How to Change the Brake Pads on a BMW 323


1. Loosen the lug nuts at all four wheels. Raise the vehicle and lower it onto jack stands at all four corners. Remove the wheels. You can also work on the front and then the rear if you prefer, or if you have only two jack stands.
2. Disconnect the brake pad wear sensor on the front passenger side that goes into the caliper where the brake pads are located. Pull the plastic covers off of the caliper guide bolts.These bolts are located on the top and bottom of the caliper on the side that faces the wheel well. Loosen the upper and lower caliper guide bolts as far as they can go and then push the guide bolts out with a flat head screwdriver.
3. Pry out the anti-rattle clip with a screwdriver. The clip is located on the side of the caliper that faces outward. Slide the caliper off of the rotor. Support the caliper with a piece of wire or a box while you work so that there is no weight on the brake line.
4. Remove the inner and outer brake pads. Compress the caliper piston with a C-clamp so that the new, thicker brake pads can slide over the rotor. The piston is located on the inside of the caliper and is the part that presses against the brake pad when the brakes are applied. To compress the piston, place one side of the C-clamp on the piston and the other side on the outer surface of the caliper. Tighten the C-clamp until you see the piston compress into the caliper.
5. Clean the caliper and nearby parts with brake cleaner and a clean, dry rag. Install the inner brake pad by pressing the clip on the brake pad into the caliper piston. Slide the outer pad into the slot in the brake pad carrier.
6. Slide the caliper over the rotor. Reinstall the brake caliper retaining bolts and tighten them. Reinstall the anti-rattle clip by pulling the ends into the holes with a pair of needle nose pliers. Reinstall the covers for the caliper bolts. Reinstall the brake pad wear cable. Repeat for the other three corners of the vehicle.