Brake servo restricted

[FADEC]

Sadly, I guess we won’t know for 3-4 years whether the B version or the eBay cheapies are any good, as it seemed to take the OEM ones that length of time to fail.

 

I suspect Audi did a cost benefit analysis and decided that dealer labour prices to replace a £75 part probably wasn’t worth it, given that the dash warning alerts users to the fault. That warning may be misleading, but most of us have heeded it and swapped the sensor - thanks mainly to this kind of forum.

[kh904]

Hopefully users that have replaced their sensor will update us if and when they fail and give some details of when the part was replaced and if it was an eBay copy or genuine Audi part (and if it's a revised part number).

It would be a useful knowledge base for everyone!

[Jaime A5 Quattro]

8 hours ago, kh904 said:

It should be criminal that Audi haven't sent out some sort of notification to owners who maybe potentially affected!

They also need to update the message on the dash, as it gives the incorrect impression that you are ok to continue to drive without any consequences!

 

I'm also interested to know if people have gone though more than one replacement part (was it a genuine Audi part or a copy from ebay?). Still unsure how the revised 'B' version is any different!

I am waiting on delivery of a cheap after market sensor I will update this thread with my findings from fitting to hopefully it rectifying the problem fingers crossed 🤞🏻  

[Jaime A5 Quattro]

On 5/22/2022 at 6:16 PM, Jaime A5 Quattro said:

I am waiting on delivery of a cheap after market sensor I will update this thread with my findings from fitting to hopefully it rectifying the problem fingers crossed 🤞🏻  

Well today my cheap £10 after market part arrived and it took less then 5 minutes to actually fit. I then switched the car on and hey presto the warning has disappeared. I have just took the car for a 20 mile drive and everything seems ok. If anything changes I will post on the this thread. 

[PHB]

Where did you find a sensor for £10, the best price on eBay I found was £69.

[Rich867]

3 hours ago, PHB said:

Where did you find a sensor for £10, the best price on ebay I found was £69.

I paid £19.99 the seller was called parts-for-german-cars.  Listing comes up if you search Audi A4 B9 Brake Booster Pressure Sensor.  There’s a bit where you can check the compatibility with your car on the listing as well. There were some cheaper ones but not all were compatible with my model.

Edited May 25, 2022 by Rich867
Added

[PHB]

.any thanks,  will have a look.

[Bri H]

41 minutes ago, PHB said:

.any thanks,  will have a look.

Here you go pal I also go my part the same place as rich above took 2days to arrive, also look on you tube to how to change the part - it's not rocket science lol

Here's the link i posted on page 17 of this thread: Not sure if this is allowed but here is the part I got off eBay "parts for German cars"  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A4-B9-50-TDI-Brake-Booster-Pressure-Sensor-5Q0906207-5Q0906207A/234133225811 looked no different to the part I removed. Yes I understand it could be a very good Chinese copy, but the add does they do not use these. UK based and 2yrs warranty, part arrived in 2 days. Also found the part on Amazon for £12.99.

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by Bri H

[kiwiA5]

On 11/22/2021 at 9:18 PM, Magnet said:

Hello Sean,

Thanks for being in touch.

Can I be excused for thinking you are taking an unnecessary risk here by not simply replacing the relatively cheap offending component, before this reoccurs and expensively bites you in the bum? 
Kind regards,

Gareth. 

 

On 11/24/2021 at 10:23 PM, Steve Q said:

If it were me I'd just change the sensor. Cheapness could cost someone dearly. A d not just financially! 

 

On 12/19/2021 at 6:26 PM, kiwiA5 said:

 

