Does anyone know, if, as part of a dealer service they are supposed to remove the calipers as part of the service to inspect the pads?I have just had a pad with 4mm of wear still left split apart from the metal part of the pad.I have had the car serviced every year at a main dealers and the calipers have never been removed.I thought as part of the service they would remove the pads to check them.Looking at the front pads I have found one pad is doing the same thing and it has 7mm of material left.It would be impossible to find out if the pads are doing this without removing them. Stornaway grey SE auto with 18" alloys

MAIN SERVICE (VEHICLE EXTERIOR)
Annual corrosion/cosmetic inspection
Check tyre pressures, condition and tread depth.
Remove road wheels
Inspect brake pads for wear, calipers for leaks and disks for condition Replace Brake Fluid (Every 3 years)*
Drain fuel sedimentor (Diesel)
Renew fuel filter element (Diesel)
Refit road wheels to opposite sides of the same axle ( Use anti-sieze compound on spigot bore ) - Not vehicles fitted with uni-directional tyres Check operation of door checks, bonnet catch & fuel flap and lubricate door checks
Apply lubricant to door seals - Russian and Nordic markets only

I'm assuming that this means a visual brake inspection without removing calipers.

I can confirm that garages never remove calipers to inspect pads - some don't even remove the wheels! Checked mine over in work today (only bought it Saturday). Front discs and pads almost brand new, rear discs lipped and pads just over half worn. Ordered some Mintex ones and I will be replacing them on Wednesday. Also, because Mrs D drove it practically to destruction yesterday, (http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic14837.html) I removed the rear discs to inspect the handbrake shoes. As expected, they are heat damaged and have cracked linings so they will be replaced along with a shoe fitting kit when the discs and pads are replaced. Might take some pictures and post them up if I remember.  Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

I've had the first three services done at the main dealer and the wheels have never been off !!

Iain

From memory, the wheels are removed on the B service but not on the A.
Edit: Yes that's correct according to the service schedule I received this week. It appears that the service schedule at https://www.freel2.com/gallery/albums/user...tCheck.PDF is now out of date.