Removing and installing brake pads - Front brakes FN 3 — AUDI
Removing and installing brake pads - Front brakes FN 3 on Audi: factory workshop procedure. Full factory text, tools and checks.
Workshop procedure for AUDI — the factory write-up, straight from real workshop data.
📋 Procedure
Special tools and workshop equipment required
Piston resetting tool
Removing
Remove both front wheels.
Unplug brake wear indicator connector -1- on left brake.
Lever off brake pad retaining spring from brake caliper housing using a screwdriver -arrow- and detach.
Remove protective caps -arrows-.
Unscrew guide pins -arrows-.
Detach brake caliper housing and secure on vehicle with wire.
Note:
Do not twist or kink brake hose/pipe.
Take brake pads out of brake caliper housing or from brake carrier.
Note:
If reusing brake pads mark location and fit in same position when installing otherwise uneven braking will be caused!
Installing
Install in reverse sequence; note the following points:
Clean brake caliper housing, in particular the bonding surface for the brake pad. It must be free of adhesive and grease residues.
Use methylated spirit only for cleaning the brake caliper housing.
Press piston back.
Note:
Before inserting new brake pads, press piston back into the cylinder with resetting tool. Before pressing the piston back, draw off brake fluid from the reservoir with a bleeder bottle. Otherwise particularly if reservoir has been topped up, fluid will overflow and cause damage.
Warning
Brake fluid is poisonous and must never be sucked off by mouth using a hose.
Insert brake pads, noting installation position.
1 -
Right piston-side brake pad
2 -
Left piston-side brake pad
When installed, arrow on backplate of brake pad must face downwards.
Fit outer brake pad to brake carrier.
Pull protective foil off outer brake pad backplate.
Insert retaining spring -arrow- into brake caliper housing.
Warning:
Press retaining spring under brake carrier after inserting spring into the both holes. Improper installation prevents outer brake pad from being adjusted when worn causing excessive pedal travel.
After installing brake pads, press brake pedal firmly several times with vehicle stationary to ensure that pads become properly seated.
Check brake fluid level and top up if necessary.
Tightening torque
Component · Nm
Brake caliper housing to brake carrier · 28
TorqFix answers live for your specific car — tell it the engine code and it serves the matching sequence, torque figures and wiring for that exact variant.
Ask about my car →🎬 Related video tutorial
Independent AUTODOC tutorial for the same job, filmed on a different model (A3 2 (8PA)) — the technique carries over, the fasteners and figures on this page are the ones for your car.
How to change front brake pads on AUDI A3 2 (8PA)
Other AUDI procedures
- Removing and installing toothed belt – Audi · 56 torque figures
- Removing engine – Audi A8 D3 · 41 torque figures
- Removing camshaft timing chain from camshafts – Audi A6/A7 C7 · 38 torque figures
- Installing engine – Audi A8 D4 · 36 torque figures
- Removing and installing camshaft timing chain · 29 torque figures
- Draining active tank for reducing agent
- Removing and installing glow plugs - engine code CCLA
- Removing and installing fuel gauge senderG - A5 models from model year 2012 onwards, A4 models from model year 2013 onwards (vehicles with front-wheel drive)
- Draining fuel tank - rest-of-world vehicles with four-wheel drive
- Removing and installing activated charcoal filter - USA vehicles
Who makes these pages, and how
TorqFix was built by a mechanic — after a 2,700 km drive with five roadside repairs that no diagnostic tool could explain.
The figures on this page come from manufacturer workshop documentation and are shown as they are. The page is assembled automatically from that data — it is not written by an AI. The AI works in the chat, where it answers for your specific car. It writes nothing here.
Variants of the same model differ. Cross-check torque against the factory manual for your engine before final tightening.
Seen a figure that does not match your manual? Write to us — we correct it and note when. support@torqfix.com
The story behind TorqFix →Workshop data on this page last updated 20 Sep 2026.