🔧 Altima - Rear Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement

I can walk you through replacing the rear brake pads and rotors on your Altima step-by-step, including the correct parking-brake procedure and torque specs. The key detail is whether your car has an electronic parking brake (EPB), because the rear calipers must be put into service mode before you can push the pistons back.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Never work under a car supported only by a jack—use jack stands.
• ⚠️ If your Altima has an electronic parking brake, do not force the piston back until EPB service mode is done.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—avoid blowing it with compressed air; use brake cleaner.

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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
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Socket set (8mm-21mm, 3/8" and 1/2")
• Ratchet (3/8")
• Open-end wrench set (10mm-19mm)
• Caliper piston compressor tool (specialty)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

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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 pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Medium-strength threadlocker - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground and chock the front wheels.
• Loosen rear lug nuts slightly before lifting (use breaker bar and correct socket).
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir so you can watch the level as pistons are pushed in.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Before I give you the exact procedure and torque specs, I need 2 quick details:

• 1) Does your Altima have an electronic parking brake switch (button/lever on the console), or a foot-operated parking brake pedal?
• 2) Are you replacing pads + rotors only, or do you also want to flush/bleed brake fluid after the job?

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✅ After Repair

• Do not drive until the brake pedal feels firm.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $160-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$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.