🔧 Murano - Front Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the front brake pads restores safe stopping power and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin. On your Murano, you’ll remove the front caliper, swap the pads and hardware, compress the caliper piston, then reinstall and torque everything correctly.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the Murano with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—wear a mask and use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Do one side at a time so you can use the other side as a reference.
• 🛑 Keep grease and brake fluid off pad/rotor friction surfaces.
• 🔋 Battery disconnect is not required for front pads.

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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
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake caliper hanger hook (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• 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 pad hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Chock the rear wheels using wheel chocks.
• Pop the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level. If it’s near “MAX,” remove a little fluid with a clean towel so it won’t overflow when you compress the pistons.
• Keep the reservoir cap loosely set on top.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the front wheel lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket with a 1/2" drive breaker bar to crack loose the lug nuts about 1/2 turn while the tire is still on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the front of the Murano

• Lift with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the front jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the approved support points and lower the vehicle onto them.
• Give the vehicle a gentle push to confirm it’s stable.

Step 3: Remove the front wheels

• Remove the lug nuts with a 21mm socket and pull the wheel off.

Step 4: Locate the caliper and remove the lower/upper slide pin bolts

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room (left for right side work, right for left side work).
• On the back of the caliper, remove the two slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Torque spec (install): Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs)
• Slide pins are the caliper’s “hinges.”

Step 5: Lift the caliper off and hang it safely

• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket. If it’s tight, gently pry with a flathead screwdriver.
• Support it with a brake caliper hanger hook (specialty).
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 6: Remove the old pads and hardware clips

• Slide the old pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (abutment clips) from the bracket.
• Clean the pad clip “shelves” on the bracket using brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 7: Inspect the rotor and caliper slide pins

• Check rotor surfaces for deep grooves, heavy rust ridges, or cracking.
• Pull each slide pin out (one at a time), wipe clean with shop towels, apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone), and reinstall.
• Grease only the smooth pin area.

Step 8: Install new hardware clips and new pads

• Install the new abutment clips from the front brake pad hardware kit into the bracket.
• Install the new pads into the bracket.
• If your pad set includes a wear indicator (a small metal “squealer”), install it in the same position as the old one.

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face to protect it.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly compress the piston until it is fully seated.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; stop if it starts to overflow.
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper over the new pads

• Position the caliper over the new pads and align the slide pin bolt holes.
• Install the two slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten with a 14mm socket and then Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 11: Reinstall the wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the Murano off the stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range).
• Torque spec: Torque to 133 Nm (98 ft-lbs)

Step 12: Pump the brake pedal and recheck fluid level

• Before starting the engine, press the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• Check the reservoir and adjust to the correct level (between MIN and MAX).
• Clean any spilled fluid immediately with shop towels.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine running, confirm the pedal stays firm and doesn’t sink.
• Do a low-speed test in a safe area: brakes should be smooth and quiet.
• Bed-in (break-in) the pads: make 6–10 moderate stops from ~35 mph down to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down time between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles if possible.
• Recheck for any brake fluid leaks and confirm no pulling left/right.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$160 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$290 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 hours.

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🎯 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.