A8 Parts Forum - Could I easily adjust the EPB pad thickness? ...

A8 Parts Forum (https://forum.a8parts.co.uk/index.php)

- D3 - Axles, Brakes, Suspension and Steering (https://forum.a8parts.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=41)

- - Could I easily adjust the EPB pad thickness? ... (https://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=13099)

Could I easily adjust the EPB pad thickness? ...

I've had a few quirks on my A8's EPB in recent weeks but I've only just started to have the 'pad alarm' each time I start the car with the following VCDS faults logged after I clear the ECU DTCs.

Code:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 53: Parking Brake        Labels: 4E0-910-801.clb

   Part No SW: 4E0 910 801 A    HW: 4E0 907 801 

   Component: EPB  AV1C1010   H01 1010  

   Revision: AV1C1010    

   Coding: 0000221

   Shop #: WSC 13765 210 01865

   VCID: 1D31BE15C4600FAF07-8048



2 Faults Found:

02596 - Rear Brake Pads Worn 

            002 - Lower Limit Exceeded

             Freeze Frame:

                    Fault Status: 01100010

                    Fault Priority: 6

                    Fault Frequency: 6

                    Reset counter: 42

                    Mileage: 367920 km

                    Time Indication: 0

                    Date: 2017.06.05

                    Time: 14:14:55



             Freeze Frame:

                    Voltage: 12.42 V

                    Count: 60



02596 - Rear Brake Pads Worn 

            008 - Implausible Signal

             Freeze Frame:

                    Fault Status: 01111000

                    Fault Priority: 6

                    Fault Frequency: 2

                    Reset counter: 42

                    Mileage: 366704 km

                    Time Indication: 0

                    Date: 2017.04.24

                    Time: 10:03:12



             Freeze Frame:

                    Voltage: 12.63 V

                    Count: 61





-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The MVBs show a pad thickness of 2mm but the quick visual I did yesterday seems to indicate there's about 5mm!

I suspect the 'pad warning' comes up when the mechanism thinks the pad thickness is below 3mm. For 'economic reasons', I'd like to try and adjust the thickness up to 4mm to give me a few months more before possible replacement. Trouble is, it's not clear how I just do a 'thickness adjust' in isolation on an otherwise working system.

Can I do it 'engine on' as I don't have a battery charger/power supply?
Do I need to open/close manually with lever or electronically with VCDS before trying to adjust?
I've looked at the VCDS Wiki and it's not particularly helpful as to what's needed in what order?

Any advice gratefully received ...

Thanks - Julian

I would imagine you'd have to do the whole procedure like you were changing the pads, but input your new thickness.

Never tried it though so can't say for sure if it will accept part worn values

Unless the pad sensor wire has come adrift. Happened to Conquistador.

As far as I know, it'll accept part worn values. The procedure is on the ross-tech wiki

I have done this before, yes it works but you need to follow the written procedure for pads change to the letter, not just play around from memory like I did at first which caused even more error codes.

Thanks for all your replies Guys.

After trying to work out exactly what had to be done to just adjust pad thickness, I found the Ross-tech Wiki had too little detail. Somewhere else on the web had a more precise process which was basically:

1) Adjust the pad thickness [as per Ross Tech]
2) Then run the Function test [not sure that's explained on Ross Tech clearly]. Not forgetting the 'wait 30 secs' after function text completes. :Confused:
3) Clear the DTCs

This gave me confidence to have a go; however, that didn't work even after 4 attempts! [there's a Ross -tech Video saying you might have to do it several times, but I'm not sure why it would work on a 4th attempt if it didn't work on the first three :rolleyes:]. After that, I still had the same fault codes and the 'yellow' brake alarm in the DIS.

As a result decided I needed to spend some money and got my local [non Audi] Audi specialist to put new pads in anyway. No faults now but they would have done the proper Open Caliper, replace Pads, Close Caliper, Thickness Adjust, Function test, etc.

As an aside I asked for the old pads; the outer pads [the ones I could see] were 5mm - the inner ones were 2-3mm. And I see from the instructions that pad replacement should be done at 3mm, so they were due anyway.

Julian

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pug (Post 128995)

Unless the pad sensor wire has come adrift. Happened to Conquistador.

No sensors on the Parking Brake [back] pads on A8s :(

I had the same experience on my D3, the Inner Pads always wore much more than the outer which meant the usual quick visual through the wheel spokes was useless.

It might just be due to an incorrect calibration or no calibration being carried out last time they were changed. I had this on a D3 and it nearly caused the rear discs to be toast but they were just saved in time +++