There are 2 owner-reported brakes complaints for the 2024 Audi Q3in NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
The rear inner brake pads wore out much faster then the outer brake pads on the vehicle. On July 16, 2025, the car was taken in for service at an Audi dealership (Hoffman Audi in East Hartford, CT) and the inner brake pads were reported to be at 4mm. The car had 19,678 miles. On 12/18/2025 the car was serviced with 25,361 miles and the rear inner brake pads were replaced because they were at 1mm. Besides excessive and premature wear of inner brake pads, this is a safety issue since the brake pad sensors are typically on the outer pads. Disc brake pads should wear consistently between inner and outer pads. Many social media forums report similar problems with Audi Q3 model wearing rear inner pads faster then the outer pads. 3mm wear on pads after only 5 months is excessive and dangerous, especially since the sensors cannot report pads are worn because they are on the outer pads.
The brakes are making a loud grinding noise, especially when the car is first used from a cold start. I have taken it to Audi 2 times and been told it is multiple reasons that are causing it and they say there is no fixing it. First, I was told it had been sitting for a while and after they drove it the sound disappeared and would not come back. Second I was told it is because I live near the ocean, even if the car has only been in the are for a few weeks. Also, I was told keeping it in the garage won’t help. Third I was told it is a known problem by Audi and some of their cars make this horrible noise. Forth, I was told that since I bought the car in Nashville it most likely sat on the lot for a long period of time and the snow or water caused the problem. The report says the rotors had rust, and the pads were sticking to the rotors. I do not feel the car is safe to drive, and have little confidence that the brakes are safe. I have contacted Audi corporate, Audi Brentwood (who told me the car was fixed before I bought it) and Audi North in Sanford Florida who gave me all the other excuses and stated repeatedly that this noise is a normal problem with Audi. Please help!
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026