Hi

Hoping to get advice regarding an issue that has taken two years to investigate but I don't know where I stand regarding my rights and any form of recourse.

June 2014

Car taken in for a service. This included replacing brake pads and discs as they were worn.

The day after the service I emailed the garage informing them of excessive noise from the brakes. the garage advised to run in the brakes over a few hundred miles.

However the excessive brake noise persisted and it was captured over a number of recordings which was shared on youtube.

July 2014

The car was returned to the garage and they attempted to fix the issue. The garage returned to car to me and reported the problem as fixed.

However on my journey home the brake noise persisted. I emailed the garage the same day and reported the issue.

Same advice as last time, do a few hundred miles and report back.

The problem persisted , again recorded the noise, and asked for them to fix it.

August 2014

Car returned to the garage to be fixed. I was told this should now fix it.

However the next day the car still suffered from excessive brake noise.

I was fed up with the situation, it took over 30 emails, 3 total visits to the garage, numerous video recordings and I cant recall the number of calls so I gave up and did not contact them to report the issue. I also had lost confidence with this garage.

November 2014

I took the car to a different place for a 2nd opinion, the mechanic agreed that the brakes were too loud, offered to change the pads but he insisted I try to contact the original garage to get new pads. The original garage did send 2x pads at no cost as i had explained that the problem persists.

December 2014 - April 2014

The noise from the brakes reduced significantly, we have noticed that there is a relationship between outside temperate and the brake noise, warmer weather would increase the noise, very hot days the noise is unbearable.

Summer 2015

Horrible noises but I was resigned to just put up with it. I also didn't have funds to replace the brakes as we do't think there was a safety issue, just excessive noise.

Earlier this month

As the temperatures rose again the sound was just unbearable! I asked the 2nd mechanic to replace the rear pads and discs with a different brand and this solved the problem. the mechanic also noted that on close inspection of the brake discs that there were visible marks perpendicular to the usual radial effect found on brake discs, he said this suggests a fault with the discs which may have caused the noise. Eitherway the change of discs has fixed the issue i have had since June 2014.

I have contacted the original garage to explain that the issue has only just been resolved via a different mechanic.

I explained that the change of brake discs specifically has fixed the issue and that the usual marks on the discs could have been the issue.

I asked for an explanation as to how faulty brake discs could have been used especially is the brakes are Audi originals.

I also said that I feel that I am owed at least a partial refund as the brakes should have lasted longer but the noise was unacceptable.

The response:

1. They accept that there was excessive noise.

2. It is highly unusual for this to happen, in fact they say they have not had issues with a single set of Audi discs they've ever sold.

3. They make clear that they have not seen my car for a year so it does not give them a chance to see the issue and on that basis to even know there was still a problem.

They also came back again to me to say:

4. They've not spoken to me for at least a year since sending me out the pads so as far as they knew the problem was over and I didn’t contact them to say otherwise

Finally they made clear:

5. I will not get any money back at all.

I am unsure my position.

It is two years down the line and over a year since I was last in contact with them.

Could I have done something sooner, yes but I didn't have the funds in 2015 to do more, and I had given up for a while.

But I do think this is right, they fitted faulty brakes, they had two occasions where the car was returned to fix it, exchanged 30+ emails, videos, Ithink it was reasonable of me to go elsewhere. Although it took me two years to pay for another set of brake discs, I didn't get full use of the brakes, those rear discs were used for 10,000 miles and were not even 50% worn.

Any advice please?

thanks very much in advance

Welcome to the CAG motoring section PDUK82, sorry about the delay in replying.

I think you will be hard pushed, more than a year down the line, to get any recourse from the original garage even if you did have attempted rectification.

The whole thing will depend on you being able to show without doubt that this is the same problem as initially suffered and that the parts they fitted were faulty.

The way to get this proof would be to take the discs and pads originally fitted to a certified independent laboratory for testing and appraisal.

You will have to pay for that examination, but if it should prove in your favour, then you stand a good chance of them giving you a refund by sending them a copy of the laboratory report and a request for a refund.

I would call it a loss, however as the discs and pads are original Audi, I would send an email to Audi CEO.

They'll probably want the discs and pads to examine them and there's a chance that you'll get a new set for next time, a refund, a voucher of some sort (free service etc.) or nothing at all.

Worth trying though.

Audi is very keen in retaining the quality reputation they have.

Audi, VAG UK or even Germany won't entertain such a claim. You are where you are unfortunately. Shame you didn't post a year ago.

Audi, VAG UK or even Germany won't entertain such a claim. You are where you are unfortunately. Shame you didn't post a year ago.

An email to Audi will not cost a single penny.

You never know, the CEO might be in a good mood when he gets the email and give the op a little something.

Even an Audi RS8 sticker is better than nothing

It's always worth having a try at something when there is nothing to lose.