🔧 Accord - Front Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the front calipers, swap the pads and rotors, then reinstall everything with the correct torque. This restores braking performance and fixes vibration/pulsation caused by warped or worn rotors.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support your Accord with jack stands before working underneath.
• ⚠️ Never press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Don’t let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this front brake job.

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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
• 19mm socket
• Breaker bar (1/2-inch drive)
• Torque wrench (1/2-inch drive, 20-150 ft-lbs range)
• 12mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8-inch drive)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6-inch) or disc brake piston compressor (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Impact driver with Phillips #3 bit (specialty)
• Rubber mallet
• Wire brush
• Shop towels
• 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 rotors - Qty: 2
• Front pad hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• High-temp silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 quart

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, shift to Park, and chock the rear wheels.
• 🛞 Crack the front lug nuts loose with a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧴 Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; if it’s near “MAX,” plan to remove a little later (fluid rises when you compress the piston).
• 🧰 Set your new pads/rotors out and confirm they match left/right and size.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift the front and remove the wheels

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the front jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under the proper front support points and lower the car onto them.
• Remove the lug nuts with a 19mm socket and take both front wheels off.

Step 2: Remove the caliper (the part that squeezes the pads)

• Turn the steering wheel to give yourself room to work on the side you’re doing first.
• Use a 12mm socket and ratchet (3/8-inch drive) to remove the two caliper slide-pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it from the strut spring using a bungee cord.
• Tip: Don’t twist or pull the brake hose.

Step 3: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the brake pads out of the bracket by hand (use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if stuck).
• Remove the pad abutment clips (hardware) from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad “lands” (where the clips sit) using brake cleaner, wire brush, and shop towels.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar (1/2-inch drive) to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket and set it aside.
• During reassembly: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench (1/2-inch drive, 20-150 ft-lbs range).

Step 5: Remove the rotor

• If your rotor has retaining screws, use an impact driver with Phillips #3 bit (specialty) to remove them.
• Pull the rotor off the hub. If it’s stuck, tap around the rotor hat with a rubber mallet until it breaks free.

Step 6: Prep the hub and install the new rotor

• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and spray with brake cleaner.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub (use 1 lug nut hand-threaded to hold it flush while you work).

Step 7: Reinstall the bracket and install new hardware

• Reinstall the caliper bracket and start both bolts by hand.
• Tighten with a 17mm socket, then Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs) with the torque wrench.
• Install the new abutment clips from your hardware kit.
• Apply a thin film of high-temp silicone brake lubricant where the pad ears slide in the clips.

Step 8: Compress the caliper piston

• Use a C-clamp (6-inch) or disc brake piston compressor (specialty) to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir under the hood; don’t let it overflow.
• Tip: Go slow to avoid damaging the seal.

Step 9: Install the new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• Slide the caliper back over the new pads and rotor.
• Install the two slide-pin bolts using a 12mm socket.
• Final tighten: Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 10: Repeat on the other front wheel

• Do the same pad/rotor replacement on the other front side.
• Tip: Always replace front pads and rotors in pairs.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a 19mm socket.
• Final tighten: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs) using the torque wrench.

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the car still in Park, pump the brake pedal until it feels firm (this seats the pads).
• 🧴 Recheck brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• 🔍 Look for leaks and confirm the brake hose isn’t twisted.
• 🧪 Road test at low speed first, then bed-in the pads: make 8-10 smooth stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, with light driving between stops to cool.
• 👂 If you hear grinding or the pedal sinks, stop and recheck your work.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$380 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$470 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?

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