🔧 Fusion - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front calipers out of the way, and swap in new pads (plus the pad “hardware” clips). This restores braking performance and prevents metal-to-metal damage when pads get thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat surface and support your Fusion with jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brakes can be hot; let everything cool before touching the rotor/caliper.
• ⚠️ Do not let the brake caliper hang by the hose; support it with a hanger.
• ⚠️ Watch the brake fluid level when compressing the piston—fluid can overflow and damage paint.
• ⚠️ No high-voltage hybrid service is needed for front pads, but keep tools away from orange high-voltage cables.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" ratchet
• 1/2" breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20–250 Nm range)
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaning brush
• Bungee cord
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (high-temp silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 4 LV) - Qty: 1 quart

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• Crack the front lug nuts loose before lifting the car (don’t remove them yet).
• A torque wrench is a tool that tightens bolts to an exact force so nothing loosens or breaks.
• A C-clamp brake piston compressor slowly pushes the caliper piston back in so the new thicker pads fit.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the front

• Use a 21mm socket and 1/2" breaker bar to loosen (about 1 turn) the front lug nuts.
• Lift the front using a floor jack at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands and give it a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both front wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Open the caliper area and inspect

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room (left side: turn wheel right; right side: turn wheel left).
• Visually inspect the rotor surface and pad thickness.
• If rotor is deeply grooved, replace it.

Step 4: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Use a 13mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts (upper and lower).
• If the slide pin spins, hold it steady while you loosen the bolt (use the wire brush to clean the exposed threads if needed).

Step 5: Support the caliper (do not hang it)

• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Use a bungee cord to hang/support the caliper from the strut spring so the hose is not stretched.

Step 6: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the old inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to pry the stainless pad hardware clips out of the bracket.
• Spray the bracket pad lands with brake cleaner and scrub with a brake parts cleaning brush.

Step 7: Service the slide pins (quick check)

• Pull each slide pin out (one at a time) and wipe clean.
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (high-temp silicone) and reinstall the pin.
• The pins should move smoothly by hand; if one is stuck, stop and fix that before continuing.

Step 8: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp brake piston compressor 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’s about to overflow.

Step 9: Install new hardware clips and pads

• Snap the new hardware clips (from the kit) into the bracket.
• Apply a very thin film of brake caliper grease (high-temp silicone) where the pad “ears” contact the clips (not on pad friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket (inner pad typically has the wear indicator/clip if equipped).

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper and torque the bolts

• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Start both slide pin bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 13mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the slide pin bolts: Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Repeat on the other front side

• Repeat Steps 3–10 on the other front wheel.
• Do one side at a time to compare.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Use a torque wrench with a 21mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 203 Nm (150 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Before moving the car, press the brake pedal 8–12 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 4 LV only if needed.
• Do a slow test drive in a safe area and confirm there are no pulls, grinding noises, or warning lights.
• Pad break-in: make 8–10 gentle stops from ~30 mph to 5 mph, with cool-down time between stops.

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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 1.5-2.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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