🔧 Fusion - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers out of the way, replace the pads, then reassemble everything with the correct torque. New pads restore safe stopping power and prevent rotor damage when old pads get thin.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat surface and support the car with jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—avoid blowing it with compressed air; use brake cleaner instead.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ Brakes get hot—let everything cool before touching components.
• ⚠️ Keep grease off pad friction material and rotor faces.

---

🔧 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
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Torque wrench (10–200 Nm range)
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Brake caliper compression tool (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake pad hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant (silicone or synthetic) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind both rear tires.
• Break the front lug nuts loose about 1/2 turn before lifting the car (do not remove yet).
• Assumption: Factory single-piston front calipers (most SE models).

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front of the car

• Use a 21mm socket with a 1/2" drive breaker bar to loosen the front lug nuts 1/2 turn.
• Lift the front using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the wheels using the 21mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.

Step 2: Inspect the caliper and pads

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room to work on one side at a time.
• Look at pad thickness and check for uneven wear or torn rubber boots on the caliper slide pins.

Step 3: Remove the caliper guide pin bolts

• Use a 13mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the two caliper guide pin bolts (back side of the caliper).
• Carefully pivot the caliper up and off the pads/rotor.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension spring using a bungee cord so the brake hose is not stretched.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the old inner and outer pads out by hand. Use a flat blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the old stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the pad “seats” on the bracket where the clips sit.
• Spray the area with brake cleaner and wipe with shop towels.

Step 5: Retract the caliper piston

• A brake caliper compression tool (specialty) is a screw tool that slowly pushes the piston back into the caliper.
• Position the old inner pad against the piston, then use the brake caliper compression tool (specialty) to press the piston fully back in.
• Go slowly and keep the tool straight so you don’t damage the piston boot.

Step 6: Install new hardware clips and lubricate contact points

• Install the new pad clips onto the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake lubricant (silicone or synthetic) where the pad ears slide in the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Tip: Less grease is better than more.

Step 7: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• Make sure the pads slide freely in the clips (no binding).

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque the bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads and rotor.
• Install the guide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 13mm socket and torque wrench (10–200 Nm range) to tighten the guide pin bolts: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Repeat Steps 2–8 on the opposite side.
• Replace pads on both front wheels as a set.

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and snug the lug nuts using a 21mm socket.
• Lower the car off the jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Use a torque wrench (10–200 Nm range) with a 21mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).
• A torque wrench ensures bolts are tightened to the correct force, not “as tight as possible.”

---

✅ After Repair

• With the car on the ground, pump the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off only if needed (do not overfill).
• Do a careful test drive at low speed first. Verify no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Pad break-in (bedding): make 6–10 moderate stops from ~35 mph to ~5 mph, with 30–60 seconds between stops for cooling.
• Re-check lug nut torque after 50–100 miles using the torque wrench (10–200 Nm range).

---

💰 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.

---

🎯 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.