From information on various online posts and considering the fault message stated "you can continue driving" I assumed that there would be no risk of a serious brake failure and that if the part were indeed faulty then the message would soon reappear. As it turned out that is exactly what happened the following day. On having it diagnosed by the local Audi service agent they confirmed that the brake pressure sensor should be replaced at a quoted cost of $847.95!!! (GBP425). Having previous experience of overpricing for european car parts (major NZ parts supplier quoted $250 for a drive belt for a VW V5 golf which I ended up importing from a UK supplier ,same brand and part number total cost including freight $35!) I searched for the part number and found it widely available from various sources such as ebay, amazon and ali express. Prices varied but images all showed identical markings to the original part. A little research on brake booster pressure sensors in general revealed that these parts are normally expected to last the life of the vehicle. The fact that this particular VW sensor is so widely available from a variety of sources  strongly suggests that it is indeed a part that is prone to fail well before it's life expectancy. I purchased a replacement sensor for the A5 from ali express. Time to fit - under 2 minutes. Total cost of part including freight- $15 . I have since seen the same part online for as little as US$5.99.  Have Audi been using a very cheaply produced and inherently unreliable part that could lead to costly repairs to the ABS system? If so there should be a recall on all cars fitted with this part and a reliable replacement should be fitted free of charge. Regarding any warranty period- here in New Zealand we have the consumer guarantees act which basically states that anything you buy should be expected to last a reasonable time regardless of the manufacturers warranty period . For example if your appliance with a 1 year warranty fails after 18 months and the normal life expectancy of that type of appliance is 2-3 years then it must be repaired or replaced free of charge. I'm pretty sure the same applies to car parts. 

 

 

On 5/22/2022 at 9:44 PM, kh904 said:

Hopefully users that have replaced their sensor will update us if and when they fail and give some details of when the part was replaced and if it was an ebay copy or genuine Audi part (and if it's a revised part number).

It would be a useful knowledge base for everyone!

An update on my $15 part from aliexpress.  6 months on and no problems. Whether or not it is an "eBay copy" or a genuine part (markings are identical ) that is actually made for Audi/VW in China -who knows. As my original post shows some  service agents put a ridiculous markup on european car parts.

[Steve Q]

2 hours ago, kiwiA5 said:

 

 

 

An update on my $15 part from aliexpress.  6 months on and no problems. Whether or not it is an "ebay copy" or a genuine part (markings are identical ) that is actually made for Audi/VW in China -who knows. As my original post shows some  service agents put a ridiculous markup on european car parts.

Thanks for the update Sean 🙂

[PHB]

6 hours ago, Bri H said:

Here you go pal I also go my part the same place as rich above took 2days to arrive, also look on you tube to how to change the part - it's not rocket science lol

Here's the link i posted on page 17 of this thread: Not sure if this is allowed but here is the part I got off ebay "parts for German cars"  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUDI-A4-B9-50-TDI-Brake-Booster-Pressure-Sensor-5Q0906207-5Q0906207A/234133225811 looked no different to the part I removed. Yes I understand it could be a very good Chinese copy, but the add does they do not use these. UK based and 2yrs warranty, part arrived in 2 days. Also found the part on Amazon for £12.99.

 

Thanks  I have had mine changed about 18 months ago but with little confidence with the car I am going to carry a spare. 

[Jaime A5 Quattro]

1 hour ago, PHB said:

Thanks  I have had mine changed about 18 months ago but with little confidence with the car I am going to carry a spare. 

Great idea for what they cost and how easy they are to fit. 

[Firkindolloper]

Just thought I would mention that I have just under  2 year Audi warranty left so hopefully that would cover any bill.  I have just done another 500+ miles in it and the pedal still is hard to press now and then.

I bought my sensor at the german parts for sale on eBay for 19.99. Next day delivery.  Made me feel a bit more confident in the car.

[Crazycarlo]

Hey all. Bought an A4 Avant 67 plate 1.4 TFSI from an independent garage and it arrived yesterday - no error messages. Today however, Brake Servo / Engine Start/Stop message has appeared.

As I have a 30 day warranty with the company I purchased the car, they’ve told me to take it to a garage to have it fixed and then they’ll pay the invoice. So I’ll be taking it to Audi of course… seeing as I’m not paying for it. 

I’m booked in to my local Audi for June 4th, my concern however though is if I continue driving it for a week, is it going to do damage to the ABS as mentioned previously on this thread… 

Carl

[kh904]

9 hours ago, Firkindolloper said:

Just thought I would mention that I have just under  2 year Audi warranty left so hopefully that would cover any bill.  I have just done another 500+ miles in it and the pedal still is hard to press now and then.

I bought my sensor at the german parts for sale on EBay for 19.99. Next day delivery.  Made me feel a bit more confident in the car.

Have you got the warning message on the dash?

