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When you are driving at higher speeds wit h
the windshield wipers on, the brake pads will
briefly touch the brake discs in regular inter-
vals so as to improve reaction t ime when brak-
ing on wet surfaces. You, the driver, will not
notice anything .
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced
when the vehicle is driven on a salt-covered
road and the brakes are not used. Here too,
you should clean off accumulated salt coat ing
from brake discs and pads with a few careful
applications of the brake ¢ & .
Corrosion
There may be a tendency for dirt to build up
on the brake pads and corrosion to form on
the discs if the car is not dr iven regularly or
only for short trips with little use of the
brakes.
If the brakes are not used frequently, or if cor-
rosion has formed on the discs, it is advisable
to clean off the pads and discs by braking
fi rm ly a few times from a mode rately high
speed ¢ .& .
Faults in the brake system
If you should notice a sudden increase in
brake pedal travel, t hen one of the two brake
circu its may have failed ¢ & .
Low brake flu id level
Malfunct ions can occur in the brake system if
the brake fl uid level is too low . The brake fluid
level is monitored electronically .
Brake boost er
The brake booster increases the pressure t hat
you generate w ith the brake pedal. It on ly op-
erates while the engine is running¢ & .
Brake lining wear statu s
Brake li ning wear may be checked by visual in-
spection of the condition of t he brake pads
through the openings in the whee l. If neces-
sary, the whee l may be removed for this in-
spection ¢ page 297, Changing a wheel.
Int e llig e nt technolog
y
22 7
A
WARNING
- You should perform braking maneuvers
for the purpose of cleaning the brake
system only if road conditions permit.
Othe r road users must not be put at risk -
you may cause an accident!
- Before descending a steep grade, reduce
speed and shift transmission into a lower
gear or lower dr iving range. Do not ride
the brakes or hold t he pedal down too
long or too often. This could cause t he
brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .
- Do not " ride the brakes" by rest ing you r
foot on the pedal when you do not intend
to brake. This may cause the brakes to
overheat, premature wear and increased
stopping distance .
- Under certain climatic and operat ing
conditions such as passing thro ugh wa-
ter , dr iving in heavy rain or after washing
the vehicle , the effectiveness of the
brakes can be reduced . In winte r, ice can
accumu late on the brake pads, lin ings,
discs and drum s. Carefully apply brakes
for a t est. Brakes w ill dry and ice coat-
ings will be cleaned off after a few care-
fu l brake applicat ions.
- Driving f or an exten ded period of time on
salt -covered roads without using your
brakes can also affect braking efficiency .
Clean off accumulated salt coating from
brake discs and pads with a few careful
brake applications.
- If you damage the front spoiler, or if you
install a different spoiler, be sure the air
f low to the front brakes is not obstruct-
ed. Otherw ise the brake system could
overheat reducing the effectiveness of
the entire brake system.
- Failure of one brake circuit will impai r
the braking capability result ing in an in-
creased st opping distance. Avoid driving
the vehicle and have it towed to t he near-
est authorized Audi dealer or qu alified
wo rkshop.
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