How to Change BMW Brake Pads
They all work together to slow or stop your BMW: brake pads, rotor, master cylinder, caliper and piston. But it is the friction material on ...
They all work together to slow or stop your BMW: brake pads, rotor, master cylinder, caliper and piston. But it is the friction material on the pads that is pushed against the brake rotor every time you step on the brake pedal, so pads wear much faster than any other component on this system. And after a few months of operation, it's essential to replace these pads with new ones to keep the braking system running properly and safely.
Instructions
Remove the Brake Pads
- 1
Park your BMW on a level surface.
2Loosen the wheel lugs on both front tires using a lug wrench.
3Raise the front using a floor jack and support the car on two jack stands.
4Finish removing the front tires.
5Remove the plastic plugs from the two caliper mounting pins on the back of the brake calipers.
6Unplug the brake lining wear sensor on the right hand side (passenger side) caliper assembly.
7Unscrew and remove the two caliper mounting pins using an Allen wrench.
8Remove the caliper strip plate with your hands. The plate is located on the side of the brake caliper facing you.
9Pull the brake caliper off the disc rotor and caliper mounting bracket. Use a screwdriver to carefully pry the caliper off, if necessary.
10Remove the outer and inner brake pads from the caliper with your hand. The inner caliper is mounted on the caliper piston with a back spring.
Install the New Brake Pads
- 11
Clean the caliper and mounting bracket with brake parts cleaner and a shop rag.
12Remove the lid from the brake master cylinder on the engine compartment and place a couple of shop rags around the bottom of the master cylinder. The rags will catch any fluid spills when you push the brake caliper piston into its cylinder.
13Re-install the old inner brake pad on the brake caliper piston.
14Push the caliper piston into the cylinder using a C-clamp. Then remove the inner pad.
15Apply a light coat of brake grease to the top of the caliper piston surface where it contacts the brake pad. Also, apply a light coat of brake grease to the contact surface between the brake caliper and caliper-mounting bracket.
16Install the new brake pads on the brake caliper.
17Mount the brake caliper on the mounting bracket.
18Install the caliper mounting pins and tighten them with the Allen wrench.
19Plug the brake lining wear sensor on the right hand side caliper assembly.
20Install plastic plugs on the two caliper mounting pins.
21Mount the tires on the wheel assembly and install the wheel lugs. Tighten the lugs with the lug wrench, just enough to push the tire firmly against the wheel hub.
22Lower the vehicle and finish tightening the wheel lugs.
23Add new brake fluid to the brake master cylinder. The fluid level should be at the MAX marking on the side of the cylinder fluid container. Then install the cap on the master cylinder.
24Depress the brake pedal several times to make sure the brake pads contact the brake discs.