If so, and it's under warranty, see book it in with Audi and get them to look at it now, before it bricks the ABS system. Who knows what small print they will use to wriggle out from covering the costs!

Even if they did cover the costs, it becomes a much bigger job to change the ABS system than just the sensor..

[kh904]

1 hour ago, Crazycarlo said:

Hey all. Bought an A4 Avant 67 plate 1.4 TFSI from an independent garage and it arrived yesterday - no error messages. Today however, Brake Servo / Engine Start/Stop message has appeared.

As I have a 30 day warranty with the company I purchased the car, they’ve told me to take it to a garage to have it fixed and then they’ll pay the invoice. So I’ll be taking it to Audi of course… seeing as I’m not paying for it. 

I’m booked in to my local Audi for June 4th, my concern however though is if I continue driving it for a week, is it going to do damage to the ABS as mentioned previously on this thread… 

Carl

I can't believe you got the warning message 1day after you received your car!

Personally I would advise against driving the car.

The ABS system bricks once it reaches 20 'cycles'. I don't know what constitutes a cycle, but it really isn't worth it.

If the garage you bought the car are covering the cost, just buy a genuine part from Audi (it's about £90) and fit it yourself. It's so easy, it took me less than 5 min to replace the part

Edited May 27, 2022 by kh904

[Crazycarlo]

7 hours ago, kh904 said:

I can't believe you got the warning message 1day after you received your car!

Personally I would advise against driving the car.

The ABS system bricks once it reaches 20 'cycles'. I don't know what constitutes a cycle, but it really isn't worth it.

If the garage you bought the car are covering the cost, just buy a genuine part from Audi (it's about £90) and fit it yourself. It's so easy, it took me less than 5 min to replace the part

Tell me about it, just shear bad luck. The company I’ve bought it from are probably totally unaware of this fault. Rather than bill them £3000 for a new ABS unit (which arguably they wouldn’t pay out for), I’ll just order a sensor part and fit it myself. I know there are different ones to get, but I think I’d feel safer knowing it’s coming direct from Audi so will give them a call today. 
 

I just hope this isn’t going to be a recurring problem, I can’t imagine the sensor gets changed just the once and it never happening again ..

[Magnet]

Hello Carl,

My strong advice would be:-

Notify the seller.

Order a genuine Audi sensor. 
Do not ( in caps) drive it until the part is fitted. 

Fitting it yourself? Yes OK, but I think you run the risk of negating your seller warranty if you do - you would need to speak with them about that. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

[Firkindolloper]

8 hours ago, kh904 said:

Have you got the warning message on the dash?

If so, and it's under warranty, see book it in with Audi and get them to look at it now, before it bricks the ABS system. Who knows what small print they will use to wriggle out from covering the costs!

Even if they did cover the costs, it becomes a much bigger job to change the ABS system than just the sensor..

No warnings since I bought it.   It has been to Audi and they didn't find anything wrong (of course they didn't), but they did change the battery.   They are now aware that I mentioned that there was something wrong and it is documented.   Can't do much else if nothing is shown to be wrong.  Until the next time.......

I might just change the sensor myself now as a preventative measure.  

 

[Crazycarlo]

1 hour ago, Magnet said:

Hello Carl,

My strong advice would be:-

Notify the seller.

Order a genuine Audi sensor. 
Do not ( in caps) drive it until the part is fitted. 

Fitting it yourself? Yes OK, but I think you run the risk of negating your seller warranty if you do - you would need to speak with them about that. 

Kind regards,

Gareth.

 

Hi Gareth, 

Thanks for the advice, I’ve already notified the seller who have told me to invoice them whatever the charges. Seeing as I cannot drive the car and run risks by fitting it myself … the only other option is by getting Audi to come to my house and replace it?

 

thanks. 

[P3N]

Hi Carl

Speaking as one of the unlucky ones who had the fault, went to Audi who diagnosed a new sensor was needed but didn’t have one in stock, then was allowed to drive away with a return booked for 2 weeks hence.  4 days and 19 miles later the ABS ‘bricked’ borrowing a term being used on this forum 😂 I had my car relayed to Audi then had a huge bill, £3600, to get my car back. 
My heartfelt advice, contact Audi Assist who have been known to carry these sensors on their AA vans 🙄 and do whatever is needed to have them come out to you.  If the dealer says they will cover costs then the small cost of joining Audi Assist  £99) should be a bonus to you going forward.

