no idea about the cables. I am not an administrator so still do not know your engine.
Brake pads: simple if you know what you are doing, in a nutshell (for beginners):
front:
1. loosen wheel nuts, jack up car, support it on axle stands and remove the wheel
2. clean the working area
3. open the brake fluid reservoir
4. remove the metal spring holder (number 10 in above picture)
5. remove the rubber dust caps from the caliper (on the back, A in above picture)
6. if car has sensors connected to the pads, then disconnect them from the loom (remember how the wiring was routed), my car only had the sensor on the passenger side
7. undo the two bolts holding the caliper (number 11, hex type, don't know the size anymore)
8. gently wiggle free the caliper (make sure not to let it dangle using the pipes, use a piece of string or the likes to hold it's weight)
9. remove the old brake pads
10. piston in the caliper needs to be pushed back by using a pushing tool (did not have this until recently, used leverage with a big screw driver on all of my previous cars, mostly Rovers). When you push back the piston, brake fluid will be returned to the reservoir. Keep an eye on the level and make sure it does not overflow.
11. put new pads on either side of the caliper holder (number 3) after having put on a thin coat of copper grease to prevent brake squeel. Do not put grease on the part that touches the brake disc, only put it on the parts that are in contact with the holder and the brake caliper (so the back of the pads)
12. gently put back the caliper and put back bolts number 11 (only tighten a bit)
13. put back sensor wiring and connect to the loom again
14. put back the metal spring holder
15. tighten bolts number 11 to required torque (if you do not have the torque number or a wrench then make sure they are tight)
16. put back the dust caps A
17. put back wheel and lower the car.
18. close the cap of the brake fluid reservoir (making sure fluid level is above minimum, if not ad fluid)
19. sit in car and gently push the brakes. Pedal will go to the floor as piston will be pushed against the new pads. Let go and push again. Repeat till the pedal firms up and it feels like it was before
one side done, other side to go after a cup of coffee (or whatever you fancy)
rear:
as per guide (kind of the same as above, with the exception that if you have an electronic handbrake you need to disengage it and after having done this disconnect the battery to make sure it does not re-engage do take into account the clean shutdown time of all electric equipment though before disconnecting the battery, see guide
viewtopic.php?f=51&t=61997), just with the addition that you need to disconnect the handbrake from the callipers before removing them.