In order to replace the brake pads on your E46 BMW 3 Series, you should follow these steps.

Remove the Tire

The tire of the E46 BMW 3 Series should be taken off after you have slightly unscrewed the nuts on the wheels with a wheel spanner. Next, jack up one side of your E46 using a car jack so that your front wheel is free from the ground. Later, continue to screw the nuts further until they are completely loose. Remove the wheel from the hub and lay it aside.

Remove the Calipers of The Disc

Unclip the front of the caliper which is connected with the brake pads using a screwdriver. Afterward, take off the two rubber dust caps at the back of the calipers to free the sliding bolts. Now, with a 7mm Allen key remove the two sliding bolts on the back of the caliper and wiggle it out of the assembly. This will enable you to take off the caliper from the brake disc and now you have access to the brake pads.

Replace the Brake Pads

Uninstall the old pads from the caliper. It is a good time now to remove your brake fluid reservoir cap, as the fluid may go back into the reservoir as we push in the piston. Now, using any clamp, push the piston gently back inside so that considerable space for the new brake pads is made. Grease the sides of the piston so it can slide with ease. Now, place grease on the edges and back sides of your brake pads for them to slide with ease and place them in their corresponding positions on the caliper. Slide the caliper back onto the disc, it might need some light taps with a hammer to get back in place with the new pads. Make sure the pads and calipers are back in their place.

Now it’s time to grease the sliding bolts of the caliper and screw them back in inside the socket and thread. Now put back the dust cover over the screws and the clip on the front side of the caliper with a screwdriver and you’re all done here.

Put Your Wheels Back On

Now slide back your wheels onto the wheel hub and screw the nuts in a star configuration lightly with a wheel spanner. Now drop your vehicle back on the ground smoothly by lowering the car jack and now fully tighten the lug nuts in their place.

Repeat the Process on the Other Wheel

Repeat the same process on the other wheel of the car.

Check For Any Brake Fluid Run Over

After replacing both pads, check if your brake fluid has run over the maximum level indicated on the brake fluid reservoir. If the level is exceeding the maximum indicated level, draw out some of the fluid using a syringe or something similar. Shut back the cap of the brake fluid reservoir after checking and you’re now done with replacing your E46’s brake pads.

Conclusion

I can say that it’s a very simple process and if you follow all the steps from above, you will successfully change the brake pads of your E46 BMW 3 Series without any stress. Thanks for reading our article and please stay tuned on Automotivesblog.com for more useful articles that will save you money and time.