Possible parking brake noise

[Simonbartlett]

Tonight I parked my car on the drive put in park, didn't engage parking brake, got out and locked. A few seconds after locking something sounded like the hand brake cycling a couple of times. Is this normal or an electrical problem, I'm hoping its the car doing a check of some sort. Thanks

[Lee S]

Normal. If you select park and engage the steering lock it does a built in calibration where it winds out and then in. Nothing to worry about and should maybe be done once in a while anyway to re adjust and exercise the motors and screws etc.

[Simonbartlett]

Great news thanks one less thing to worry about

[Johnmed]

Completely normal and in my opinion quite bleeding annoying. When you arrive somewhere relatively quietly, park up and walk away, Mr Audi decides the whole occasion has been just that bit too quiet.

Next thing:

whirrrrrrr,.. whirrrrrrrrrrrr,.... ..... whirrrrrrrr,.. whirrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

Classy!

[Lee S]

Why are you parking up and walking away without putting your handbrake on?

[Johnmed]

Originally Posted by Lee S

Why are you parking up and walking away without putting your handbrake on?

Cos it's in P!

[Lee S]

You should firstly use the EPB to secure the car no matter what the terrain is and then select the "Park" mode on the gearbox as extra security. Only using "Park" mode can cause wear to the locking pawl in your transmission (which, if it then shears, means your car will roll away) and, as you have noticed, cause frequent and unnecessary EPB calibrations, wearing out your EPB motors. Your hand has to pass over the EPB button twice when you stop, so what's the hardship in pulling the button up before you select "Park"? Better safe than sorry in my opinion but that's just me.... It's your car at the end of the day.

[Johnmed]

I take your point Lee. I use the EPB when at traffic lights etc and when parked not on level ground. However I'd always considered a pawl brake to be more than adequate on level ground.

Maybe I'll use it a bit more in future

[Simonbartlett]

Originally Posted by Lee S

You should firstly use the EPB to secure the car no matter what the terrain is and then select the "Park" mode on the gearbox as extra security. Only using "Park" mode can cause wear to the locking pawl in your transmission (which, if it then shears, means your car will roll away) and, as you have noticed, cause frequent and unnecessary EPB calibrations, wearing out your EPB motors. Your hand has to pass over the EPB button twice when you stop, so what's the hardship in pulling the button up before you select "Park"? Better safe than sorry in my opinion but that's just me.... It's your car at the end of the day.

I know you should and if not on level ground I always use the epb but my drive is perfectly level. I have always done this with Automatics and haven't broken a gearbox yet. I believe in America where nearly everyone drives an auto they actually call the hand brake an emergency brake and they hardly ever get used.

[Joe2.0E]

In the 5 years, I had a 2004 D3, I stopped using it unless I really needed to as it was the most unreliable set of components in the car. I had to replace the parking brake motors on both sides, the ecu and the switch in various stages over the first 3 years I had it.
One particular morning, the left hand motor had packed up in the on position on my driveway, much swearing and an hour later, I was mobile again.(There is a tool in the toolkit to manually unwind the caliper.)
Hence my reason for not using it.
The parts were revised a few times over the years and it may be more dependable on the later D3's but theres a lot to be said for a ratchet lever and a pair of steel cables.