🔧 Civic - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear brake calipers up, swap in new pads (and hardware clips if included), then reassemble and torque everything correctly. This matters because worn pads reduce braking power and can damage the rotors if driven too long.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and support your Civic with jack stands before going under or pulling on anything.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot; let them cool before you start.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels and release the parking brake (rear calipers won’t retract correctly if the parking brake is on).
• 🧴 Brake fluid can damage paint; cover fenders and wipe spills immediately.
• 🔌 Battery disconnect is not required for this job.

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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
• Breaker bar 1/2"
• Torque wrench 3/8" or 1/2"
• Ratchet 3/8"
• 12mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" or larger)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• 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 pad hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner spray - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, put the shifter in 1st gear, and release the parking brake.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• 🧴 Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; if it’s near the “MAX” line, be ready to remove a little fluid (pads pushing in can make it overflow).
• 🧰 Know this tool: a torque wrench helps you tighten bolts to the correct tightness so nothing loosens or snaps.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear lug nuts

• Use a 19mm socket with a breaker bar 1/2" to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn while the car is still on the ground.

Step 2: Jack up and support the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear of the car at the proper rear jacking point.
• Place jack stands under the rear support points and lower the car onto them.
• Give the car a firm push to confirm it’s stable before removing the wheels.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Use a 19mm socket and ratchet 3/8" to remove the lug nuts, then remove both rear wheels.

Step 4: Remove the lower caliper slide pin bolt

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for rear brakes; just work from behind the hub.
• Use a 12mm socket and ratchet 3/8" to remove the lower caliper slide pin bolt.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs) during reassembly.

Step 5: Swing the caliper up and support it

• Use your hands to swing the caliper upward like a hinge.
• Use a bungee cord to hang the caliper from the suspension spring.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 6: Remove the old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the inner and outer pads straight out by hand.
• If your new pads include new stainless “clips,” use a flat-blade screwdriver to pop the old clips out of the bracket.
• Use brake cleaner spray and shop towels to clean the bracket pad contact areas.

Step 7: Clean and grease the sliding surfaces (not the pad face)

• Use a wire brush to lightly clean rust where the clips sit.
• Install the new hardware clips by hand (they should snap into place).
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to the clip contact points where the pad “ears” slide.
• Keep grease off pad/rotor surfaces.

Step 8: Retract the rear caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6" or larger) to slowly press the piston back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and check the brake fluid reservoir under the hood so it doesn’t overflow.
• If it overflows, clean immediately using shop towels and a little water.

Step 9: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand, making sure the pad “ears” sit correctly in the new clips.
• If one pad has a wear indicator tab, match it the same way the old pads were installed.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper and tighten the slide pin bolt

• Swing the caliper back down over the new pads by hand.
• Use a 12mm socket and ratchet 3/8" to reinstall the lower slide pin bolt.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 4–10 on the other rear wheel.
• Do one side at a time to compare parts.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

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

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the engine OFF, press the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct DOT brake fluid listed on the reservoir cap).
• 🧪 Test drive slowly and confirm normal braking before driving normally.
• 🛑 Pad break-in: make 8–10 gentle stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, with cooling time between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$160 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$290 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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