Like many people on this forum, I had the Q5 brake noise issue. I had it from time to time during the first winter with the vehicle and it got much worse this winter during the second year of ownership. By the time I took it in to be looked at this month the squeal was prevalent with any brake pedal pressure.

I was immediately given the usual run-around from the dealer. My wife was told something along the lines of, the brakes are high-performance and she needed to use them more aggressively. When I called to inquire I was given more excuses about the nature of the brake compound. Further, I was told this is a well-documented and well-known issue with these cars. Essentially, their position was 'that's just the way the breaks are'.

I wrote a very polite but strongly worded e-mail to the service rep explaining that their position was unacceptable and that brakes that squeal this much are not normal. I requested they, at a minimum, replace the pads and rotors. My point to Audi was this: the fact that brakes are considered a wear item should not, and does not, exempt them for performing properly prior to reaching the end of their useful life. I was not optimistic based on what I had read here but I was told shortly after that Audi Canada would approve the replacement under warranty.

I got the car back today and the brakes work great. No noise at any pedal pressure. I wanted to share this story to let you know that this issue should not be tolerated and you should pursue a fix through the dealer and, if necessary, Audi Canada. Changing the brakes/rotors is the proper repair in these circumstances and it should be done under warranty.

Good luck to others dealing with this issue. I encourage you to stop accepting that this is a fact of life with Q5s and get your brakes fixed properly.