Hello everyone, long time owner of Audi, first time I've felt the need to post, but have used here for a long time and it's a valuable resource.

I should add, I am not a mechanic and have limited knowledge

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My problem is this.

I have an A6 Avant Estate, was going to replace the rear pads (not beyond my capability ..normally) as I'd heard them squealing a little, purchased the pads but it was only after talking to a friend of mine who is an MOT tester and where he stated that without a diagnostic tool and the audi being placed into maintenance mode I would not be able to do the pads, this being due to the handbrake being electric and with the button on the centre console.

He states that I simply would not be able to get the piston back in on the caliper (I think thats what he said)

Phoned Audi to book it in, cant do it for 14 days, so with that I contacted a local(ish) garage that I have used without incident for over 20 years, they primarily fit tyres/exhausts/brakes and minor maintenance on vehicles

Spoke to them, they said they knew what to do and had the appropriate equipment.

Arrived at the alloted time, pads were just starting to score the discs but brakes were functionin ok, no errors on the dash etc...

Ten mins in and they inform me that the pads were the wrong ones, thats Europarts automated 'give them your registration they give you the wrong parts system'......but the garage said they could get some so wouldnt be long, gave them the ok, and sure enough 15 mins later the pads arrive and on they go.

15mins further and I get an update 'just putting things back together, will be a few mins'

30 mins later they bring the vehicle back up 'all done' but tell me the handbrake light on the centre console is flashing, may need to 'bed in' at which point and very obvious to me I pointed them to the dash where there was a Park Brake message flashing on the dashboard and on the speedo there was a red light blinking with the letter P in it and slightly down to the right of that another light flashing red similar to that of the one in the centre of the dash....they say 'take it for a drive, it may just need to settle in' which didn't really fill me with any confidence.

The Brakes appear to be working, the handbrake button makes the inertia noise as if it's engaging/disengaging and it appears to lock the brakes...but they said take it for a bit of a drive...so this I did, however when reaching a particular speed, not sure what it was, 5/10mph not only do i get the above flashing lights I also get a continual audible tone which presumably is telling me to stop...

I called the garage, they said to bring it back down and they'd sort it, however, I was in traffic and they were about to close, my own stupidity for taking it for the drive. So in the end I had it recovered to my home address (20 miles away) the Breakdown mechanic stated it would probably have been ok to drive home.

When they initially (the garage mechanics) brought the car back up to me (in the garage) they said 'oh the caliper is damaged, it's why your brakes have worn more on one side..this they told me when I was showing them the dashboard errors, all I can say is that there were zero errors on the dash when they took on the job of replacing the pads...I have used these people for a long time, they have given excellent service over the years, they don't seem like the sort of garage to make a fudge and then try and blame the customer.

In any case, the car is being taken back to them in the morning and I'll leave it with them to see what they can do, I dont want to be paying for a new caliper thats for sure.

Have they done something wrong that is easily sorted? I read somewhere just now that once the pads have been replaced they have to wait an amount of time before reengaging the pistons etc?

Any advance help/pointers would be much appreicated.

Thankyou