hi, i have a stock 96 audi a4, and i have been having problems with the driver side rear brake.

after i have been driving for a few minutes i notice a grinding sound coming from the driver side rear brake. there is clearly more brake dust on that wheel. it isnt bad enough to effect driving that much, but there is a problem, and i dont want to mess up my rotor (if it hasnt happened already).

where should i start troubleshooting? i would rather take a look at it myself before i take it to a shop.

-thanks

 

When is the last time the rear brakes were serviced? Maybe the pads are worn down and you are getting metal/metal braking. These calipers do corrode badly so if would be good to have them off and check if they are still useable.

 

chock the wheels and Jack up the rear of the car and try to rotate the wheel in question. If the parking brake is not set the wheel should freely rotate. If it is harder to spin than the other side, or if it doesnt spin at all then you need to adjust your park brake cable. if the park brake works fine, the caliper slides on that side could be sticking.

 

Another problem you want to look out for is the brake not releasing completely, causing excessive heat (which you can smell) and wear. This is caused by either the parking brake cable or the caliper mechanism sticking. When it happened to me it was the caliper which I promptly replaced (with a rebuilt unit) as I didn't relish the work rebuilding it myself.

 

thanks for the quick responses, ill check to see if the wheel spins freely.

if the pad is worn down and needs to be replaced, would it make a grinding noise when i am not pressing the brakes? i dont see why it would, but i figured i would ask

-thanks

 

If the wheels spin freely when you jack them up and the parking brake is off, then I cannot see how the brakes are the cause of the noise. Maybe a wheel bearing? Still, I suggest inspecting the brakes and making sure they are working correctly, each pad has sufficient friction material left and that the caliper slides are free and lubricated.