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Ford Taurus Front Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the front disc brake pads on a sixth generation 2010 to 2014 Ford Taurus with photo illustrated steps.

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2013 Taurus Front Wheel
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Slightly Loosen 5 Lug Nuts
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Raise Front of Vehicle
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the 6th generation (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014) Ford Taurus sedan in changing the front disc brake pads.

Owners of other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles with similar front brake hardware such as the Fiesta, Fusion, Focus, C-Max, Mustang, Escape, Transit Connect, Explorer, Edge, Expedition, Flex, MKS, MKZ, MKT, MKX, Navigator, Milan, Grand Marquis, Mariner and Mountaineer may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 17mm socket, a ratcheting wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp, a packet of brake parts lubricant grease and a new set of front brake pads.

A few compatible replacement sets of new front brake pads include the following with their part numbers: Wagner QC1508, Motorcraft BRF-1385, Akebono ACT1611, Bendix D1508, Power Stop (16-1508) Z16 and Raybestos PGD1508C.



 
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Spin Off 5 Lug Nuts
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Five Lug Nuts Removed
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Caliper, Rotor, Bracket
The first few steps are to park the vehicle on a level surface, engage the emergency / parking brake and chock the rear wheels to prevent it from moving.

Then slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counter clockwise with the lug nut wrench.

Raise the front of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time for extra safety.

Spin off the 5 lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the front wheel to reveal the brake caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

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Front Brake Caliper
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Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt
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Loosen Lower 17mm Bolt
The brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side facing towards the engine.

Loosen the upper caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 17mm socket and ratcheting wrench.

Then loosen the lower caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 17mm socket and ratcheting wrench.

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Spin Out Clockwise
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Upper Caliper Bolt Removed
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Remove Lower Caliper Bolt

Spin out the two caliper bolts in the clockwise direction and set them aside in a safe place.

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Two Caliper Bolts Removed
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Pull Off Brake Caliper
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Rest Caliper On Suspension
Lift the caliper out of the bracket and either carefully rest it on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord.
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Spring Clip At Top
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Remove Old Inner Pad
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Remove Old Outer Pad
Pull the old pads and the two springs clips out of the caliper bracket.

Make a mental note of how the springs clips were situated so you can re-install them later in the correct positions.

I usually buy the Ford OEM Motorcraft BRF-1385 front brake pads since they have good reviews on Amazon.



 

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Remove Lower Spring Clip
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
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Attach "C" Clamp
If your set of new brake pads included new brake hardware, pull out the old metal pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips from the top and bottom of the bracket before installing the new ones in their place.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new pads, the two caliper pistons will need to be compressed backwards.

Attach the "C" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the force across the two pistons.

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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
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Compress Caliper Pistons
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Replace Brake Fluid Cap
Move to the right rear area of the engine bay, closest to the driver's seat, and twist off the brake fluid cap in the counter clockwise direction.

Removing the brake fluid cap will allow the fluid to more easily travel backwards through the brake lines when you compress the two pistons.

Slowly turn the "C" clamp's handle while repeatedly checking the brake fluid level in the reservoir to prevent it from overflowing. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since brake fluid can easily damage painted surfaces.

You may have to reposition the "C" clamp in order to fully compress both of the caliper pistons. Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boots surrounding the pistons.

Replace the brake fluid cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture). Spin it on in the clockwise direction.

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Pull Out Caliper Slider Pins
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Lubricate & Replace Pins
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Install New Brake Pads
In order for the caliper to work smoothly, the two caliper slider pins need to be well lubricated.

Pull the upper and lower caliper slider pins out of the rubber dust boots on the back side of the bracket.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant grease to each pin before pushing them back in to their rubber dust boots.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) if inhaled.

If your Taurus previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the front end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the car's first front brake job and the rotors appear to be in good condition, you should be able to just change the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper pistons. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the face of the rotor.

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Replace Spring Clips
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Push Pads Against Rotor
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Lower Caliper In Bracket
Install the new pads in to the caliper bracket and insert the two metal spring clips.

Push the pads flush against the rotor.

Carefully lower the caliper down over the new pads and in to the bracket.

If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you may need to compress the two caliper pistons back a bit further.

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Insert Caliper Bolts
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Spin In Bolts By Hand
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Tighten Counter Clockwise
Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with the corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Spin in the two caliper bolts by hand a few turns in the counter clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the two caliper bolts by turning them counter clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 17mm socket and ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 25 ft-lbs of torque.

Double check that both the upper and lower caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

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Tighten Lower 17mm Bolt
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Rubber Valve Cover
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve

If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain some air bubbles.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT 4 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper near the upper caliper bolt.

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Replace Front Wheel
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Spin On 5 Lug Nuts
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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts

Replace the front wheel and spin on the 5 lug nuts by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the lug nuts in the clockwise direction with the tire iron.

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Lower Vehicle From Stands
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Torque Lug Nuts 100 ft-lbs
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Front Brake Pads Replaced
Lower the vehicle from the jack stands using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the 5 lug nuts in a "criss cross" or "star" pattern to about 1/4 turn past hand tight or about 100 ft-lbs of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, add some DOT 4 fluid.

To break in your new brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy and/or not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight.

For more, please check out my other Ford Taurus DIY Repair Guides.
 

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