🔧 Accord - Front Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the front brake pads on your Accord means removing each front wheel, sliding the brake caliper off, swapping the pads, and compressing the caliper piston so the new thicker pads fit. This restores braking performance and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.0-2.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Wear safety glasses and mechanic gloves; brake dust is irritating.
• 🔥 Brakes get hot—work only when the brakes are cool.
• 🚫 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• 🧴 Watch the brake fluid reservoir level; compressing pistons can make it overflow.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 19mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lb range)
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (50-150 ft-lb range)
• 12mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6")
• Wire hook or bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Front brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Front brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, shift to P, and set the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks behind the rear wheels.
• 🔓 Break the front lug nuts loose 1/2 turn using a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧪 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; if it’s very full, remove a small amount with a clean towel (do not spill on paint).
• C-clamp: a screw clamp that pushes the piston in.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the front end

• Use a floor jack to lift the front at the proper front jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands placed at solid front pinch weld/support points.
• Give the car a gentle push to confirm it’s stable before you work.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Remove all lug nuts using a 19mm socket and ratchet.
• Remove the wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Remove the caliper (one side at a time)

• Turn the steering so the caliper you’re working on faces outward for space.
• Remove the lower and upper caliper slide pin bolts using a 12mm socket and ratchet.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper using a wire hook or bungee cord; do not let it hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Slide the old inner and outer pads out by hand. If stuck, gently pry with a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Remove the pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad lands and surrounding area using brake cleaner spray and shop towels.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6") to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and check the brake fluid reservoir so it doesn’t overflow.
• Slow compression prevents seal damage.

Step 6: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips from the hardware kit into the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) where the pad ears touch the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket (match the inner pad to the piston side).

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper and torque bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide pin bolts by hand first, then tighten using a 12mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 26 Nm (19 ft-lb).
• If you removed the caliper bracket for any reason, reinstall using a 17mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lb).

Step 8: Repeat on the other front side

• Repeat Steps 3–7 on the other front wheel.
• Keep parts from each side together to avoid mixing hardware.

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 19mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lb).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the pads).
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• 👀 With the engine running, hold the brake pedal for 15 seconds; confirm it doesn’t slowly sink.
• 🛣️ Bedding-in (recommended): Make 6–10 moderate stops from 35 mph to 5 mph, allowing 30–60 seconds between stops for cooling. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles.
• 🔎 Listen for scraping/grinding; recheck your work if any abnormal noise occurs.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $50-$140 (parts only)

You Save: $200-$310 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 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.