Modern cars require more and more maintenance, nevertheless, there are some more or less essential ones. In this article , we will focus on a maintenance process that is vital to assure your safety at the wheel of your car. In fact, we are going to explain to you how to change the brake pads of your car in a Kia Optima? To do so , in a first step, we are going to find out why it is essential to replace the brake pads of your car, in a second part, we are going to find out what is the technique to replace the brake pads of your Kia Optima, and to conclude, what is the price of this component.

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For what reason changing the brake pads from my Kia Optima?

Before we find out how to change the brake pads of your car, we will start our article content by detailing you what the job of the brake pads is, and when they should be changed.

Role of the brake pads on Kia Optima

The brake pads on an vehicle have a essential purpose in the proper handling of your Kia Optima. In fact, they are the ones that will assure braking performance. They are a types of pairs of metal pads that will pinch the brake discs when you press the brake pedal to slow down and stop your Kia Optima. These auto parts are consumables and consist of a lining that will wear with time and use, hence the interest of changing them regularly to maintain best braking.

When to change the brake pads of your Kia Optima?

And now we will clarify to you how to know if you have to change the brake pads of your Kia Optima. Remember that dependant on the use you have of your car (city or highway for example), the wear of your brake pads will not be the same at all. In fact, if you use your brakes regularly, their lifespan will obviously be reduced. We consider that, in most cases, the brake pads of a vehicle have a longevity of about 10,000 to 30,000 kilometres. On the other hand, there are specific signals that should notify you to the wear of your car’s brake pads:

  • A squeaking sound.
  • Longer braking distance.
  • Brake pedal vibration: If this is your case, but your brake pads are in good condition, check our article content on brake vibration on Kia Optima, to find the cause of your problem.
  • A brake pedal that’s too hard or too soft…

If you have any of these signals, do not be reluctant to verify the condition of your brake pads yourself, either by removing the front wheels and verifying their condition, or by going directly to a garage.

How to change the brake pads of my Kia Optima?

We will now advance to the part you are most focused on, how to replace the brake pads from your Kia Optima?. Down the page we will detail the basic steps to follow to change the brake pads of your car accurately:

  • Buy brake pads designed to your Kia Optima, to achieve this use your car registration to be sure of suitability with your vehicle when ordering on a specialized website or in a shop.
  • Put your car on stands (being cautious to lock the handbrake and engage a gear and unlock the bolts of the wheels you want to act on before you lift the car).
  • Take off the wheels in question.
  • Before removing the clamp from your calipers, think about using a flat screwdriver to lever between the pad and the disc to totally retract the piston of your calipers, otherwise you will not be able to put the new brake pads.
  • Generally, thanks to a big Torx tip, you’ll have 2 screws to remove to be able to replace the brake pads of your car and thus be able to take off the brake calipers from it.
  • Once you take off the clamp from your calipers, you will be able to serenely take off the two old pads and swap them with the brand-new brake pads.
  • Be sure they are in the right placement before you re-install the brake calipers on your Kia Optima.
  • Don’t forget to complete locking your wheels on the ground, otherwise your transmission will be damaged.
  • To finish, think that brake pads require a running-in period of 500 to 1000km, so you will have to drive very conscientiously the first 100km and be cautious until you reach 500km.

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That’s it, now you know how to replace the brake pads on your car.

What is the price of brake pads for an Kia Optima?

At last, last part of our article content on the process to replace the brake pads of your Kia Optima. It’s just to give you an idea of the price of the brake pads of your car. According to the finish of your car (sport or not), the pads will be different and therefore the price will also change, nevertheless, generally it will take between 20 and 40 € for a set of 4 brake pads at a specialized online site like Oscaro, you can find here their entire offer of brake pads for your car. The advantages of this type of site is the choice, the price and the after-sales service you get. Finally, if you go to a car center or specialized shops you should be able to get the set of pads between 30 and 60€.

To find more tips on the Kia Optima, take a look at the Kia Optima category.