How to Change Mini Cooper Brake Pads

The Mini Cooper is a small entry-level car manufactured by BMW that is available in coupe, convertible, and Clubman wagon body styles. The Mini is driven by the front wheels by a four-cylinder engine and a manual transmission. The standard-equipment four-wheel disc brakes utilize pads that are mounted in the brake calipers, which squeeze against the brake rotors when the brake pedal is applied. Disc brakes are less prone to fading after repeated use than drum-styles brakes, but the disc pads will need periodic replacement.

Instructions

1

Raise the car with a floor jack and place jack stands at each corner under the frame rails or jacking points. Check your owners guide for the correct jacking points for your Mini. Lower the floor jack. Remove the lugs nuts with a lug wrench and remove the wheels.

2

Remove the wear sensor wire from the brake rotor, which is located in the caliper in between the two brake pads, by pulling it straight out of the caliper by hand. Push the sensor wire aside.

3

Loosen and remove the two caliper retaining bolts with two wrenches, one to hold the back side of the bolt from turning and one to remove the nut from the bolt. Place the bolts and nuts aside. Lift the caliper from its mounting bracket and hang it to the strut in the wheel housing with a bungee cord.

4

Pull the brake pads straight out of the caliper and discard them. Place the jaws of the special tool 34 1 050 into the caliper. Tighten the nut on the top of the tool with a wrench to expand the jaws, which pushes the piston back into the body of the caliper so that the new thicker pads can be inserted. Loosen the nut and remove the tool.

5

Insert the new brake pads into the caliper. Remove the bungee cord and place the caliper back into its mounting bracket. Tighten the two retaining bolts. Push the brake sensor wire back into the connector between the brake pads.

6

Repeat the steps for the remaining wheels. Replace the wheels and tighten the lug nuts with a lug wrench. Raise the car with the floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the floor jack. Tighten the lug nuts again in a crisscross pattern. Pump the brake pedal two or three times to seat the new pads.