How To Change Front Brake Pads On Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Front Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the front brake pads on a 3rd generation 2011-2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport including part numbers.

2015 Outlander Sport Front Wheel
Slightly Loosen Lug Nuts
Raise Front of SUV This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the third generation (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017) Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in changing the front disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Mitsubishi vehicles such as the Lancer, Outlander, Mirage, ASX, RVR, Galant, I-MIEV, Montero, Eclipse, 3000GT, Endeavor, Raider, Diamante, Attrage, Carisma, Colt, Grandis, Magna, Pajero and the Space Star may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet, a "C" or "F" clamp, and a tube of brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible replacement sets of new front brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner QC866, ACDelco 14D866CH, Centric 104.08660, Bosch BP866, Power Stop Z23-866 and Dura International BP866 C.

Spin Off Five Lug Nuts
5 Lug Nuts Removed
Caliper, Bracket & Rotor The first two steps are to park the SUV on a level surface and turn off the ignition.

Then engage the emergency / parking brake and place wheel chocks on both sides of the rear wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving.

Slightly loosen the five lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise about 1/4 to 1/2 turn.

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

Carefully raise the front of the SUV and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

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

Remove the front wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

Front Brake Caliper
Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt
Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt The front brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts located on the back side of the caliper with the bolt heads facing in towards the engine bay.

Loosen the two caliper bolts by turning them clockwise (as seen from the outside of the SUV) with the 14mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet.

Spin Out Top Caliper Bolt
Top Caliper Bolt / Pin
Bottom Bolt / Slider Pin Spin out the two caliper bolts which also act at the caliper slider pins or "guide bolts".

Set the two combination caliper bolts and slider pins aside in a safe place.

Pull Off Brake Caliper
Rest Caliper On Suspension
Remove Old Brake Pads Carefully pull the brake caliper off the old pads and out of the bracket.

Rest the caliper on the suspension. Try to avoid bending, kinking, stressing or pulling on the rubber brake hose.

Pull the two old brake pads out of the bracket and make a mental note of where the wear indicator bar or "squeal" bar is situated.

Wear Bar - Top Inner Pad
Remove Old Outer Pad
Replace Pad Abutment Clips On this 2015 Outlander Sport, the wear indicator bar was located at the top of the old inner brake pad.

If your new set of front brake pads includes replacement brake hardware, pull the old pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the new pad abutment clips where they will come in contact with the bracket or the new pads.

Push the new pad abutment clips in to the top and bottom of the bracket.

Attach "F" Clamp To Caliper
Brake Fluid Reservoir
Twist Off Reservoir Cap In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the caliper piston needs to be compressed back.

Attach the "C" or "F" clamp to the caliper and use the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you compress the caliper pistons.

Compress Caliper Piston
Replace Reservoir Cap
Install New Outer Brake Pad Slowly turn the "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction to compress back the caliper piston until it is just about flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it.

Check the brake fluid reservoir while you are compressing the piston to make sure it doesn't over flow.

Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boot around the caliper piston.

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

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

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

If your Outlander Sport previously exhibited shuddering, pulsations, 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 first front brake job on your SUV and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace 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.

Wear Bar - Top Inner Pad
New Pads Installed
Lubricate Caliper Slider Pins I recommend buying the Wagner QC866 "ThermoQuiet" brake pads since they have excellent reviews on Amazon.

Install the two new brake pads in to the bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the top of the inner pad.

Push the two pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins need to be well lubricated.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the smooth part of the two combination caliper bolt / slider pins. Do not apply grease to the threads on the bolt.

Push Pads Against Rotor
Lower Caliper Over Pads
Slide In Slider Pins Carefully lower the caliper over the new brake pads and in to the bracket.

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the bracket.

Slide the two caliper bolts / slider pins in to place.

Lower Combo Bolt / Pin
Spin In Counterclockwise
Tighten 14mm Caliper Bolts Spin in the two caliper bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the SUV) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the two caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction with the 14mm socket and a 3/8" drive ratchet to just past hand tight or about 30 lb-ft of torque.

Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

Tighten Lower Bolt
Rubber Valve Cap
Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve

If your brake pedal has been feeling soft or spongy, the brake fluid might 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 some new DOT 3 or 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 just below the top caliper bolt.

Replace Front Wheel
Spin On Five Lug Nuts
Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts Push the front wheel back in to place.

Spin on the five lug nuts a few turns in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the lug nuts with the tire iron in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern.

Lower SUV From Stands
Torque To 80 lb-ft
Front Brake Pads Replaced

Carefully lower the car from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the lug nuts in the clockwise direction in a "criss cross" or "star" pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or 80 lb-ft of torque.

It would be best to use a torque wrench or an electric impact wrench with a torque stick to make sure that the lug nuts are properly tightened.

Sit in the driver's seat of the car and firmly pump 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, pour in some fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4 brakefluid from a new bottle.

To break in your new front 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 become noisy and not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway, garage or parking spot for drops of fresh 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, check out all of my 2011-2017 Mitsubishi Outlander DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.