Owners of other Mazda vehicles such as the CX-3, CX-30, CX-7, CX-9, Mazda3, Mazda6, MX-30, MX-5 Miata, Mazda2, CX-4, CX-8 and BT-50 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: ACDelco 17D1623CH, Wagner ZD1623, Power Stop Z23-1623, Raybestos EHT1623H,

If you prefer to have the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) pads, the part number is Mazda K0Y1-33-28ZB (also known as K0Y13328ZB, K0Y1-33-28ZA or K0Y13328ZA).

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet, an "F" clamp and a tube of brake caliper grease.

The first few steps are to drive the SUV on to a level surface, shift the transmission into "Park" and turn off the ignition.

Engage the emergency / parking brake and place wheel chocks on both sides of the rear tires.

Slightly loosen the five lug nuts about 1/2 turn in the counterclockwise direction with the tire iron.

Carefully raise the front of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

Please do not solely rely on the floor jack to support the vehicle!

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

Set the lug nuts aside in a safe place.

Carefully remove the rear wheel and tire.

Some home mechanics choose to place the wheel under the vehicle's frame rail as an backup support device just in case the car falls off the jack stands.

Once the wheel is removed, you'll be able to see the rotor, bracket, caliper and suspension.

Loosen the top caliper bolt by turning it in the clockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet.

Then loosen the bottom caliper bolt by also turning it in the clockwise direction (when viewed from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and the 3/8" drive ratchet.

Note - If you slide under the vehicle and look at the back side of the rotor and caliper, you would loosen the bolts in the "normal" counterclockwise (lefty loosey) direction.

Since we are looking at the outer face of the rotor and caliper, our orientation to the bolts are reversed, so we will loosen them in the "opposite" clockwise direction.

I do not recommend removing the bolts from underneath the vehicle since it is an unnecessary risk to your safety.

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

Rest the caliper on the top of the rotor or suspend it from the suspension spring with a bungee cord or some twine.

Make a mental note of where the wear indicator bar or "squeal" bar is located.

On this 2019 CX-5, the wear indicator bar is situated at the top of the inner brake pad.

If your new set of front pads includes a bag of replacement brake hardware, pull the old pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.

Clean off the rotor, lug studs, bracket and caliper with brake parts cleaner spray.

Try to avoid breathing in the cleaning spray or the brake dust since they may be carcinogenic (cancer causing).

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to the top and bottom of the new pad abutment clips.

Push the two pad abutment clips into the top and bottom of the bracket. Make sure the clips are fully seated in place.

Do NOT mix up the top and bottom caliper slide pins since they are slightly different.

Pull out one pin at a time from its rubber dust boot, apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease and then push it back into the bracket.

Repeat the process to lubricate the other slide pin.

Attach the "F" clamp to the caliper and use the back of an old brake pad to help evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and locate the brake fluid reservoir situated to the left of the 12V automotive battery and in front of the cowl by the windshield.

Twist off the cap on the reservoir bottle by turning it in the counterclockwise direction.

Set the cap aside in a safe place.

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

Make sure the piston is traveling straight back into the caliper and not at an angle.

If you encounter any resistance, stop and make sure the "F" clamp is lined up properly.

Continue compressing back the piston until is just about flush with the rubber dust boot that surrounds it.

As soon as you are done retracting the piston, replace the brake fluid reservoir cap.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air) so the cap should not be left any longer than absolutely necessary.

Rotor Replacement Instructions

If your CX-5 has been exhibiting shuddering, shaking or vibrations in the front end while braking, the OEM rotors might be worn out or warped and should be replaced.

Remove the two 17mm bolts on the back side of the bracket and set the bracket aside.

(If your rotor is equipped with a set screw, remove it.)

Slide the old rotor straight off the wheel hub and lug studs. If the old rotor is stuck in place due to corrosion, try hitting it a few times with a rubber mallet to loosen the rust.

Clean off the wheel hub and lug studs with brake parts cleaner spray.

A few compatible replacement front brake rotors with their part numbers are as follows: Centric 121.45094, Raybestos 982264FZN and Mazda KD45-33-251.

Slide the new rotor over the lug studs and against the wheel hub.

Reattach the bracket with the two 17mm bolts.

The CX-5 service manual specification for tightening the 17mm caliper bracket bolts is 68 to 81 lb-ft (or 92 to 110 N-m) of torque.

Install the new inner and outer brake pads into the bracket.

Push the pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

Carefully lower the caliper over the new pads and into the bracket.

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

Spin in the two caliper bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to help prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the two bolts by turning them in the counterclockwise direction (when viewed from the outside of the SUV) with the 14mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet.

If you have a sensitive and reliable torque wrench, the Mazda CX-5 shop manual specifies that the 14m caliper bolts should be tightened to between 23 to 28 lb-ft (or 30 to 39 N*m).

Double check that the bracket bolts and caliper bolts are properly tightened before moving on to the next steps.

If your brake pedal has been feeling soft, mushy or spongy, the brake fluid might be contaminated with some water or a few 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.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located on the back side of the caliper just below the top bolt.

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 covered by a rubber cap and located just below the top caliper bolt.

The service manual specification for tightening the 10mm bleeder screws is 62 to 86 in-lb (or 6.9 to 9.8 N-m).

Spin on the five lug nuts in the clockwise direction by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the lug nuts in the clockwise direction with the tire iron in a criss-cross or "star" pattern.

Continue tightening the lug nuts in a criss cross or star pattern until they are snug.

If you have a torque wrench, the 2019 CX-5 owner's manual specification for tightening the lug nuts is 80 to 108 lb-ft (or 108 to 147 N-m).

To break in your new front brake pads, just try to drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any very hard or "panic" stops which might 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, parking spot or garage for drops of fresh brake fluid which may indicate a leak from the bleeder valve or the reservoir. You should also check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight.

Be sure to write down the procedure in your vehicle's service records.

Please check out all of my 2017-2022 Mazda CX-5 DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.