🔧 Rear Brake Pads & Rotors - Replacement

The rear brake pads and rotors on your Highlander wear together, so replacing both at the same time gives the best pedal feel and braking performance. This job involves removing the rear caliper, bracket, pads, and rotor, then resetting the caliper piston before reassembly.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on a flat surface and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Use jack stands; never rely on the floor jack alone.
• Your Highlander uses a conventional parking brake, not an electronic parking brake.
• Do not press the brake pedal with the caliper removed.
• Brake dust can be harmful; avoid blowing it off with compressed air.
• Battery disconnect is not required for this repair.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated for vehicle weight)
• Wheel chocks
• Lug wrench or 21mm socket
• Ratchet
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench
• Breaker bar
• C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool (specialty)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Bungee cord or mechanic's wire
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner
• Microfiber towels
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2
• Brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake grease - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the parking brake.
• Loosen the rear lug nuts slightly before lifting the vehicle.
• Chock the front wheels securely.
• Release the parking brake after the rear wheels are off the ground so the rotors can come off.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Raise and secure the rear of the vehicle

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear of the Highlander at the proper jacking point.
• Place jack stands under both rear side support points and lower the vehicle onto them.
• Remove both rear wheels with a 21mm socket or lug wrench.

Step 2: Remove the caliper

• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a bungee cord or mechanic's wire.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 3: Remove the brake pads and bracket

• Slide the brake pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the caliper bracket from the knuckle.

Step 4: Remove the rotor

• If the rotor is stuck, use a flathead screwdriver to back off the parking brake adjuster through the access hole if needed.
• Remove the rotor from the hub.
• If it is rusted on, tap the rotor hat evenly with a rubber mallet or strike the back side with a dead-blow hammer.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and brake cleaner.

Step 5: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Use a C-clamp or brake caliper compression tool to push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Compress it slowly and evenly so the rubber boot does not twist.
• Keep the old pad against the piston.

Step 6: Install the new rotor and bracket

• Clean the new rotor with brake cleaner before installation.
• Install the new rotor on the hub.
• Reinstall the caliper bracket using a 17mm socket.
• Torque to 76 Nm (56 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Install pads and caliper

• Apply a thin layer of brake grease to the pad backing plates and contact points where the pads slide in the bracket.
• Install the new rear pads into the bracket.
• Reinstall the caliper over the pads.
• Use a 14mm socket to reinstall the slide pin bolts.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Reinstall the wheels

• Put both rear wheels back on.
• Install the lug nuts by hand first.
• Lower the vehicle and use a torque wrench with a 21mm socket to tighten the lug nuts.
• Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Press the brake pedal slowly several times until it feels firm.
• Check brake fluid level in the reservoir.
• Test the brakes at low speed first.
• Listen for rubbing or grinding noises.
• Recheck lug nut torque after the first short drive.
• New pads and rotors need a short break-in period. Avoid hard stops for the first 200 miles if possible.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$750 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$320 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$430 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-4 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.