Brake servo restricted

[Nicola T]

Hi There, 

I have the same error on my Audi A5 and today I have the Start/Stop function is not working. It seems strange that there are so many of us having the same issues at the same time. Has anyone got any advise as to what Audi have said?

Thanks

Nicola

[Bulletnut]

Interesting to read these posts. Yesterday my 2016 A4 TFSI kept cutting out at low speeds, like tick over was too low. No fault codes.  Happened again today so called volkswagen technician via audi breakdown - problem did not appear for him. Just now 2 error messages appear (you guessed it) stop/start and brake servo fault! 

Have used the car quite regularly in lock-down, including a holiday driving all over last week. Feels strange that problem only appears now. 

Did anyone else have problems with engine cutting out? 

Here's hoping for a prompt resolution! 

 

[Henry F]

On 6/20/2020 at 11:19 PM, Steve Q said:

Please keep us posted on how you get on 👍

Car is going to Audi on Wednesday 29th - a 6 week lead time for a workshop appointment. I will be printing and taking with me this very helpful forum thread as proof that it's a common problem, which of course they'll deny any knowledge of. Their first response when I made the booking that there is a £60 charge for running their diagnostic apparatus.

[markyboy75]

On 7/22/2020 at 9:17 AM, Nicola T said:

Hi There, 

I have the same error on my Audi A5 and today I have the Start/Stop function is not working. It seems strange that there are so many of us having the same issues at the same time. Has anyone got any advise as to what Audi have said?

Thanks

Nicola

Hi Nicola,

My A5 recently came out of the Audi workshop for the same issue you are having, brake servo restricted and start/stop not working. Like everyone else my brake pressure sensor was replaced and now all is working ok, no more message and start/stop working.

Rgds

[dalswinton]

Hi, I had the same problem regarding the brake servo, took it to my audi dealer, they changed the sensor, ok now

car is a a4 allroad 2017

[KipperSkipper]

Same problem Audi Q7 65 plate. There is a US Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) on it from 2017 covering Q5 and Q7s. Will be usual out of warranty response from dealers. 
 

German cars v reliable until they break, then just v expensive. Oh, and not that reliable either. Except the legendary 911. 

[TheITGuy]

I've just had the same problem with my A4.  Sorted by my local independent garage today for a reasonable £169.  They also mentioned that should it happen again (unlikely) to get the sensor replaced sooner rather than later, as apparently the failure of the sensor results in the ABS system being deployed to compensate, which can only be done a set number of times before ABS components will need replacing.

[Peter1028]

Thank you for your post. Mine cost €210 here in France as my warranty had literally run out 4 weeks before. Shame they would not cover it....

[Henry F]

On 6/20/2020 at 7:05 PM, Henry F said:

I have exactly the same error messages on my 2016 A4 2.0 TD Avant, after the car has been parked in my drive since March. There is a clear pattern here. Will be calling the dealership on Monday, and will post the outcome of my negotiations. 

After a 6 week wait time to get a workshop appointment, my car was repaired last week. Diagnostic check £50, Labour to fit new sensor £85, part for new sensor £61.75. Total £196.75. I had made clear to them that this is a very common fault being reported by Audi owners all over the UK and beyond, and hoped that the repair for the clearly unreliable part would be carried out free of charge or for a reduced charge, without success I'm afraid. While my car was in the workshop they spotted a split coil spring bottom plate, which was repaired so I'm glad my car was inspected quite thoroughly. 

On a positive note, i really like the AudiCam feature, where the technician sends a file demonstrating his or her findings and recommendations.

 

I'm now giving consideration to which brand of car I will buy next, since Audi are well behind the market offering only 3 years free warranty versus 5 on some Renault models and 7 for Kia. The argument for buying (selling) Audi was always "build quality", but if that's so good why is their free warranty so poor? I'd appreciate other members' thoughts on this. 

[Magnet]

Hello Henry,

Offering longer warranty periods than the industry norm of 3 years is clever, since of course, it will be dependent on dealer servicing over that extended period of time, so they reap rewards from that ‘restriction’.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[Mrmac]

Good evening..

ive just had the same fault appear on my A4 avant 2017 model. Brake servo restricted - Stop start restricted, Audi warranty runs out in 2 weeks but as I’ve had to use my car a lot being a key worker I’ve got 4000mile

over warrant and Audi aren’t interested. So much for loyalty been with them 12 years 4 cars and nope

sorry can’t help with the warranty..

pretty annoyed with that tbh...

I’m looking online for the part to get my mechanic friend to fit and I’ve searched brake servo sensor and nothing.. is it actually called a sensor boost pressure, or is this wrong? Not paying daft prices after reading this thread the problem seems to be the sensor..

thanks

 

[Shawn]

On 8/5/2020 at 8:44 PM, TheITGuy said:

I've just had the same problem with my A4.  Sorted by my local independent garage today for a reasonable £169.  They also mentioned that should it happen again (unlikely) to get the sensor replaced sooner rather than later, as apparently the failure of the sensor results in the ABS system being deployed to compensate, which can only be done a set number of times before ABS components will need replacing.

Seems exactly my case. My approved used audi q7 plat 65, bought in June 2020 , has brake servo fault and start/stop fault in July (roughly 4 weeks after purchase ). I was hold to wait for 4 weeks to get appointment for repairing, during the first 3 weeks, I drove roughly 300 miles, and then there is red indication saying “brake fault- park safely” instead of the previous two yellow fault. Today I send it to nearest audi dealership, and was told it will cost £3500 to replace brake servo sensor and ABS module as well.

