🔧 Highlander - Front Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the front wheels, swing the front brake calipers up, swap in new pads (and any pad hardware), then reassemble and torque everything correctly. This restores safe stopping power and prevents metal-to-metal brake damage.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and chock the rear wheels.
• ⚠️ Never rely on a jack alone—support your Highlander with jack stands.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ If brake fluid is near the MAX line, watch for overflow when compressing pistons.

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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
• 21mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (30-150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-60 ft-lbs range)
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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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 - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and set the parking brake.
• Chock both rear wheels with wheel chocks.
• Loosen the front lug nuts slightly before lifting (do not remove yet).
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir so you can monitor the level while compressing pistons.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen lug nuts and lift the front

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the front lug nuts about 1/2 turn.
• Lift the front with a floor jack at the correct front jack point.
• Set the vehicle on jack stands and confirm it’s stable before you go underneath/behind the wheel.

Step 2: Remove the front wheels

• Use a 21mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the lug nuts.
• Remove both front wheels and place them under the vehicle as an extra safety backup.

Step 3: Access the brake caliper and pads

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself more room (turn left to work on the right side, and vice-versa).
• Use a flathead screwdriver to gently pry the caliper outward a little if it’s tight (pry on the metal caliper body, not on the rubber boot).

Step 4: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts (top and bottom).
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper from the strut using a bungee cord. Do not let it hang by the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the pad hardware (the stainless clips) from the bracket.
• Spray the bracket contact areas with brake parts cleaner.
• Use a wire brush to clean rust where the hardware sits so the pads can slide freely.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Check the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood before compressing.
• Use a C-clamp brake piston compressor to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slow to avoid fluid overflow.

Step 7: Install new hardware and new pads

• Install the new stainless hardware clips from the front brake pad hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) to the pad “ears” where they touch the hardware clips.
• Install the new pads into the bracket, ensuring they slide smoothly.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive torque wrench to tighten the slide pin bolts: Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and start all lug nuts by hand.
• Lower the vehicle enough that the tires touch the ground and won’t spin.
• Use a 21mm socket and 1/2" drive torque wrench to tighten lug nuts in a star pattern: Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).
• Fully lower and remove the floor jack and jack stands.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine OFF, pump the brake pedal slowly until it becomes firm (this seats the pistons against the new pads).
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• Start the engine and confirm the pedal feels normal.
• Test drive at low speed first, then do several gentle stops to help the pads bed-in.
• Listen for scraping/grinding; if present, recheck pad seating and hardware clips.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $50-$150 (parts only)

You Save: $200-$300 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?

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