# Brakes squeaking when backing up at low speed, but not really during normal driving?



## davera3 (Jul 26, 2014)

Just came back from Watkins Glen with my A3. Definitely put some wear on my stock brakes and pads, although no brake fade (Had high temp fluid in there FWIW).
But now backing out of the garage, I'm getting a nice loud squeak which does not seem to really be there (perhaps just a little?) while driving forward a similar or faster speeds.
Any suggestions on the cause? I'm assuming I need some new pads, but I'm just curious if someone can tell me the reason of why there would be the noise while backing up, but not while driving forward.

Thanks in advance!


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## troeg (Dec 3, 2014)

davera3 said:


> Just came back from Watkins Glen with my A3. Definitely put some wear on my stock brakes and pads, although no brake fade (Had high temp fluid in there FWIW).
> But now backing out of the garage, I'm getting a nice loud squeak which does not seem to really be there (perhaps just a little?) while driving forward a similar or faster speeds.
> Any suggestions on the cause? I'm assuming I need some new pads, but I'm just curious if someone can tell me the reason of why there would be the noise while backing up, but not while driving forward.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


I noticed this almost since the day I bought my S3. Weird thing is, it usually only occurs when backing out of my driveway in the morning and never again (some days I don't hear it either). It was more frequent this past winter.


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## ryandbrewer (Nov 16, 2012)

exact same thing here. only when backing up.


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## tekmo (Nov 30, 2013)

My brakes are squeaking sometimes first thing in the morning as i pull out of parking lot (not backing up), but not all the time. I also get a weird squeak right at the end if i come to a full stop slowly, and barely applying my foot on the brakes (about half way); if i brake hard, no noise though.

Any suggestion on aftermarket replacement pads/rotors for these cars?


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## araemo (Dec 9, 2012)

davera3 said:


> Just came back from Watkins Glen with my A3. Definitely put some wear on my stock brakes and pads, although no brake fade (Had high temp fluid in there FWIW).
> But now backing out of the garage, I'm getting a nice loud squeak which does not seem to really be there (perhaps just a little?) while driving forward a similar or faster speeds.
> Any suggestions on the cause? I'm assuming I need some new pads, but I'm just curious if someone can tell me the reason of why there would be the noise while backing up, but not while driving forward.
> 
> Thanks in advance!


I can't speak to it being there only when reversing, but putting a solid heat cycle through pads will make them noisier pretty much for forever afterwards.


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## davera3 (Jul 26, 2014)

araemo said:


> I can't speak to it being there only when reversing, but putting a solid heat cycle through pads will make them noisier pretty much for forever afterwards.


Now that makes some sense. I did Pocono and Palmer earlier this year, but those were not events that I did tons of hard braking at. At Watkins, and the car doing double duty with my son, we *definitely* were laying on the brakes *much* harder than the other events. So, 11,000 miles on the original pads with the equivalent of 5 track days == new EBC green pads for me!


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## DJAlix (Apr 7, 2015)

*Auto Brake Disc Drying*

A standard Audi safety feature which lightly applies the brakes automatically at regular intervals in order to keep the Brake Discs dry and Ready to use should maximum braking be needed. This feature is activated as soon as the vehicle is in motion. This feature has been known to cause an audible “squeaking” sound, after being stationary, when driven at speeds below 15mph. Can be reconfigured via VCDS.


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## araemo (Dec 9, 2012)

DJAlix said:


> A standard Audi safety feature which lightly applies the brakes automatically at regular intervals in order to keep the Brake Discs dry and Ready to use should maximum braking be needed. This feature is activated as soon as the vehicle is in motion. This feature has been known to cause an audible “squeaking” sound, after being stationary, when driven at speeds below 15mph. Can be reconfigured via VCDS.


Isn't that limited to instances where the wipers are running, or have been recently?


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## DJAlix (Apr 7, 2015)

Nope, is active 100% of the time unless deactivated via VCDS.


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## JGreen76 (Aug 25, 2012)

IS it only after using the parking brake? That's when I notice mine squeeking.


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## davera3 (Jul 26, 2014)

JGreen76 said:


> IS it only after using the parking brake? That's when I notice mine squeeking.


Ya know, I never thought about there being a difference. I park in my (heated) garage, but I always turn on the parking brake from my manual driving days so I can't really speak to when I dont leave it on.

However, that sound is all gone now, and I'm back to not hearing it at all going either forward/reverse/fast/slow. But with 6 track days on stock pads with 12k miles, and four more track days left for me for the end of the year, I'll be swapping them out for green EBC pads in the next week or so.

Thanks to all that replied!


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## vvhiskey (May 24, 2015)

I think this is pretty common and has to do with the fact that the brakes are predominantly run forward, when reversing you are in essence "going against the grain". It's been a while since I've read up on this but I recall two other vehicles that I've owned doing this (911/STI). I personally wouldn't worry about it.


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