🔧 Maxima - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers out of the way, and replace the pad set on both front corners. New pads restore braking power and prevent rotor damage when pads get thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Maxima with jack stands on solid, level ground—never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy—wear a dust mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• ⚠️ Brake fluid can damage paint—wipe spills immediately and keep the reservoir cap area clean.
• ⚠️ Don’t press the brake pedal with the caliper removed, or the piston can pop out.
• ⚠️ No battery disconnect is required for this front brake pad job.

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🔧 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
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 22mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

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

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧰 Park on level ground, shift to P, and set the parking brake.
• 🧰 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🧰 Pop the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. Make sure it’s not overfull—pushing pistons back can raise the level.
• 🧰 Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting the car.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Use a 21mm socket with a breaker bar to loosen (do not remove) the front lug nuts.
• Lift the front with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the front jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and confirm it’s stable before working.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove both front wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Open the caliper and remove the old pads

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room at the caliper you’re working on.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it using a bungee cord (do not let it hang by the hose).
• Slide the old inner and outer pads out of the bracket. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Spray the bracket area with brake parts cleaner spray and lightly clean rust with a wire brush.

Step 4: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one of the old pads against the caliper piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir level as you compress. Remove a little fluid if it gets too high. Go slow to avoid overflow.
• C-clamp: a screw clamp used to push the piston back evenly.

Step 5: Install new hardware and pads

• Replace the pad clips/shims on the bracket if your front brake hardware kit (clips/shims) includes them.
• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease (silicone) to pad “ears” where they slide on the clips (do not get grease on pad friction material or the rotor).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket in the same orientation as the originals.

Step 6: Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Lower the caliper back over the new pads.
• Reinstall the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range).
• If you removed the caliper bracket for any reason, reinstall the bracket bolts using a 22mm socket and ratchet, then Torque to 137 Nm (101 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both front wheels and hand-start the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench (10-200 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 133 Nm (98 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ With the engine off, press the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• ✅ Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 only if needed (do not overfill).
• ✅ Do a cautious test drive and verify there are no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• ✅ Pad bed-in (break-in): make 8-10 medium stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, letting brakes cool a bit between stops. Avoid hard stops for 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$270 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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