🔧 Prius - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

On your Prius, the front brake pads clamp the rotors to slow the car. Replacing pads and rotors together restores smooth braking and helps prevent vibration, noise, and uneven wear.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Keep the car OFF (READY light must be OFF) and keep the key fob far away.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Avoid opening doors while you’re working; the Prius electric brake booster pump can run unexpectedly. If you want maximum safety, disconnect the 12V negative terminal.
• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands; never rely only on a jack.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• 21mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" ratchet
• 1/2" breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Bungee cord
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wire brush
• M8 x 1.25 bolts (for rotor removal)
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Front brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake grease - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and chock the rear wheels.
• Make sure the car is OFF (READY OFF). Keep the key fob at least 10+ feet away.
• If you want to prevent the brake booster from running: use a 10mm socket to disconnect the 12V negative battery terminal in the rear cargo area.
• Loosen the front wheel lug nuts slightly before lifting the car.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and remove the front wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen lug nuts 1/2 turn.
• Use a floor jack to lift the front, then set the car securely on jack stands.
• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and remove both front wheels.

Step 2: Remove the caliper (do not let it hang)

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself room at the caliper.
• Use a 14mm socket to remove the two caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it from the strut using a bungee cord.
• Never hang by the brake hose.

Step 3: Remove old pads and hardware

• Remove the pads from the bracket by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless hardware clips from the bracket (these are part of the hardware kit).

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside.

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• If the rotor is stuck, thread M8 x 1.25 bolts into the rotor’s push-off holes and tighten evenly with a ratchet until the rotor pops free.
• Remove the rotor.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust off the hub face so the new rotor sits flat.

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake parts cleaner and wipe with shop towels.
• Install the rotor onto the hub.

Step 7: Service the slide pins and reinstall the bracket

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand, wipe old grease off with shop towels.
• Apply a thin coat of silicone brake grease to the slide pins and reinstall them.
• Install new hardware clips from the hardware kit.
• Reinstall the bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and tighten: Torque to 107 Nm (79 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Compress the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston, then use a C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly push the piston back in.
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 9: Install new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• If your pad set includes shims, install them exactly as provided with the pads.
• Reinstall the caliper over the pads.
• Install the caliper slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and tighten: Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench: Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

---

✅ After Repair

• If you disconnected the 12V battery, reconnect it (use a 10mm socket if removed earlier).
• Pump the brake pedal 8–12 times until it feels firm (car still OFF).
• Start the car and confirm normal brake feel and no warning lights.
• Test drive at low speed first. Listen for scraping and confirm straight, smooth stops.
• Pad bedding (recommended): make 6–8 medium stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, letting brakes cool 30–60 seconds between stops.

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$900 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $140-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $300-$550 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

---

🎯 Ready to get started?

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check out the parts and tools sections below to add everything to your cart.