The car is in a two years warranty as approved used audi,  So hope it is just a show bill and will be fully covered by warranty. I will check it tomorrow morning.

 

[Danboy1973]

Just had the same with my 2016 Audi Avant A4 2.0 tdi s line, and exactly the same as quote above, firstly had Brake pressure sensor boost & Start/stop restricted have driven around 250 miles in around 3 weeks and now i have a red light & message saying "Brake Fault - park safely" instead of the one before but the Start/Stop is still working fine and the car seems to be braking as normal, had the brake pressure tested on live data, was reading 0 and when brake depressed the pressure increased and was holding pressure with no problems.

I have no idea where to go from here nor does my local Audi/VW garage other than to replace the whole lot which obviously i do not want to do if not needed and also have been reading other threads saying i could damage the ABS pump (if not already damaged) if i carry on driving it.  Being only a one car family it is a major headache.

At the end of the day it is what it is but i cant afford to chuck good money at parts i do not need.

Why is nothing ever easy !

If anyone knows where i should go from here please let me know.  

[martina o]

On ‎6‎/‎20‎/‎2020 at 11:19 PM, Steve Q said:

Please keep us posted on how you get on 👍

hi im tina same thing happened to me today . is it ok to drive ? I cant get anything done with it for now .thanks

 

[martina o]

can anyone help ? can I still drive , brake servo restricted coming on a lot .thanks tina

 

[absentminded]

I have just started to drive my car again after the covid lockdown, received the same errors as everyone else is reporting Brake Servo & Start/stop function. A4 Quattro 2017, just went out of warranty so will be paying out for something you wouldn't expect to fail in a 3 year old car. This is the 3rd major problem I have had with this car, 1 each year (not including the recall). First was the No 1 injector in its 1st year, the 2nd was the Pre-sense alarm, it would go off and carry out an emergency stop (still does on occasions ) when the temperature drops, and I've lost count of the wheel nut covers I have had to buy (its always the ones that cover the wheel locking nut). 'Vorsprung durch Technik' indeed. Sorry for the little rant but I have really went off Audi.

[Simon Ryder]

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem as you all have reported. 
I ordered a Brake servo pressure sensor from the Audi Parts Department at my local Audi dealership. 
It was really really easy to replace like for like. I have no experience with car maintenance. I’ve got the A4 and it was to the top left of the engine compartment, under a plastic covering that lifted up. I’d recommend having a go. It cost me £75 for the part. 

[martina o]

52 minutes ago, Simon Ryder said:

Hi,

I had exactly the same problem as you all have reported. 
I ordered a Brake servo pressure sensor from the Audi Parts Department at my local Audi dealership. 
It was really really easy to replace like for like. I have no experience with car maintenance. I’ve got the A4 and it was to the top left of the engine compartment, under a plastic covering that lifted up. I’d recommend having a go. It cost me £75 for the part. 

can u still drive it ?

[Simon Ryder]

6 hours ago, martina o said:

can u still drive it ?

Yep, it took literally a minute to unplug the old one and replace with the new one. All the warnings have gone off and the brake feels normal again. 
 

[zap263]

8 hours ago, Simon Ryder said:

Yep, it took literally a minute to unplug the old one and replace with the new one. All the warnings have gone off and the brake feels normal again. 
 

Hi Simon.. can you take a pic of what it looks like and where exactly you found it? 

 

Will help myself and a lot of folks here loads!

 

Cheers.

[Steve Q]

On 8/18/2020 at 8:26 PM, martina o said:

hi im tina same thing happened to me today . is it ok to drive ? I cant get anything done with it for now .thanks

 

I'd be getting it booked in asap. 

[Simon Ryder]

6 hours ago, zap263 said:

Hi Simon.. can you take a pic of what it looks like and where exactly you found it? 

 

Will help myself and a lot of folks here loads!

 

Cheers.

Hope this helps. 
I’ve circled in red the area of the sensor. It’s under a plastic flap. You have to pull the rubber edge off to lift up. 
The sensor pulls vertically off. You then slide a plastic holding clamp off the other end. Just reverse the process to put the new one back in. It’s really simple and annoying that everyone seems to want to charge a couple of hundred pounds for this??!?

[zap263]

20 hours ago, Simon Ryder said:

Yep, it took literally a minute to unplug the old one and replace with the new one. All the warnings have gone off and the brake feels normal again. 
 

Thanks mate.. legend!!

My local Audi said £170 just to diagnose the fault!  And the car had only been out of warranty a month! 

Part is £70+vat from TPS.. hope this fixes it.

[Simon Ryder]

3 minutes ago, zap263 said:

Thanks mate.. legend!!

My local Audi said £170 just to diagnose the fault!  And the car had only been out of warranty a month! 

Part is £70+vat from TPS.. hope this fixes it.

No worries, good luck. 
I was advised by my mechanic mate to pump the brake pedal when engine is off first? Two/three pumps and it stiffens up. Something to do with balancing the pressure?  
It does feel like a win when you start the car and it all works, for a fraction of the price. 

[Joshua P]

Hi There,

I have the same error on my Audi Q7 today,  it has displayed Brake servo restricted and Start/Stop function is not working displayed on my dashboard. Wondering whether this is covered as part of warranty as I have bought this car under approved used this year.