake noise from front or rear brakes. The customer may describe these noises
as a squeal, squeak, grinding, groaning, thumping, or creaking.
Note: DO NOT use this TSB if there is another brake noise TSB applicable to the VIN. For additional
information, refer to the Audi Brake systems brochure.
Technical Background
Brake noise can be attributed to many causes. Eight of the most common causes are:
1. Brake discs or brake pads are close to or below their wear limit.
2. New brake pads and/or discs have not been properly imbedded after installation.
3. Aftermarket pads or discs are installed.
4. There is debris (such as small stones, grit, road salt, or sand) between brake disc and brake pad.
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Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
5. Discs are covered with rust. Rust can form when
the vehicle has not been driven for a long period of
time (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Disc covered with rust.
6. Discs are grooved (Figure 2).
Figure 2. Grooved disc.
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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
7. There is chemical contamination on the braking
surface of the brake disc due to wheel or tire
cleaner being sprayed directly onto the brake disc
(Figure 3 and Figure 4).
Figure 3. Discoloration on the brake disc due to
chemical contamination from cleaner that was sprayed
directly onto the disc.
Figure 4. Small spots and discoloration due to chemical
contamination from cleaner that was sprayed directly
onto the disc.
© 2015 Audi of America, Inc.
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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
8. There are “pad marks” on the brake disc as a result
of brake pad material transferring to the discs
(Figure 5). Pad marks can occur when a vehicle has
been parked for long periods of time in a wet or
snowy environment.
Figure 5. Brake pad material has transferred to the
discs.
Production Solution
Not applicable.
Service
For vehicles within the New Vehicle Limited Warranty, Audi of America is requesting your cooperation in supplying
us with technical information regarding brake noise.
1. Check the overall condition of the brakes to determine if the brake noise is caused by one of the causes listed
in the Technical Background section of this bulletin. If the noise is not a result of one of these causes, proceed
with the following steps.
2. Determine the location of the brake noise (e.g., left front, front axle, rear axle, etc.):
• Knowing the location of the noise on the vehicle is critical to properly addressing the concern.
• It may be necessary to have an assistant listening from inside or outside of the vehicle to accurately
determine the location.
3. Obtain a sound or video recording and fill out questionnaire:
• The sound recording can be from a cell phone as long as the noise can be clearly identified.
• Recordings submitted by customers are also acceptable.
• In order to minimize file size, only sound recordings are necessary. Videos should only be sent if it is critical
for understanding the conditions under which the noise occurs.
• Fill out as much information as possible in the questionnaire. Some fields are mandatory.
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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
4. Clean the brake pads and discs:
1. With careful consideration of the traffic situation, perform between 2 and 5 ABS stops from speeds above
50 mph. Between each ABS stop, allow the brake components to cool by driving the vehicle for more than
one minute at speeds greater than 50 mph.
2. Let vehicle sit for two hours to cool down.
3. Test drive again:
• If the noise was not eliminated after completion of steps 1 and 2, open a Technical Assistance Center
(TAC) ticket using the instructions below. Contact TAC before replacing any parts.
• If the noise was eliminated, provide feedback using the instructions below.
If a TAC ticket was opened, include the following
information with the TAC ticket:
If a TAC ticket was not opened, email the following
information to [email protected]:
• Completed Brakes Acoustic Questionnaire
• In the subject line, type out the VIN
• Sound or video recording
• Attach the following to the email:
• Photos of the affected brake discs and pads that
clearly show the condition of the braking surface
• Completed Brakes Acoustic Questionnaire
• Sound or video recording
• Photos of the affected brake discs and pads that
clearly show the condition of the braking surface
• In the body of the email, include:
• Dealer code
• VIN
• RO number
• Mileage
© 2015 Audi of America, Inc.
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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.
Technical Service Bulletin
Warranty
Claim Type:
Use applicable claim type. If vehicle is outside any warranty, this Technical Service
Bulletin is informational only.
Service Number:
Front - 4617
Damage Code:
0020
Labor Operations:
Clean brake pads and discs
4617 8099
70 TU
No allowance
0 TU
Includes: Road tests, submission of audio file and
questionnaire
Diagnostic Time:
GFF
Technical diagnosis at dealer’s discretion
(Refer to Section 2.2.1.2 and Audi Warranty Online for DADP allowance details)
Claim Comment:
As per TSB #2034181/12
All warranty claims submitted for payment must be in accordance with the Audi Warranty Policies and Procedures
Manual. Claims are subject to review or audit by Audi Warranty.
Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2034181) are subject to change and/or removal. Always
check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.
© 2015 Audi of America, Inc.
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All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior
expressed written permission of the publisher.