ABS, brake fire, a mess

[Just Me]

lots of unanswered question here, but: 1. you need not run abs to bleed and flush, unless you got air in 2. you need to find out why the abs light is on. Might be a sensor. usually is in my(limited) experience 3. i don't buy the fluid story, but who replaces brakes and leaves the old fluid in there anyway? Fluid every 2 years. maybe 3. 4. on why i don't buy the fluid story - why would properly working calipers even be hot on the highway? You ride the brakes on the highway? Didn't think so. 5. did i miss the fire part? G

[tester123]

Don't know if 2.7Ts have HP-2 Brake calipers as standard or not but, my question is what kind of calipers do you have? If they are HP-2, you'd need 4 brake pads per side. If you have these calipers, I'd recommend checking the "floating frame" to see if it slides back and forth free. Last weekend when replacing brake pads, I realized that mine is frozen solid and took quite an effort to loosen / recondition it. I even had to sand some of the rust down. So, check that. This could technically freeze the pads in place and hence the stuck brake. Of course, all of this applies if you have these calipers to begin with.

[jseklund]

Originally Posted by SloopJohnB@mac.com

Flatbed the car to a competent audi shop.

Usually pretty good advice - but I'm not really sure how much help an Audi shop will be over any other competant mechanic. Brakes are pretty simple, and pretty much the same from car to car. The only issue might be vag-com diagnosis and ABS module.

[Just Me]

unpossible, if your wheel is also not flopping around.

The rotor is sandwiched between your wheel and hub. If it is loose your wheel is falling off.

Cant be.

G

[Just Me]

aha. So its caliper pins rattling. That is at least physically possible.

G

[ezveedub]

Not sure if anyone here has been working in the automotive business, but yes, contaminated brake fluid will cause a brake caliper to lock up. Flushing it will not correct the issue either once the brakes are locking up, since the seals have now swollen up. It would require all the seals in the system to be replaced and brake hoses. Not saying this is what caused the OP's brake issue, but it will cause it if the brake fluid did get contaminated. Power steering fluid is the most common contamination when this occurs.

If you guys doubt it, pour some power steering fluid into your brake reservoir and see what happens.

[GTA_Driver]

Originally Posted by ezveedub;

If you guys doubt it, pour some power steering fluid into your brake reservoir and see what happens.

I heard sugar in the gas tank is bad for the system.

Should we try that too?

[2.7Lturbo]

Originally Posted by jseklund

I agree with 4D4 on the rotors rattling - are you sure it's not a tie rod or control arm that you hear rattling as you go over bumps?

When the lugs tighten down, they pull the wheel, hub and rotor together and they shouldn't be able to physically "rattle".

The caliper, on the other hand, may rattle against the rotor - which most likely means the caliper slide pins were not installed correctly or the caliper bracket is not tightened down correctly...

checked the control arms and tre's also checked the caliper, loesened and retightened all the bolts, and also made sure the wheel was tightened to the hub perfectly.

its been a problem since i did the cv joint a year ago, bugs the hell out of me as when i drive over pot holes the car sounds like its falling apart on the outside

[Just Me]

yes contaminated brake fluid is bad. I race. I get it.
but you need heat for what he described.

Where did it come from?

plus, my main point, if you continue from above, is that the "rotors rattling" is totally impossible, so something needs to rattle. Please follow the thread. this has continuity, and some degree of thought.

G

[Just Me]

its good on margaritas? WHy not rotors?