Nissan
Pathfinder Front Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the front disc brake pads
on a 4th generation 2013-2016 Nissan Pathfinder including the part numbers.
2016 Pathfinder Front Wheel |
Slightly Loosen Lug Nuts |
Raise Front of SUV |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the fourth generation (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and maybe also the
face lifted 2017 model year) Nissan Pathfinder SUV in changing the
front disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins. Owners of other Nissan or Infiniti vehicles such as the Versa, Maxima, Juke, Rogue, Altima, Xterra, Sentra, Murano, Cube, Armada, Leaf, Quest, Frontier, Teana, 370Z, GT-R, Titan, G25, G37, M35, QX56, QX60 and M37 may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. A few compatible replacement sets of new front brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner QC1649, ACDelco 17D1649CH, Bosch BC1649, Power Stop 16-1649, Dura International BP1649C, Monroe GX1649, Callahan EBYK011962, TRW TPC1649 and Beck Arnley 085-1966. The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 17mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of synthetic brake parts lubricant grease. |
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13/16" Socket & Extension |
Spin Off 5 Lug Nuts |
Five Lug Nuts Removed |
The first two steps
are to park the SUV on a level surface and turn off the ignition. Then engage the emergency / parking brake and place wheel chocks on both sides of the rear tires to prevent the vehicle from moving. Slightly loosen the five lug nuts on the front wheel by rotating them counterclockwise a 1/4 to 1/2 turn with the tire iron. Raise the front of the SUV with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands. I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three tires on the ground for extra safety. Spin off the five lug nuts in the counterclockwise direction. I used a 13/16" socket attached to an extension bar to make the process easier. Set the five lug nuts aside in a safe place. |
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Rotor, Bracket & Caliper |
Front Brake Caliper |
Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt |
Carefully pull off
the front wheel to reveal the rotor, bracket, caliper and suspension. Set the front wheel aside in a safe place. The front brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side of the caliper with their bolt heads facing in towards the engine. Loosen the lower caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the car) with a 17mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet. |
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Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt |
Pliers - Hold Caliper Slider |
Holding Caliper Slider Pin |
Then loosen the
upper 17mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of
the car). If the caliper slider pins (or "guide bolts") start spinning as you are attempting to loosen the caliper bolts, hold them in place with a pair of pliers or a wrench. |
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Two Caliper Bolts Removed |
Pull Caliper Out of Bracket |
Rest Caliper On Suspension |
Set the two caliper
bolts aside in a safe place. Carefully pull the caliper out of the bracket and off the old brake pads. Try to avoid kinking, bending, pulling or stressing the rubber brake fluid hose. Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord or some twine. |
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Remove Old Inner Pad |
Wear Indicator Bar - Top |
Remove Old Outer Pad |
Pull the old inner
and outer brake pads out of the bracket and make a mental note of where the
wear indicator or "squeal" bars are situated on the old pads. On this 2016 Pathfinder SV, the wear indicator bars were located at the top of both the inner and outer brake pads. |
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips |
Remove Caliper Slider Pins |
Lubricate & Replace Pins |
If your new set of
front pads includes replacement brake hardware, pull the old pad abutment
(or "anti-rattle") clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket. Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the parts of the new pad abutment clips where they will come in contact with the new pads or the bracket. Push the new pad abutment clips in to place on the top and bottom of the bracket. In order for the brake caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins needs to be well lubricated. Pull the caliper slider pins out of the bracket and apply some brake parts lubricant grease to each before pushing them back in to place. |
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Attach "C" Clamp To Caliper |
Brake Fluid Reservoir |
Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap |
Attach a "C" or "F"
clamp to the caliper and use the back of an old brake pad to evenly
distribute the force across the two pistons. Move to the right rear driver side area of the engine bay and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction. Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you compress the caliper pistons. |
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Compress Caliper Pistons |
Move Clamp - Two Pistons |
Install New Inner Pad |
Slowly turn the "F"
clamp handle in the clockwise direction to push the pistons back in to the
caliper. Repeatedly check the brake fluid level in the reservoir to make sure it doesn't over flow. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage painted surfaces. You may need to move the "F" clamp over to the other side of the caliper in order to fully compress both of the two caliper pistons. Replace the reservoir cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air). Twist on the cap in the clockwise direction until it is snug. 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 inhaling brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust may be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled. Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper piston. Do not apply brake caliper grease to the friction surface of the new pads. If your Pathfinder previously exhibited shuddering, pulsations, 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 first front brake job on your SUV and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace 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. (The torque value specification for the caliper bracket bolts is 91 lb-ft.) |
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Install New Outer Pad |
Push Pads Against Rotor |
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Install the new
inner and outer brake pads in to the bracket with the wear bars situated at
the top of both pads. Push the two pads together until they are flush against the rotor. |
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Twist On Brake Fluid Cap |
Re-Install Brake Caliper |
Spin In Top Caliper Bolt |
Lower the brake
caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket. Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding bolt holes in the caliper slider pins within the bracket. |
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Spin In Bottom Caliper Bolt |
Tighten Counterclockwise |
Hold Pin With Pliers |
Spin in the two
caliper bolts by hand a few turns in the counterclockwise direction to help
prevent them from becoming cross threaded. Tighten the two caliper bolts by turning them counterclockwise (as seen from the outside of the SUV) with the 17mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet to just past hand tight or about 34 lb-ft of torque. If the caliper slider pins turn as you are trying to tighten the caliper bolts, hold them in place with a pair of pliers or a wrench. |
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Torque To 34 lb-ft |
Tighten Top Caliper Bolt |
Rubber Valve Cap |
Double check that
the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps. If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain some air bubbles. 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 3 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 just below the top caliper bolt. |
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve |
Replace Front Wheel |
Spin On 5 Lug Nuts |
Push the front
wheel back in to place. Spin on the five lug nuts a few turns by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded. |
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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts |
Lower Car - Torque To 83 lb-ft |
Front Brake Pads Replaced |
Slightly tighten
the lug nuts in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern with the tire iron. Carefully lower the SUV from the jack stands by using the floor jack. Continue tightening the lug nuts in the clockwise direction to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or 83 lb-ft of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an electric impact wrench with a torque stick to make sure that the lug nuts are properly tightened. Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and pump 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, pour in some new DOT 3 fluid. To break in your new front brake pads, just drive normally for the first several hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to become noisy and not perform as well. It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway, garage or parking spot for drops of fresh 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. For more,
check out all of my
2013-2016 Nissan Pathfinder DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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