How to Replace the Brakes on a Saturn

The brakes on your Saturn perform an important function for your vehicle. When hydraulic pressure is forced through the metal brake lines, it pushes against a piston in the caliper which in turn pushes the brake pads against the brake rotor to slow down your vehicle. When the brakes on your Saturn are 1/8-inch thick, you need to check and replace them.

Instructions

1

Loosen the lug nuts on the driver's side wheel using the torque wrench. Turn the wrench counterclockwise 1/4 degree. If you are going to change the passenger side brakes, you will want to repeat this process for the passenger side wheel.

2

Jack the Saturn up, using the front jack points on the vehicle. The front jack point will be located behind the radiator in the center of the vehicle. Place the jack stands under the frame of the Saturn and lower it onto the stands.

3

Continue to loosen the lug nuts you started to loosen on the driver's side, remove the lug nuts and the wheels. Unbolt the bottom caliper-mounting bolt and remove it. Loosen the top caliper mounting bolt but do not remove it. Swing the caliper up off the rotor. Secure the bottom of the caliper to the coil springs of the suspension with zip ties. Pull the pads out of the calipers.

4

Place the face of the old brake pad over the caliper piston and put the C-clamp over the pad and caliper assembly. Tighten the C-clamp and force the piston back into the caliper. Make sure the rubber piston boot folds accordion style into the caliper and does not twist or rip.

5

Install new brake pads into the caliper. The pads on your Saturn will only fit in 1 orientation. Reassemble the caliper and put the wheel back on, tightening the lug nuts down in a crisscross pattern. For example, tighten 1 lug nut and then tighten the nut opposite of that 1. Installation is the reverse of removal.

6

Lower the vehicle to the ground and torque the lug nuts to 100-foot lbs. Pump the brake pedal to restore the brake pressure. You may need to pump the pedal a few times to restore pressure.