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Do it yourself
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Replacing Front Brake Pads
Model: BMW Serie 3
E36
- Years 1990-2001
First, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir. You will notice a drop in the level due to the wear of the pads, which causes the piston to extend more, resulting in a lower fluid level in the reservoir.
Proceed to remove the front wheel: locate the protective cap for the jack housing along the rocker panel and remove it using a small screwdriver. Insert the jack and apply tension without lifting the car yet. At this point, slightly loosen all the wheel fastening bolts and lift the vehicle until the wheel is sufficiently off the ground. Complete unscrewing the bolts and remove the wheel. Locate the protective box for the ABS sensor connectors (gray connector) and pad wear (black connector) located just behind the shock absorber, open it, and disconnect the pad wear sensor connector to facilitate the subsequent disassembly by also removing the grommet. Detach the retaining spring of the front pad using a large screwdriver. Identify the protective caps for the caliper fastening bolts located at the rear of the caliper and remove them with a small screwdriver. Using a 7mm hex wrench, completely loosen the bolts and use the large screwdriver to pry the pads to create some play and facilitate caliper removal. Then, slide out the worn pads (you can distinguish the front pad from the rear one as the latter has anchoring tabs for the piston) and remove the wear sensor from the rear pad. Now, you need to retract the piston to create space for the new pads, which are significantly thicker than the worn ones: for this operation, use a clamp by inserting the head of the screw inside the piston and slowly turning it to overcome the pressure from the fluid and retract the piston fully. Reposition the wear sensor in the designated housing of the rear pad, pass the cable through the piston, and properly attach the pad to the piston. Then, insert the front pad into its designated housing (this is a fixed position) and reposition the caliper. Screw in the caliper fastening bolts, ensuring they thread without obstruction, proceed with tightening, and replace the protective caps. Reattach the retaining spring; secure the sensor grommet, the connector, and close the protective box for the connectors. Reinstall the wheel, tightening the bolts properly, lower the vehicle, remove the jack, and check the tightness of the bolts again. Finally, pump the brake pedal until it offers the correct resistance (this operation is to reposition the piston correctly). The tools needed to perform this operation are: a jack, a wrench for the wheel fastening bolts, a large and a small screwdriver, a 7mm hex wrench, a clamp, and of course, the new set of pads.
Updated on 2 February 2026 by ScegliAuto
Video tutorial
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