I've had this problem with my B6 for a while with the front left side making a rattle noise when I go over bumps. I only noticed this after it came back from my mechanic who replaced the front and rear pads and rotors ($800). These aren't OEM, they are NAPA Adaptive One pads and I believe Wagner rotors. I took my car back to him to see if he could find the rattle again, and he determined it was the inner brake pad springs not being able to hold onto the piston, so it was just jumping around in there. He said the piston was worn on both front calipers where the inner brake pad clips in and needed to be rotated so the inner brake pad clips in and holds snug again ($200). The rattle is gone.... for now.

My question is, is this normal for the caliper piston to wear down like this after 90k miles? Is it normal to rotate the piston like this? Any problems that could arise in the future by doing this? Did this method save me from having to buy new front calipers?

I've searched the forums about rattling in the brakes, and how people have used grease and other types of methods but aren't those just temporary fixes?

And yes, I know this was the most expensive brake job in history, and I wish I would have done it myself but I just have too much going on and don't know much about this stuff so I forked over the money.

Thanks in advance for your response.

 

most of the time a little shot of wd40 will get rid of the rattle. Its the spring that holds the calipers to the system. I would check that before letting him scalp you for money.

 

That's why I thought rotating the pistons seemed like a little extreme. He did the job already because I brought it in to him to fix the rattle, he was just suppose to replace the brake pads since they were under warranty but said he found the culprit so he fixed it... then charged me for 2 hours labor.

My main question though is if what he did was to my benefit? Did that keep me from having to replace my calipers/pistons? I just don't see how the springs could eat through the pistons like that unless they are some very weak type of metal.

 

Honestly ive never heard of brake pistons being a problem with audis. Its fairly simple component that should not brake. Does youre tech normally work on euros or no?

 

He says he does, usually VW or BMW's...