Good Luck Pen

[FADEC]

Admin,

Is it possible to create a “sticky” including details of the correct part number, the excellent video showing how easy it is to replace the part, you don’t need to go to a dealer unless it’s a warranty claim, and finally, a warning not to drive the car further than necessary, regardless of the dashboard warning?

Many thanks. 

[Crazycarlo]

17 minutes ago, P3N said:

Hi Carl

Speaking as one of the unlucky ones who had the fault, went to Audi who diagnosed a new sensor was needed but didn’t have one in stock, then was allowed to drive away with a return booked for 2 weeks hence.  4 days and 19 miles later the ABS ‘bricked’ borrowing a term being used on this forum 😂 I had my car relayed to Audi then had a huge bill, £3600, to get my car back. 
My heartfelt advice, contact Audi Assist who have been known to carry these sensors on their AA vans 🙄 and do whatever is needed to have them come out to you.  If the dealer says they will cover costs then the small cost of joining Audi Assist  £99) should be a bonus to you going forward.

Good Luck Pen

Hi Pen,

Thats absolutely disgusting from Audi, the fact they let you drive it away only to then cause more damage and a hefty bill. Were you compensated due to the person at Audi saying it was ok to drive? 
 

I have rang my local Audi dealer who surprise surprise didn’t know anything about this error message and said without looking at it and doing diagnostics it’s difficult to say (yeah right and I wasn’t born yesterday either). So it’s booked in for next Saturday for a ‘check’ even though we all know the fault. I can tell them what to do myself! Anyway… after hearing from your experience, If a representative says it’s ok to drive I won’t be taking their word for it. 
 

Tried calling the aftersales team at the company I bought the car from to explain the situation but their unavailable right now but someone is going to ring when free. I’m going to be fully honest about the issue and what I’ve discovered online and explain that by driving the car they run the risk of incurring a possible £3000+ bill. Given that information, they should surely tell me to go ahead with Audi Assist where I’ll join for a £99 fee for a year. Will keep you posted guys. 
 

thanks

[Crazycarlo]

Update - rang Audi Assist who basically couldn’t guarantee the technician coming to see the car would fix it there and then and may advise taking it to local Audi dealer anyway… with all that considered, ill stick to the original plan of taking it to Audi next Saturday for them to find and tell me what I already know. The car company I bought it from have said not to worry and that they will cover it all so for now I must leave it on the drive and carry on living life ! Oh the joys … not something I expected having to do after buying a new(ish) car. 

[Falka]

Hi all, just to add my own experience with this - i got the same warnings this morning (brake servo restricted + start/stop fault). At first i decided to ignore as it wasn't in yellow or red. But then i got on the internet spent couple of hours reading other peoples' experiences and i got scared (didn't want to pay £3k for new ABS system). I called my local workshop, who said they didn't do such things. Then i called Audi to book an appointment with them, but they don't work saturdays. I tried to book online, the first available slot was next saturday. Then i decided i'm going to replace it myself, looked quite easy on youtube, part available on eBay...

And then (after reading the last posts here) i remembered i have audi roadside assistance cover🤦‍♀️ I called them straight away, they came in about 1h, the guy was an audi guy and he was amazing. He knew about this fault of course, he said a lot of cars have it and he was really glad i called them straight away on the first day the message appeared. He said he wouldn't recommend driving the car with this fault as it only take certain amount of presses on the brake till the ABS system breaks. Luckily he had exactly the same part with him (apparently there are two types - A and B but he had one of each with him) , he replaced it in no time and diagnostics came out clear, message disappeared...sorted. All covered i didn't pay anything extra. 

He also said that even if he had not had the part with him, he would be back here on Monday with it. So if you do have roadside assistance from Audi, just call them. Don't wait, it sounds like it can get really pricey. Also, if you call audi assistance, you're actually calling the yellow AA and they can dispatch any car - it can be the regular AA or Audi guys. Just insist that you want the Audi guys, even if you have to wait a bit longer. The regular AA won't have the parts and probably won't even know about this issue.

Edited May 28, 2022 by Falka