46 Brake pulsation diagnostic guidelines
46 17 68 2022584/8 March 15, 2017. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 46 number 17-63 dated
January 12, 2017 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)

Year

VIN Range

Vehicle-Specific Equipment

All

2006 - 2018

All

Not Applicable

Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision

Date

Purpose

8

-

Revised attachments (Brake Steel Measurement Form)

7

01/12/2017

Revised header data (Added model years)
Revised attachments (Added Steel Brake Measurement form)

6

10/20/2015

Revised Service (Updated instructions)

Note:
DO NOT use this TSB if there is another TSB for same concern applicable to the VIN. This TSB is only
intended for diagnostic purposes and does not serve as a guideline for determining warrantable
conditions.
Customer may report that the steering wheel vibrates or pulsates when the brakes are applied.

Technical Background
Brake-related vibrations and pulsations can have multiple root causes, which include—but are not limited to:
driving style, environmental conditions, and service history of the vehicle. Additionally, as brake pads and discs
wear, their dampening ability is reduced.

Disc thickness variation (DTV) is a common condition that contributes to
brake pulsation (Figure 1). DTV occurs when the two braking surfaces of
the brake disc are no longer parallel to each other. This condition cannot

Page 1 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

be accurately measured with normal workshop tools. Most common
conditions that create DTV include:
 Corrosion/rust build-up
 Pad material transfer
 Prolonged use of a disc with high run-out condition

Figure 1. Example of DTV.

Production Solution
Not applicable.

Service
Brake pulsation may be noticeable only with specific vehicle speed, brake pedal pressure, and temperature of the
brake components. In order to accurately diagnose the vehicle it is critical to test drive the vehicle under the same
conditions as the customers would (e.g., speed, braking pressure, etc.). The following are examples of other
conditions that can cause brake pulsation.

Overheated brake components
Overheated brake components can cause permanent damage to the brake discs and brake pads.

Page 2 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Condition: Brake pad material smeared on the brake disc
(Figure 2). This condition can create DTV.
Common cause: An overly-aggressive driving style, which
results in frequent sharp braking without proper cooling off
periods.
Service: Replace brake discs and pads.

Figure 2. Deposits on the brake disc.
Condition: Blue-tempered or overheated brake discs
(Figure 3).
Common cause: Failed component(s) causing constant
brake application. This can also be caused by an overlyaggressive driving style, which results in frequent sharp
braking without proper cooling off periods.
Service: Replace brake disc and pads.

Figure 3: Brake disc with heat marks.

Page 3 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Corrosion/rust build-up
The ability to remove any build-up on a brake disc is impacted by the severity of the build-up. If left
unattended, the build-up can permanently damage brake discs and pads.
Condition: Corrosion/rust build-up on the brake discs
(Figure 4). This condition can create DTV.
Common causes:
 Exposure to road salt during winter months, high
humidity, or moisture.
 Vehicle not being driven for prolonged periods of
time.
 A gentle driving style with very light brake
application may not be enough to remove build-up
(such as rust or corrosion) on the brake discs and
pads.
Service: With careful consideration of the traffic
situation, perform 2-3 ABS stops from speeds above
Figure 4. Corrosion/rust build-up.
50mph. Between each stop, allow the brake
components to cool by driving the vehicle for more
than one minute at speeds greater than 50mph. Do
not perform ABS stops if brand new pads and/or discs
are installed. Replace brake disc and pads if the
condition is not eliminated.

Condition: Pad material transfer or corrosion marks
from brake pads on the brake disc, also known as
“pad marks” (Figure 5). This condition can create
DTV.
Common cause: These marks can appear if the
vehicle has not been driven for a prolonged period of
time or if the brakes are exposed to high humidity or
moisture.
Service: With careful consideration of the traffic
situation, perform 2-3 ABS-stops from speeds above
50mph. Between each stop, allow the brake
components to cool by driving the vehicle for more

Figure 5. Pad marks on the brake disc.

Page 4 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

than one minute at speeds greater than 50mph. Do
not perform ABS stops if brand new pads and/or discs
are installed. Replace brake disc and pads if the
condition is not eliminated.

Condition: Excessive brake disc or wheel hub runout (Figure 6). Measure according to the Run-out
Measurement Instructions listed below.
Common causes:
 Over-torqued or improperly-torqued wheels
(torque sticks, impact gun, etc.) can distort the
brake disc and hub, causing a run-out condition.
Refer to Elsa for proper torque values and
procedures for the VIN.
 Wheels that are not Audi-approved may not
have the same contact surface on the back of the
wheel and may not have the correct center bore
dimension, which can distort the brake disc and
hub, causing a run-out condition.
 External impact or rust build-up between brake
disc and hub.
Service: Replace brake disc(s) and/or hub(s) if
measurements exceed the maximum value listed in
the Run-out Measurement Instructions.

Figure
6. True disc rotation (a) and disc lateral run-out
(b).

Condition: Worn brake pads (Figure 7).
Common cause: As brake pads and discs reach their
wear limit, their dampening characteristics are
reduced.
Service: Replace worn brake pads and discs.

Page 5 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Figure 7. Worn brake pad.

Other common causes
The following factors can impact the condition of the brake and suspension components,
which can lead to pulsation during braking. Always check the repair history and the overall
condition of the vehicle.
Condition: Faulty, damaged, or aftermarket
suspension components (ball joints, links, tie
rods, bushing, etc.) can significantly amplify
vibration/pulsation or lead to body vibrations
which only become noticeable when braking
(Figure 8 and Figure 9).
Service: Diagnose these components
accordingly.

Figure 8. Damaged suspension bushing.

Figure 9. Damaged suspension link.

Page 6 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Condition: Wheel/tire imbalance (Figure 10) or
radial run-out can significantly amplify the
vibration/pulsation or lead to body vibrations
which only become noticeable when braking.
Service: Inspect the condition of these
components and diagnose accordingly.

Figure 10. Wheel/ tire imbalance.

Run-out Measurement Instructions
To obtain accurate run-out measurements, the following conditions must apply:
 All surfaces that will be measured must be free of
rust/corrosion build-up or pad material transfer.
 VAS6079/1 (or similar measurement tool) is securely
attached to the vehicle (Figure 11).
 The brake disc is secured to the hub with 5 bolts.
 Axle bolt/nut is installed and properly torqued.
 Run-out measurements should be taken with all parts
installed on the vehicle

Page 7 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

Figure 11. Example of run-out
measurement tool VAS6079/1 properly
secured to a solid suspension component.

Use the following values to determine the severity of the
run-out:
Disc braking surface (Figure 12, point 1):
 Disc hub and wheel hub run-out impact this value.
 Maximum run-out: 0.06 mm / 0.002”
Disc hub (center of the brake disc) (Figure 12, point 2):
 Wheel hub run-out impacts this value.
 Disc hub run-out impacts the disc braking surface runout.
 Maximum run-out: 0.03 mm / 0.0012”
Wheel hub (without the disc installed) (Figure 12, point
3):

Figure 12. Run-out measurement locations:
disc braking surface (1), disc hub (2), wheel
hub (3).

 This value impacts the disc hub and disc braking
surface run-out. High run-out can distort the brake disc.
 Maximum run-out: 0.02 mm / 0.0008”

Warranty
This TSB is informational only and not applicable to any Audi Warranty.

Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2022584) are subject to change and/or removal. Always
check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.
©2017 Audi of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest
information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any

Page 8 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.

time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these
materials be modified or reposted to other sites without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.

Page 9 of 9
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.