Owners of other Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles such as the Yaris, Corolla, Matrix, Prius, Camry, RAV4, Sienna, Tacoma, Tundra, FJ Cruiser, Venza, Highlander, 4Runner, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, IS 250, IS 200t, IS 300, NX 200t, NX 300h, RX 350, RX 450h, LS 460, LS 600h, ES 350, ES 300h Hybrid, RC F, GS 350, CT 200h, LX 570, GX 460, tC, iA, iM, xB, xD, iQ and FR-S may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement front brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner ZD1293, Bosch BE1293, Wagner QC1293, ACDelco 14D1222CH, Centric Parts 106.12930, Power Stop Z23-1293, Toyota 04465-07010 and Dura International BP1293 C.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 14mm socket, a 3/8" drive ratchet, a thin 17mm wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of brake caliper grease.

The first two steps are to park the car 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 car from moving.

Slightly loosen the five lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise a half turn with the tire iron.

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

I prefer to lift the car at the frame rail and keep the three other wheels on the ground for extra safety.

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

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

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

Then loosen the bottom 14mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise.

Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord.

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

Pull the two "V" or "U" shaped metal spring clips off the outer edge of the old brake pads.

Remove the old brake pads from the bracket.

Make a mental note of where the wear indicator or "squeal" bars are situated on the old brake pads.

On this 2016 Avalon XLE, the wear bars were situated at the top of both the inner and outer brake pads.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the new pad abutment clips where they will come in contact with the caliper bracket or the new pads.

Push the new pad abutment clips in to the top and bottom of the bracket.

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

Pull the upper and lower caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots in the caliper bracket.

Spread a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease on to the smooth parts of the caliper slider pins before pushing them back in to the bracket.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, you will need to compress back the caliper piston.

Attach the "C" or "F" clamp to the caliper and use 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, closest to the driver's seat, and pull off the brake fluid reservoir cap.

Slowly turn the "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction to push back the piston in to the caliper.

Repeatedly check the level in the reservoir to prevent it from over flowing. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage painted surfaces.

Replace the reservoir cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air).

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 Avalon 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 car 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 18mm 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.

If you prefer to use the genuine OEM brake pads, the part number is Toyota 04465-07010.

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 pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

Carefully lower the caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Tighten the caliper bolts by turning them counterclockwise (as seen from the outside of the car) with the 14mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet to just past hand tight or about 25 lb-ft of torque.

If the caliper slider pins move as you are attempting to tighten the caliper bolts, hold them in place with a pair of pliers or a thin 17mm cone spanner wrench.

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

If your brake pedal has been feeling soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain 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 new DOT 3 or 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 (8mm) is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper just below the top caliper bolt.

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 the clockwise direction in a "criss cross" or star pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or 76 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 car 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 or 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 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 Toyota Avalon DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.