🔧 Murano - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll be removing the front wheels, swapping the brake pads and rotors, then reassembling everything with the correct torque and a proper bed-in. Doing pads and rotors together prevents vibration, noise, and uneven braking.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support your Murano on jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Wear gloves and safety glasses; brake dust and cleaner are harsh.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let everything cool before you start.
• 🧷 Don’t let the brake caliper hang by the hose; support it with a hook/strap.
• 🧴 Brake fluid damages paint—keep a rag handy and wipe spills immediately.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 22mm socket
• 3/8" ratchet
• 1/2" breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20–200 ft-lbs range)
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Needle-nose pliers
• Shop rags
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Qty: 2 Replace in pairs
• Front brake hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart

---

📋 Before You Begin

• 🧭 Park on level ground, turn the engine off, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🔧 Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the front lug nuts 1/2 turn before lifting.
• 🧴 Pop the hood and check the brake fluid level. If it’s near MAX, remove a little with a clean rag (pushing pistons back can overflow).
• 📝 A “caliper bracket” is the metal mount that the brake pads slide in, and the caliper bolts to it.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and remove the front wheels

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front at the proper jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the proper support points and lower onto the stands.
• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and ratchet, then remove the wheel.

Step 2: Remove the brake caliper (do not stretch the hose)

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room at the caliper.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the two caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the pads and hang it using a bungee cord.

Step 3: Remove pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out by hand (use needle-nose pliers if they’re tight).
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket. Use a flat blade screwdriver carefully if needed.
• Spray the bracket contact areas with brake parts cleaner spray and scrub with a wire brush.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 22mm socket and breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside on a rag.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• Remove the rotor from the hub. If it’s stuck from rust, spray hub/rotor center with brake parts cleaner spray and tap the rotor “hat” area with controlled force (use the breaker bar handle carefully).
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush until it’s smooth. A dirty hub can cause rotor wobble.

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake parts cleaner spray and wipe with shop rags (removes protective oil).
• Install the rotor onto the hub.
• Thread on one lug nut by hand to hold the rotor flush while you work (use the 21mm socket lightly to snug if needed).

Step 7: Reinstall the bracket and hardware

• Install the caliper bracket over the rotor.
• Use a 22mm socket and ratchet to start bolts by hand, then tighten.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.
• Install new pad clips/hardware from the kit.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) where the pad “ears” touch the clips. Keep grease off rotor/pad friction.

Step 8: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old brake pad against the caliper piston.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir under the hood as you compress; don’t let it overflow.

Step 9: Install new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• Remove the lug nut holding the rotor (if you used one).
• Set the caliper over the new pads.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to reinstall the caliper slide bolts.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 10: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Repeat Steps 2–9 on the other side. Always do brakes in pairs.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and lower the vehicle

• Install the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Use a torque wrench and 21mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 113 Nm (83 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm before you drive.
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed.
• 👂 On your first slow test drive, listen for grinding/squealing and confirm straight, smooth stopping.
• 🛣️ Bed-in (break-in) the pads: do 6–10 moderate stops from 30–35 mph down to 5 mph, with 30 seconds between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 150–200 miles.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $600-$950 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $220-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $380-$500 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.