🔧 Ioniq - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

This job replaces your Ioniq’s front brake pads and rotors (the spinning discs). Worn pads/rotors can cause grinding, vibration, longer stops, and uneven braking.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car on jack stands—never rely on the jack.
• ⚠️ Keep the car OFF and keep the key fob away from the vehicle so it can’t “wake up.”
• ⚠️ Hybrid note: avoid touching any orange high-voltage cables (not part of this job).
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (10–200 Nm range)
• Phillips screwdriver #3
• Flathead screwdriver
• Brake caliper piston compression tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop rags

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake rotors - Qty: 2
• Front pad hardware/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Threadlocker (medium strength) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 4) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on a level surface, put the transmission in Park, and chock the rear wheels.
• Pop the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir (driver side). You’ll monitor the level when compressing pistons.
• If the reservoir is very full, remove a little fluid with a clean turkey baster so it won’t overflow.
• Take a photo of each side before disassembly.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and raise the front

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to crack the front lug nuts loose (about 1/2 turn) while the tire is on the ground.
• Use a floor jack at the front jacking point, then set the car down on jack stands.
• Remove the lug nuts with a 21mm socket and pull the wheel off.

Step 2: Inspect and identify the caliper bolts

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself room (left for right side, right for left side).
• Look at the back of the caliper: you’ll typically see the smaller caliper slide-pin bolts and the larger caliper bracket bolts.

Step 3: Remove the caliper (leave the hose connected)

• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the two caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the pads/rotor.
• Hang the caliper using a bungee cord (do not let it dangle by the brake hose).
• Bungee cord prevents hose damage.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad abutment clips (hardware) from the bracket.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside.
• When reinstalling later: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Remove the rotor

• If your rotor has retaining screws, remove them using a Phillips screwdriver #3.
• Pull the rotor off. If seized, tap around the rotor hat with a rubber mallet until it releases.

Step 7: Clean the hub and prep the new rotor

• Use a wire brush to clean rust off the hub face (where the rotor sits flat).
• Spray the new rotor braking surfaces with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop rags to remove protective oil.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub. Reinstall rotor screws (if equipped) using a Phillips screwdriver #3.

Step 8: Service slide pins and install the bracket

• Pull the slide pins out of the bracket by hand (one at a time) and wipe them clean with shop rags.
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease to the smooth part of each pin (not the threads), then reinstall.
• Reinstall the bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and ratchet. Use threadlocker (medium strength).
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Snap the new abutment clips into the bracket.
• Apply a very thin smear of brake caliper grease where the pad ears touch the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Slide the new pads into place.

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• A brake caliper piston compression tool (specialty) is a tool that slowly pushes the piston back so the thicker new pads fit.
• Use the compression tool to push the piston straight back into the caliper slowly.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir level as you compress; stop if it’s about to overflow.

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper

• Place the caliper over the new pads/rotor.
• Install the slide-pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Reinstall wheel and repeat on the other side

• Reinstall the wheel and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Use a torque wrench with a 21mm socket to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 90 Nm (66 ft-lbs).
• Repeat Steps 1–11 for the other front wheel.

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✅ After Repair

• Before driving, pump the brake pedal 8–12 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons).
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 4 if needed.
• With the car READY, do a slow test stop in a safe area. Listen for abnormal scraping.
• Pad bedding (recommended): make 6–8 medium stops from 40 mph to 10 mph with cool-down driving between stops.
• Recheck for leaks, loose bolts, or uneven noises after your first short drive.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$700 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$300 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$400 by doing it yourself!

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

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🎯 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.