When you identify unusual noises on your Audi A4 you commonly tend to worry. Specifically when you experience a noise coming from the release bearing of your Audi A4. It is instantly assimilated to an engine problem and can therefore be serious. As we know that you do not take these concerns lightly, we have decided to make this document to help you locate the triggers and free yourself from this issues as quickly as possible. To do this, we will first focus on the role and operation of the release bearing of your clutch, and in a second step we will look in detail at the different release bearing noises on Audi A4 and their sources.release-bearing-noise-audi-a4

What is the purpose and operation of the release bearing on Audi A4?

Function of the release bearing on Audi A4

The release bearing of your Audi A4 has a major role in the operation of your entire gearbox system. In fact, its task is to liberate the gearbox from the rotation of the engine block via its action. This will allow you to shift gears. It is controlled by the clutch pedal and then by the release fork, which, when it is activated, will press on the clutch and release the gearbox from engine rotation for you allow you to shift gears on your Audi A4.

Function of release bearing Audi A4

Let’s now look at the technical side, the release bearing is composed of two units, a first fixed part that slides only when the stop is pulled, or pushed (depending on its type) and finally a rotating part that is composed of a bearing that will allow it to stay in contact with the mechanism and follow its rotation.
There are two distinct variants of release bearing Audi A4 :

  • Pulled release bearing
  • It is the most unconventional of the two variants of release bearing . This one, compared with the hydraulic type, is operated by a mechanical pulling system that will release the clutch disc. In this situation, the release bearing must be mechanically fixed to the mechanism.

  • Hydraulic release bearing
  • The hydraulic release bearing, although more complicated, is the form most used in modern automobiles. It is however more sophisticated than the pulled release bearing. In fact, it will be composed of a hydraulic tube that will receive the pressure immediately from the clutch pedal.
    More conventional clutch stop

Release bearing noises Audi A4 and their sources

I experience a release bearing noise on Audi A4 in cases where I drive and it stops when I release my clutch pedal

If you experience a noise from your gearbox, release bearing or clutch itself when your engine is running, but it ceases when you press your clutch pedal, this noise often sounds like a bell noise, it is highly possible that your release bearing is the reason. Make sure that this noise stops when you disengage, in which situation it is time to swap the release bearing of your Audi A4.

I experience a release bearing noise when my pedal is up and I experience jolts in my foot

If you experience too much or too little resistance when you press your clutch pedal, and it is connected with jolts that you can experience in your clutch pedal, then the stop/fork release/blades grouping is deteriorated. In fact, this noise often comes from the broken fork that no longer allows the system to function normally.

I experience a grinding noise coming from the release bearing of my Audi A4 when I try to shift gears and they do not shift

This issues shows up most often on models equipped with hydraulic release bearing. It is often connected to a clutch pedal that has little or no resistance. If you are in this circumstance and you feel a grinding or cracking noise coming from the release bearing of your Audi A4, then you probably have a leak coming from your release bearing. It must therefore be swapped almost instantly or risk damaging your gearbox in addition to the clutch. If you have a noise coming from the gearbox of your Audi A4 and it’s not from your release bearing, check this article to have more informations.