Hi guys - Got stuck in a queue of stop-start traffic yesterday, after turning off the radio I noticed a noise when braking.

It's not very loud from inside the car (I can just about hear it with the radio turned on) and seems to come from the nearside front wheel area.

When the car is moving, it sounds like “tonk” when I touch the brake - (by “tonk” I mean a gentle metallic knock that could almost be described as delicate, compared to a heavy knock that would go “donk”!)

In the carpark and away from traffic, I listened with the window down and it was not quiet then at all – from outside it's really quite an alarmingly loud TONK!

Moving forwards, it seems to make the noise each time I touch the brake – but in reverse, it will make a noise only the first time I touch the brakes.

Car is 2005, now covered 69000 miles and had new pads fitted about three months ago. (pretty sure the noise is more recent than that)

Is this likely to be one of those annoying things that won’t get worse and can be left for later – or is it likely to be the first sign of a safety issue and something that needs addressing immediately?

cheers

Sounds like the brake pads moving in the carrier to me.

Do you know what pads you have? I think there are some that are slightly too small and move around a little.

Phil

The inner front pads are handed and can be fitted incorrectly (well done, Teves). Noise will occur when this happens.

There is a rotational arrow on the leaf spring which clips the inner pad into the piston recess.

rotodiesel.

This can also happen with non-oem brake pads apparently

OK - thanks for the responses.

Presuming incorrectly fitted pads is the cause, then:

1) is the only symptom going to be the noise, or will it also lead to other concerns like loss of braking effect on that wheel etc?

2) if there's no immediate safety issue, will leaving it as it is cause problems over the longer term?

3) what does someone who doesn't know what he's looking at (err, like me ) actually look for to see if the car needs to go back to where the pads were fitted (VAG specialist)?

cheers

PS - pads are Tarox - the last set were fine and I'm not aware the noise was there when this set got fitted. Would the noise be present straight away, or after some bedding-in?

Edited 23 October, 201213 yr by sidewaze samm

Welcome to anonymous annoying clunk thread . Been struggling with this quite a long time. My next option will be changing all the engine mounts and the 2 transmission mounts. Car has been in different workshops and the last thing everyone says, is the engine mounts. This will happen hopefully this week and then we will see will I keep the car or I am so frustrated and will sell it. :wonder:

Cheaper aftermarket pads don't have the rotation mark on the inner pads. Also cheaper pads don't have the anti vibrate cover on the outside of pads. This could result also in clunk. Also If you are already under the fender and everything taken apart, check if the pads move a lot in the caliper support. If so then this will probably result in a squeak not "tonk". The supports can be restored, so the pads wont move there a lot.

Also check your CV joints. These could most probably result in a clunk also.

Edited 24 October, 201213 yr by Browser