I'm looking at 65k. I've managed to use the stock rotors until now. I have had to change my pads twice already however. Audi brake components are fine, but an upgrade to performance brakes will usually extend the wear period. There are several companies offering vented/cross drilled rotors, and/or high performance pads. Take a look at what's available to you. The biggest mistake you can make is to assume genuine Audi parts are always the way to go.

Now if it were your battery you were replacing, I wouldn't suggest anything other than a genuine Audi replacement. Just trust me on this one.... You'll be saving yourself a ton of headaches.

 

Just replaced front and rear brakes, rotors and sensors for $1,012. Dealer price $2,000. My trusted mechanic told me that the brake pads are 7mm as opposed to 16mm in my husband's X5. Be prepared to change every 20K miles. Big bummer!!!! Shame on Audi as this is obviously a manufacturer choice as to the brake pad size. We have never had to change the BMW X5 and we have 40k miles.

 

With brake pads it's not how thick they are when new but how large a surface area they have and, to some extent, the swept area of the rotor (diameter). A 12mm pad can wear out sooner than a 7mm pad if it's half the size.
However, when I was an Audi tech, I heard customer complaints about needing brakes at 25,000 miles all the time and the cost which always irritated me. It's a heavy vehicle (6,000+ lbs) with large dia tires so it's hard on brakes, especially if it's in the city most of the time. Add in a hilly city (like here) and it's worse. As for cost, it's an expensive vehicle with Brembo brakes (darn Italian's) so yeah, parts are pricey. Want cheap to replace brakes, don't buy a huge, expensive luxury vehicle. I don't mean that the way it probably sounds (kind of crabby).

 

I got exactly the same issue. I have 2013 Audi Q7 and the brake pad light turned on when it was only 17,000 miles. Audi dealer checked the car and asked for $2100cad to replace the brake pads and discs. Audi dealer also mentioned that the brake pads&discs needed to be replaced every year or 20,000 miles. Unbelievable and ridiculous of quality for Audi Q7 car.

 

Brought in my 2014 Q7 with 29K miles on it for a 25k service to my Dealership here in Florida (USA). Service Advisor just called me saying my front pads had 3mm on them and need to be replaced. He said rotors were ok. Cost of pads and labor $530 plus tax.

Just FYI.

 

If you are a DIY guy, you can replace the pads without going to your dealer. Here's a good write up-- https://www.audiforums.com/forum/aud...s-pads-182928/

 

Hi, all. The car started having front brake noise at ~13K. Had an oil change done at 15K only find out that we are
staring at brake job, pads and rotors, for both front and rear, estimated at $1,600. Both dealerships commented on
this as "normal wear" and so did Audi Customer Care. Dealing with Customer Care is a joke. Apparently my 20+ year
driving experience and owning multiple SUVs/trucks and not having the brakes shot at 15K means nothing. I suggested
that the dealer pays for rotors and I pay for pads, so will hear back from Audi in a couple of days. I'm excited at
the 2017 Q7, but who needs a brake job that soon, so may not be training in next year.


Anyone with 2017 Q7 care to chat about their issues with brakes, now that the car is ~10% lighter?