How to Change the Brake Pads on a 2003 Alero

The brake pads on the 2003 Oldsmobile Alero need to be checked every six months for wear. The brake pads contain a friction material that wears away over time. Eventually, the pad material will shrink to 1/8-inch thick. At this point, you will need to change the pads. This job should take no more than 20 minutes for an amateur, but if you've never done this before, it may take you an hour.

Instructions

1

Loosen the lug nuts on the wheels you will be working on. Turn the lug nuts counterclockwise 1/4 turn with a tire wrench.

2

Jack up the side of the Alero you are working on. In most cases, it's best to simply jack up the front of the vehicle or the rear of the vehicle using the designated jack points behind the radiator and the trunk, respectively.

3

Place jack stands underneath the pinch welds on the side of the car and lower the Alero onto the stands.

4

Finish removing the lug nuts and slide the wheel off the hub assembly.

5

Place a c-clamp over the caliper so that the screw-end of the clamp is flat against the exposed brake pad and the other end of the clamp sits flush with the back of the caliper.

6

Tighten the clamp to force the brake caliper piston back into the caliper. A space should develop between the brake pads and the caliper. Tighten the clamp until the piston bottoms out.

7

Remove the upper and lower caliper mounting bolts and slide the caliper off the Alero.

8

Slide the pads out of the caliper and install new pads.

9

Put the caliper back onto the hub assembly and tighten the mounting bolts. Make sure you use a small amount of thread locker on the threads of the bolts. Torque the mounting bolts to 55 pounds-foot with a torque wrench.

10

Spray the brake assembly down with brake parts cleaner.

11

Put the wheel back on and lower the car to the ground.