I had one of those wet braking "oh shxx" moments over the weekend on I-91 in Northhampton, MA. Off-ramp traffic was backed up onto the interstate in the heavy rain, and when I tried to slow for it, not very much happened. I had to veer back onto the highway to avoid flooring the brake pedal and hoping for the best. Not fun.

My car is going into Clair for service in the next few weeks. I have read previous discussions, but has anyone had any luck with dealers in addressing this problem? My understanding is that we must await a cure from Audi, but if anyone has found an interim soulution I'd sure like to hear it after my experience over the weekend.

P.S. My travelling companion asked how a car company can sell a car whose brakes don't work in the rain. I really didn't know what to tell her.

I have found the same thing. Although you are not supposed to pump anti-lock brakes, try braking lightly once, to clear the wet, then break as normal. Works for me.

ive found the antilock brakes kicking in very quickly as well when its raining out side, they seem to kick in when slightly harder than normal braking is applied.

Of course, your experience must have been frightening. However, you shouldn't blame the manufacturer of your car for the problem. The simple fact is that wet brake pads and rotors don't generate much friction and therefore won't stop a car very well.

No way a manufacturer can prevent brakes from getting wet!

The solution is to dry your brakes by applying them before you need them. If the weather is truly sloppy, you need to do this frequently to keep your brakes dry.

My Jeep Grand Cherokee doesn't do this. My Mustang didn't do this. My Firebird didn't do this. BMW (525) didn't. Honda Accords (2) didn't, Honda CRX didn't. In fact I've never experienced anything like this "wet brake" problem until this car (which I LOVE btw).

How are all the other car manufacturers getting their brakes to work well when wet? I asked the service guy about installing ATE Powerdisks or different pads. He said the slotted disks and different pads would definately solve the problem, but it void the warranty on all brake components, etc...

Sometimes I think we would have better luck with the dealers if Audi DIDN'T have the 50K bumper to bumper warranty (they seem so frickin' anal about everything).

This I just don't buy; the brake sizes (rotors/pads) are essentially the same on the A4 vs. my old Coupe Quattro. Coupe did NOT have this problem; A4 has it to an extreme (& scary) degree.

I really feel Audi cut too many corners by NOT installing brake splash shields (Coupe and old 90 models had them).

This wet braking effect is absolutely the worst of ANY car I have had since starting to drive back in the Woodstock era. And dealer sez it's "normal". I personally feel Audi is going to find themselves in a major lawsuit if someone gets hurt/killed due to these brakes.

Re "solution": from my experience,this would require you to lightly brake about every 2-5 minutes in the rain to keep brakes hot. Not the best for pads/fluid/rotor life - not to mention having following drivers think you're one of these folks who drive with the left foot perpetually on the brake.

I can only come to one conclusion. They are trying to keep the rotors cooler in dry conditions to reduce rotor warpage and therefore warranty costs. You just never see any car without shields except for some exotics which I haven't seen yet. Of course saving money on the two front shields saves money for Audi too. The question is why do all other car makers use them and Audi doesn't?

Audi doesn't want the brakes to warp! That is it plain and simple.

> Audi doesn't want the brakes to warp!
> That is it plain and simple.

...so they "underdesigned" the brakes to save money

I agree with you, Ray. I have never had a car with this problem either.

I also agree with you that just warming the brakes now and then in the rain is insufficient. I've been doing that for a while. But unless you do it virtually constantly, it doesn't solve the problem. And braking all the time for no reason is very dangerous, too, not to mention nervewracking because it means you don't trust your car. Which means there really is no good solution.

I am amazed something hasn't been done about this. I love my car, but I am now much more nervous driving in rain than I was in my all-wheel-drive Toyota Corolla station wagon! That's sad.

'Guess I'm just lucky.

Rick

No other make/model I have ever driven in my life. Overseas or here in the USA has ever EVER! given me an OH ****! feeling. Not one! It's clearly the manufacturer's problem.

It's down right negligent for Audi to allow this to continue. I went the NHSTA web site and officially filed a complaint. Every A4.ORG'er should be doing the same!

slack
99.5 2.8M

I have a 99.5 1.8Tqms, I drove it for 4 hours in a heavy rainstorm, through a misture of puddles, and experienced no problems with the brakes. There was one highway stretch where I went for an hour and a half without touching the brakes. THat should have given them enough time to cool down and get pretty damp, but I still didn't have any trouble.

...had a scary experience. Something I've noticed about the A4 though, is that even when dry, the brakes don't seem to kick in right away. I push the pedal lightly, and nothing happens briefly, and then all of a sudden, they start to grab. Then, in rain, it's more pronounced. Anyone else feel the same effect? In the 90Q, the brakes are much more progressive. Pedal pressure is more proportional to stopping power than on the A4.

Charles

I also believe that new A4's have new large front splash shields (someone please confirm this). There was also a splash shiedd kit avilable for customers who complained. I don't have the part number for the kit at my finger tips, but it does exist. I believe that the dealer must remove most the spindle/suspension assembly to install them.....this can inflict what I call dealer damage to an otherwise good car!

I also find that the "no brake" feel is inhanced to be worse when the water is near freezing such as in melting ice/snow


But best of all go to the

NHTSA - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and fill out a file report. This is definitely a safety issue. Wait until a kid or some car appears out of nowhere!

The more A4 owners that fill out this report will send up a flare and trigger a major complaint to Audi. Many prople here have done so, but more are needed to get this rolling....<ul><li><a href="http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/">http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/</a</li></ul>

I have a 97 1.8tqm & also have this problem. ATE rotors & rofren pads were no help. I sad to say, also filed with the NHTSA. Apparently VW/Audi will have to be sued after someone dies before they fix it. Audi will then have another 60 Min nightmare to overcome, this time their own fault. What good is bragging about Quattro in the rain if you can't stop. I once braked in the rain every 15 sec it helped only a little. I also think Audi may have changed the brakes after people complained about touchy brake feel. My car that I received in 8/97 does not have the initial brake grab of the car I tested in 4/97. I have followed this thread for months & have not found any common denominators. It appears to affect all years & models of A4, but not all A4s. Do some A4s have shields? Someone posted a shield order # 8DO 698 998. I checked at my last service at 71K, but when I came to pick up the car the dealer had not only not looked up the # they had lost it. Of course they knew nothing of the problem. Most just be in our heads.

Possible order # for brake shields. 8DO 698 998 Good Luck.

...on any of my cars. Only people who ride their brakes will warp rotors on the street. Those who ride their brakes, or those who race, etc. should be responsible for replacing their own warped rotors. Atleast maybe the brake riders may learn a lesson!

Charles

Is your car new? As in did the rain hit you soon after you got it? I read that one is supposed to give the brakes a short break-in period before they are fully effective. If your car is new, and you had water on the new brakes they may not have been as effective as they would have been when new.

Just a thought.