Owners of other Ford or Lincoln vehicles such as the Focus, Fiesta, C-Max, Mustang, Escape, Transit Connect, Edge, Flex, Explorer, Expedition, Taurus, F-150, EcoSport, MKC, MKZ, MKS, MKX, MKT and the Navigator may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a flathead screwdriver, a 7mm Allen Key wrench or a 7mm hex head socket, a "C" clamp and a tube of high temperature brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible replacement sets of new front brake pads with their part numbers include the following: ACDelco 14D1665C, Motorcraft BR1164B, Wagner ZD1653, Centric (105.16530), Bendix # D1653 CQ and TRW Automotive TPC1653 Premium Ceramic.

Slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise with the tire iron.

Raise the front of the car with the floor jack and securely support it with the two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

Spin off the five lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the front wheel to reveal the rotor, bracket, caliper and front suspension.

Gently pry out the plastic dust caps at the end of the bolt cover with a flathead screwdriver.

Loosen the upper caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 7mm Allen Key wrench or a 7mm hex head socket with a ratcheting wrench.

Set the two caliper bolts / slider pins aside in a safe place.

For the next step, I'd recommend wearing eye protection.

Very carefully pry off the metal spring clip on the outer edge of the caliper with a flathead screwdriver.

The spring clip might fly off and hit you in the face or eyes. Please be careful.

Pull the brake caliper out of the bracket.

Try to avoid kinking, bending or stressing the rubber brake fluid hose.

Pull the old inner pad out of the piston. It is held in place by three metal prongs on the back side.

Remove the old outer brake pad from the caliper or the bracket if it remained there when you pulled off the caliper.

Attach the "C" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the black plastic brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

Removing the brake fluid cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you compress the piston.

Slowly compress back the caliper piston by turning the "C" or "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction.

Repeatedly check the level in the brake fluid reservoir to prevent it from over flowing.

Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage painted surfaces.

Once the caliper piston is flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it, you can remove the "C" clamp.

Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boot surrounding the caliper piston.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust may be carcinogenic (cancer causing) if inhaled.

If your Fusion previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the front end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the car's first front brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just change the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper pistons. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the rotor.

Install the new outer brake pad in to the bracket.

Push the prongs in to the caliper piston to install the new inner brake pad.

Carefully lower the caliper over the rotor and in to the bracket.

If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you may need to compress back the piston a bit further.

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins / bolts need to be well lubricated.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to the smooth parts of the two slider pins / bolts.

Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

Carefully re-attach the metal spring clip to the outside edge of the caliper.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT 4 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper right next to the upper caliper bolt.

Replace the front wheel and spin on the five lug nuts by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Carefully lower the car from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the 5 lug nuts in a "criss cross or star pattern to about 1/4 turn past hand tight or about 100 ft-lbs (or 135 Nm) of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

Sit in the driver's seat of the car and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, add some DOT 4 fluid.

To break in your new front brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy or not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight. Be sure to record the brake pad change in your service records.

For more, check out my other 2013-2016 Ford Fusion DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.