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Over time, brake pads on any car tend to wear out. Therefore, they must be changed after they have worn out. If your want to change the brake pads on your E46 BMW 3 Series, you can follow the steps given below.

Step #1 Remove the tire

First of all, you should loosen the wheel nuts using a spanner. Next, you should lift the vehicle from one side with a powerful car jack so that there is no contact between the tire and the ground. Afterward, you should remove the nuts and separate the wheel from the hub.

Step #2 Remove the disc calipers

Use a screwdriver to remove the clip from the caliper. Then you should access the sliding bolts by removing the pair of dust caps on the back of the calipers. Now, you need to use a 7mm Allen key to remove the pair of sliding bolts and separate it from the assembly. That’s when you can remove the caliper from the brake disc and access the brake pads.

Step #3 Replace the brake pads

After you have removed the worn-out brake pads, you can remove the cap of the brake fluid bottle. When you push the piston, the brake fluid will return to the fluid reservoir. Now, you need to make space for the fresh brake pads.

Greasing the sides of the piston will allow you to slide it with ease. Now, you should apply grease to the edges and rear of the brake pads so that you can slide them in without any problem. Slide the caliper onto the disc by tapping it slightly using a hammer. At this stage, you want to ensure that the pads and calipers are in the right place.

Now, you can grease the caliper sliding bolts to screw them in the thread and socket. Finally, you can replace the dust cover and use a screwdriver to clip on the face of the caliper.

Step #4 Reattach the wheels

Now, you can use a wheel spanner to slide the wheel back onto the hub of the wheel. Make sure that you follow the star configuration. Next, lower the jack to bring the car back on the ground. Finally, don’t forget to tighten each nut one by one.

Lastly, repeat the same process on the second wheel.

Step #5 Check the brake fluid level

Once you have replaced both the pads, you should check the brake fluid to ensure it’s up to the max level. If there is too much fluid, you should use a syringe to draw out the liquid.

The takeaway

In short, if you follow the steps given above, you can easily change the brake pads on your own.