Parking Brake jammed on today!
 

After months of distrust it finally happened - the top part of the display on the dash flicked up with a parking brake warning and usually, cycling it on and off a few times clears the issue.
This morning - Boom! Big red (!) symbol and bongs and gongs and the car is stuck solid.
Two hours spent locking and unlocking it intermittently and restarting to see if it would release and no joy, so called the AA. As soon as he got in, it released!!! Thankfully he could still see the red dash warning and even when the brake was off the top part of the display still has an amber warning.

I'll book it in this week and report back. What a pain in the backside these park brakes are....!

Seems I need a new caliper.... Any suggestions? Audi want top dollar of course! A few pattern alternatives but slightly wary on quality. A8 parts have been mailed but I know they'll be in short supply as these electronic park brakes are a curse when they go wrong!

Now it's freed off, I just hope it doesn't go through that calibrating process and lock on!

Thanks for any suggestions especially if you've dealt with this first hand.

I had mine replaced only couple of months ago. My local indy recommended TRW from Eurocarparts £230ish (apparently they manufacture Audi OEMs too). However, at the time they were out of stock, lead time would have been 2 weeks. So I had to buy OEM Audi one for about £530...

Refurbishing could be an option - if you are able to wait when it's done. You can get the brake motor separately but I think that too was something like £250?

Really sorry to hear that mate.
Have you tried in Germany
http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_odkw=...en+4e&_sacat=0

http://www.mister-auto.co.uk/en/cali...17920_g78.html
£250 at Mr Auto for new TRW OE ones.

I forgot about mister auto. I used them this week for the first time after your recommendation and they are really really good. Smashing prices on quality parts and express delivery is express which always helps.
Hate suppliers which state stuff is in stock but it isn't.
Cheers snapdragon +++

Hugely helpful guys, thanks lots. That mister auto link looks very good. I'll see if my local Indy can source and fit early next week.

Try autopartsuk.com. I found them by accident in Govan two weeks age and, for example, the rear (D2) brake discs (Brake Engineering) and Mintex rear pads were £32 and £12.95 respectively compared with Mintex discs and pads at £53.10 and £35.94 from Mister -Auto.

Auto-parts are a subsidiary of Arnold clark which surprised me.

Try Brake Engineering:
http://www.brake-eng.com/Contact-Us/

Their site links to TRW and they provide from them. Think you have to phone for a cost but you can check the caliper you require:

http://catalogue.brake-eng.com/

Not sure whether they will be cheaper but comparisons are always worthwhile.

Well.... A little further digging reveals that the park brake motors are available separately from the whole caliper assembly as pictured.

Two motors should be with me by the morning and I'll then get my Indy to fit.

Fingers crossed it all works out. £250 a side but better than forking out for an entire caliper each.

Highlighted figure no. 7 and associated bolts/o ring is the motor assembly.