I have a 2007 A4 QT with 21,000 miles. Last 1000 miles I hear a high pitched squeal from the brakes when I apply them. Usually when rolling slow to a stop and lightly applying the brakes.

Are my brakes telling me I need to replace them?

Is there not a light in the intrument cluster to tell me this?

How long should my brakes have lasted?

Thanks!

Since you do have 21,000 miles you might need brake pads. Or could just be brake dust causing the sqeal.

I have a 2006 A4 2.0T....I had the same concern and the dealer went ahead and checked, but said wait for the light on the dash to come on. The dealer indicated that the OE pads cause that squeel and the heavy brake dust on the rims....supposedly there is an aftermarket pad that prevents the squeel and the heavy dust

15,000+ miles were freeway miles

I also looked at the pads and there was a lot of material left on the shoes.

While I try to wash the car about every 10 days it makes no difference how clean the wheels are. It just squeals like some poor farm animal. [:-]

After about 43,000 miles the brakes started making the noise you never want to hear from brakes. The only way to really describe it - it sounds like your car lurching forward a couple of inches after you put the tranny in park on a downward sloping hill. Kind of like klunk, klunk. And the pedal just kept on going lower and lower after each clunk (depressing closer and closer to the floor). Maybe brake fluid???

Surprisingly the cars performance did not seem affected. The brakes worked fine. But that could not be good over the long term. 2,000 miles later I turned in the lease, and let them deal with it.

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Current: 328xi Sedan
Retired: 2005.5 A4 2.0T Quattro 6MT

You're lucky you got 20,000 quiet miles! My 2006 A4 QT started the exact same thing, but at around 7,000 miles. I've had the brakes checked by the dealer and everything is fine wear-wise (though at 21,000 your brakes could be wearing thin). Consensus seems to be the problem is caused by dust. Low-noise, aftermarket pads should help. I've read that Akebono Euro ceramics are best for this, but I don't believe they have pads to fit 2005.5 and newer A4s just yet.