Audi A4 Brake Pads: Specs, Fitment & Wear Symptoms
A genuinely honest account: Audi's own corporate escalation, after a week of communication, concluded the brakes were "squeaking more than normal" — plus a genuine fix using a specific wheel cleaner, and confirmation of a known batch of affected pads.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: 8W0698151BH (genuine front pad set — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket front pads Brembo P 85 098 / Bosch 0 986 494 538
| Front brake pads (aftermarket) | Brembo P 85 098 (188 x 73-74 x 19 mm, wear sensor yes, TRW/Lucas/Girling system, WVA 24408/24409/24743); Bosch 0 986 494 538 (155.2 x 66.7-72 x 19.8-20.3 mm, integrated wear sensor yes, WVA 24705); TRW GDB1768 COTEC (188 x 73-73.6 x 19 mm, wear sensor yes, TRW restriction); TRW GDB1814 COTEC (155.2 x 66.7-72 x 19.8-20.3 mm, wear sensor yes, ATE restriction); ATE 13.0460-7256.2 (155.1 x 67-72 x 19.8-21.3 mm, wear sensor yes, ATE/Teves/Continental system); Ridex 402B0215 (155 x 66-72 x 20 mm, wear sensor yes, WVA 24333/24706/24332); Ridex 402B0301 (187.9 x 73 x 18.4 mm, wear sensor yes, WVA 24743/24409) / Brembo P 85 153 (155 x 64 x 17 mm, wear sensor yes, ATE/Teves/Continental system); Brembo P 85 164 (210 or 252 x 99 x 16 mm, wear sensor prepared, ATE/Teves/Continental system); Brembo P 85 165 (194 x 74 x 17 mm, wear sensor prepared, Akebono system, not for carbon-ceramic discs); Bosch 0 986 424 429 (194.2 x 74 x 16.8 mm, wear sensor not stated); Bosch 0 986 424 432 (210.1 or 252 x 98.8-99 x 16.3 mm, wear sensor not stated); TRW GDB2126 (252.8 x 98.8 x 16.3 mm, wear sensor prepared, ATE restriction, steel discs only); ATE 13.0460-5678.2 (194 x 74 x 16.9 mm, wear sensor prepared and not included, Akebono system); Ferodo FDB4871 (155.2 x 17.1 mm, height not listed, wear sensor yes, ATE/Teves/Continental system) |
|---|---|
| Pad sizes & variants | Two sizes. The smaller ATE/Teves-system pad is about 155 x 66-72 x 20 mm (Bosch 0 986 494 538, TRW GDB1814, ATE 13.0460-7256.2, Ridex 402B0215). The larger TRW/Lucas/Girling-system pad is about 188 x 73-74 x 19 mm (Brembo P 85 098 and Xtra P 85 098X, TRW GDB1768, Ridex 402B0301). Three sizes. 155 x 64 x 17 mm (smallest brakes; Brembo P 85 153, Ferodo FDB4871, Ridex 402B1318, febi 16962, all with a sensor), 194 x 74 x 17 mm (Akebono caliper; Brembo P 85 165, ATE 13.0460-5678.2, Bosch 0 986 424 429, Ridex 402B1161) and 210 or 252 x 99 x 16 mm (largest brakes; Brembo P 85 164, TRW GDB2126, Bosch 0 986 424 432, ATE 13.0460-7329.2). |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | 8W0698151BH (genuine front pad set number previously quoted for this model — confirm via VIN) |
| Fitment notes | The 188 mm pads are for the bigger front brakes and the 155 mm pads for the smaller ones; No Ferodo, Pagid, Textar, Mintex or Delphi front sets are listed. Bigger-brake cars take the 194 mm (Akebono) or 210/252 mm pads and the base cars the 155 mm pads; Ferodo FDB4871 and Brembo P 85 153 include the sensor. No Pagid, Mintex or Delphi front sets, and Textar is rear only. |
Common Sizes
| B9 generation (2017 onwards), front pads, 314mm rotor | Audi OEM: 8W0698151BH (also referenced as 8W0698151AF) |
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| B9, front pads, 338mm rotor (PR code 1LH) | Audi OEM: 8W0698151BB (also referenced as 8W0698151AQ, 8W0698151AD) |
| B8 generation (2011-2017), front pads, 320mm rotor | Audi OEM: 8K0698151K (also referenced as 8K0698151G) |
Audi A4 Brake Pads: Brake Pads Are One of the Few Truly Universal Parts
Every version of the A4 uses brake pads that wear down through normal use — the only real variable is how quickly, which depends on engine, trim, and (where fitted) whether the car has any form of regenerative braking to ease the load.
Audi A4 Brake Pads: What They Do
Brake pads clamp against the discs to convert the car's momentum into heat, slowing it down. On any version of the A4 with hybrid assistance or regenerative braking, this system handles a meaningful share of everyday slowing, which can genuinely extend pad life compared with a purely petrol or diesel equivalent.
| B9 generation, genuine Audi reference | Confirm exact fitment via VIN — pad size on this model genuinely varies by engine and trim, not just by generation. |
|---|---|
| Earlier generation, genuine Audi reference | A genuinely different pad from the standard tier — confirm fitment via VIN before ordering. |
| 314mm front (PR code 1ZA) | Confirm exact fitment via VIN — pad size on this model genuinely varies by engine and trim, not just by generation. |
| 318mm and 338mm front (higher-power variants) | Genuinely a different, larger pad to match the 314mm disc/caliper on this higher tier — not interchangeable with the standard-tier pad on the same axle. |
| Rear pads, standard | Sized to match the 300mm disc/caliper on this tier. Pad size genuinely scales with engine output and trim on this model, not just the disc diameter — always confirm the exact pad against your VIN rather than assuming from generation alone. |
Audi A4 Brake Pads: Watch: Replacing It
B8/B8.5 front; B9 alternative: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4BUequu7yU (Audi A4 Front Brake Rotor and Pad Replacement DIY, 2017-2024 B9 A4/A5)
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A Genuinely Honest, Real Account Worth Knowing — Audi A4 Brake Pads
If a dealer initially dismisses brake squeal as normal, this is genuinely worth knowing: one documented case saw the manufacturer's own corporate customer service team escalate a complaint over a full week, only to eventually conclude the brakes were simply "squeaking more than normal" — a genuinely vague finding, though the pads were replaced anyway. It's worth persisting through this kind of escalation process even if the initial responses feel dismissive or non-specific, since it can still lead to the pads actually being replaced.
It's also genuinely worth knowing a proper technique that's sometimes skipped: chamfering the leading edge of new pads and applying a proper brake lubricant to all metal-to-metal contact points, not just the rear of the pad, is described as the correct procedure for preventing squeal, worth confirming this was actually done if a squeak develops shortly after a pad replacement. It's also worth knowing that an intermittent squeal, even when properly recorded and provided to a dealer, can genuinely go unresolved even after several separate visits — worth persisting and providing as much specific detail as possible about exactly when the noise occurs.
Audi A4 Brake Pads: Wear Symptoms, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Brake Pads Guide for warning signs to watch for, confirming fitment against your VIN, and R90-certified aftermarket brands worth trusting.
More Audi Brake Pads
The same part, covered across other Audi models.