Brake pads are one of the most crucial components of your Audi not only do they help you stop, but they also help prevent damage to your Audi’s rotors.
Randomly getting a brake pad warning light coming on your dash can be quite alarming, but the good news is that there are many causes of this light coming on and they aren’t all bad.
In this article, I will go over some common reasons why your Audi brake pad warning light might be coming on as well as how to fix them
What Does the Audi Brake Pad Light Warning Mean?
The Audi brake pad light warning is an important indicator of your car’s braking system.
This warning light is designed to alert the driver when the brake pads have worn down to a level where they need to be replaced but sometimes other things like bad sensors, low brake fluid, and damaged rotors can trigger this.
Audi Brake Pad Warning Light Causes
From my personal experience, there are a couple why your Audi brake pad warning light might come on, here are the main ones:
Worn Brake Pads
The most common cause of the brake pad warning light coming on is worn brake pads.
Audi brake pads come with a brake pad wear Sensor, which is responsible for gauging the thickness of your brake pads and if they are worn down to a certain point, the sensor will send a signal up to the ABS module.
If this happens, it will illuminate the Audi brake pad warning light on your dashboard.
To check if your brake pad warning light has come on because you are low on brake pads, measure the thickness of both rear and front brakes.
If they’re less than 1.5mm thick, then it is time to get new ones.
Audi recommends changing pads every 48 000km – 116200 Km (30 000 – 70 000 miles).
If your car falls in this range and you have not changed your brake pads, then it is time to get them replaced.
Bad Brake Pad Sensor
After working on so many Audis, I can definitely say that the brake pad sensor is one of the most common problems with them.
As I mentioned above these sensors are very important for your car to know when your brake pads are low.
The sensor sends information to the vehicle’s computer which then lights up a warning light on your dashboard.
If one of these sensors goes bad then it will likely cause the brake pad warning light to come, on. since they are malfunctioning and not sending the correct information to your vehicle.
The best way to tell that the brake pad warning light is caused by a bad sensor/sensor instead of the brake pads themselves is:
- The thickness of your brake pads is good.
- Your brake fluid levels are fine.
If both of these things are normal then it’s likely that your brake pad warning light is just caused by one or more bad sensors.
Fortunately, these sensors are relatively easy to replace, you can either buy the sensors separately or buy new brake pads which come with the sensors.
here is a video on how to replace them yourself
Other Potential Causes for a Brake Pad Warning Light on an Audi
Although the causes above are the main causes, it’s important to remember that many other factors could be causing your brake pad warning light on an Audi (Although rare causes)
1. Low Brake Fluid
Brake fluid is very crucial for your Audi’s braking system the main purpose is to transfer the force from the brake pedal to the brakes themselves, slowing down or stopping your car.
If the brake fluid gets below the minimum required level it can cause all sorts of braking issues including a braking system malfunction light. I would advise you to check the brake fluid level as well every few months and change it at least every 18-24 months
2. Damaged Brake Rotors
Brake rotors also known as discs are part of your Audi’s braking system and are responsible for the friction that slows down your car.
If they get damaged, warped, or lose it can cause a braking pad light to come on. Typically Brake Discs don’t wear down as quickly and can be replaced independently of the brake pad.
That is why it is a rare occurrence for brake pad light to be caused by bad brake rotors but it still can happen.
How to Reset the Audi Brake Pad Warning Light?
Now, that I have comprehensively explained the main causes for this, let’s look at how to fix and reset the warning light on your Audi.
- Check the brake pads: If the brake pads are worn then you can simply replace them.
- If the brake pads are in good condition, then you will need to change the sensors on the brake pads. the process is similar to changing brake pads but you only changing the sensors.
- Check Brake fluid level: Top it up if it’s below the minimum required level.
- Inspect the rotors for cracks, wear, or damage.
- Use an OBD scanner or Disconnect the battery for 10 minutes to reset the system and the brake pad light.
Additional Sources
https://www.audinorthmiami.com/how-long-do-brake-pads-last-miami-fl.htm
https://haynes.com/en-au/tips-tutorials/how-check-thickness-your-brake-pads
https://www.tomorrowstechnician.com/audi-brake-pad-wear-sensor-operation-and-service/