RAV4 - Rear Brake Pad Replacement 🛠️

Got it—you want to replace the rear brake pads on your RAV4 SE (AWD, EPB). I’ll walk you through it step by step.

Quick check first:

• ✅ Are you working on a flat, solid surface (not dirt/grass)?
• ✅ Do you have a basic jack and jack stands?

If yes, you’re good to follow this guide.

Tools & Supplies You’ll Need 🔧

• 🧰 Floor jack and jack stands (to safely lift and support the car)
• 🧰 Wheel chocks (blocks behind wheels so the car can’t roll)
• 🧰 Lug wrench or 1/2" ratchet with 21 mm socket (wheel nuts)
• 🧰 Socket set:
  • 14 mm socket (rear caliper slide pin bolts)
  • 17 mm or 18 mm socket (rear caliper bracket bolts – varies slightly by build)
• 🧰 Ratchet and a short breaker bar (a longer handle to loosen tight bolts)
• 🧰 Torque wrench (tool that tightens bolts to a specific force)
• 🧰 C-clamp or disc brake piston tool (to push the caliper piston back)
• 🧰 Flat screwdriver or small pry bar (to gently pry caliper if stuck)
• 🧰 Wire brush (to clean rust from pad brackets)
• 🧰 Bungee cord or wire (to hang the caliper, not by the hose)
• 🧰 Brake cleaner spray
• 🧰 High-temp brake grease (for pad ears and slide pins)
• 🧰 Shop towels / rags and disposable gloves
• 🧰 Optional: OBD2 scan tool with EPB service mode (nice to have, not required on this Toyota)

Parts You’ll Need 📦

• 🛞 Rear brake pads (set for both sides) – always replace pads on both rear wheels together.
• 🛞 Optional but recommended: New pad hardware kit (stainless clips the pads sit in).
• 🛞 Optional: Rear rotors if they are deeply grooved, cracked, or below minimum thickness.

HowToo will show you the correct pads, hardware, and tools below this guide. You can add them to your cart from there.

Safety First ⚠️

• ⚠️ Always support the car with jack stands, never only the jack.
• ⚠️ Wear eye protection; brake dust and cleaner can irritate eyes.
• ⚠️ Do one side at a time so you can look at the other side as a reference.
• ⚠️ Your RAV4 has an electric parking brake (EPB) – we must put it in service mode before pushing pistons back.

RAV4 - Put Electric Parking Brake in Service Mode 📲

Your 2018 RAV4 uses a switch-type EPB. Here’s the Toyota procedure without a scan tool:

• 🔌 Step 1: Turn ignition to ON (engine off), foot off brake pedal.
• 🔌 Step 2: Make sure the parking brake is released (EPB light off). If it’s on, press the brake pedal and push the EPB switch down to release.
• 🔌 Step 3: Turn ignition OFF.
• 🔌 Step 4: Do not touch the EPB switch again during the job.

On this Toyota design, once the EPB is off and ignition is off, you can safely push the rear pistons in with hand tools.

Lift and Secure the RAV4 🧱

• 🧱 Chock the front wheels (blocks in front and behind at least one front tire).
• 🧱 Slightly loosen rear wheel lug nuts (about 1/2 turn) with the car on the ground.
• 🧱 Place the jack under the rear center jacking point (rear subframe crossmember) or one rear pinch weld, and lift.
• 🧱 Place jack stands under the rear pinch welds (reinforced seam under the doors) and lower the car onto them.
• 🧱 Remove the rear wheels completely.

Remove Rear Caliper & Old Pads 🔩

• 🔧 Turn the steering wheel is not needed for rear; just work straight in.
• 🔧 On the rear caliper, locate the two slide pin bolts on the back (usually 14 mm).
• 🔧 Use the 14 mm socket and ratchet to remove the lower slide pin bolt. Loosen the upper one and swing the caliper up, or remove both and lift the caliper off.
• 🔧 Hang the caliper with a bungee cord from the suspension spring so it does not hang by the rubber hose.
• 🔧 Slide the old pads out of the bracket. Note which side had the wear indicator tab (usually inner pad).

Inspect Rotor & Hardware 🔍

• 🔍 Look at the rotor surface:
  • Light grooves = OK.
  • Deep grooves, cracks, or heavy rust = replace rotor.
• 🔍 Check the pad hardware clips (metal pieces the pad ears sit in). If rusty or bent, replace them.

Optional: Remove Caliper Bracket & Rotor 🔧

Do this if you’re replacing rotors or hardware.

• 🔧 Use 17–18 mm socket and breaker bar to remove the two caliper bracket bolts (on the back of the knuckle).
• 🔧 Remove the bracket.
• 🔧 If the rotor is stuck, use penetrating oil around the hub and tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet to free it.
• 🔧 Clean the hub face with a wire brush so the new rotor sits flat.
• 🔧 Install the new rotor and hold it in place with a lug nut finger-tight.
• 🔧 Reinstall the caliper bracket and torque the bolts to about 65–75 ft-lb (Toyota spec is typically in this range for rear; check label in your manual if available).

Clean & Lube Hardware 🧼

• 🧼 Remove the old hardware clips from the bracket.
• 🧼 Clean the areas where the clips sit with a wire brush.
• 🧼 Install new hardware clips (if using new ones).
• 🧼 Apply a thin layer of high-temp brake grease on:
  • The spots where pad ears contact the hardware.
  • The slide pins:
    • Pull each pin out one at a time.
    • Wipe old grease off.
    • Apply fresh brake grease and reinstall, making sure the rubber boots seat properly.

Compress the Caliper Piston 🔄

• 🔄 Check the brake fluid reservoir under the hood. If it’s very full, remove a little with a clean syringe or turkey baster so it doesn’t overflow when pistons are pushed in.
• 🔄 Place an old pad against the piston face inside the caliper.
• 🔄 Use a C-clamp or piston tool to slowly push the piston back into the caliper until it bottoms out.
• 🔄 Go slowly; if you feel hard resistance, stop and double-check that the EPB is off and ignition is off.

Install New Pads 🧩

• 🧩 Apply a thin layer of brake grease to the pad ears (where they contact the hardware), not on the friction surface.
• 🧩 Install the new pads into the bracket:
  • Pad with wear indicator tab goes in the same position as the old one (usually inner pad).
• 🧩 Swing the caliper back over the new pads.
• 🧩 Install the slide pin bolts and tighten by hand first.
• 🧩 Torque the slide pin bolts to about 20–25 ft-lb.

Repeat on the Other Side 🔁

• 🔁 Do the exact same steps on the other rear wheel.
• 🔁 Always replace pads on both sides of the axle together for even braking.

Reinstall Wheels & Lower the Car 🚗

• 🚗 Clean the wheel hub face if rusty.
• 🚗 Install the wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts in a star pattern.
• 🚗 Jack the car slightly, remove jack stands, and lower the car to the ground.
• 🚗 Torque lug nuts in a star pattern to about 76 ft-lb (Toyota spec for RAV4 wheels).

Re-Activate EPB & Set Pedal Feel ⚙️

• ⚙️ Sit in the driver’s seat.
• ⚙️ Press the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm. This seats the pads against the rotors.
• ⚙️ Turn ignition to ON.
• ⚙️ Apply and release the parking brake a couple of times using the EPB switch. Confirm the EPB warning light behaves normally.
• ⚙️ Check brake fluid level and top up with the correct DOT fluid if needed (usually DOT 3 or DOT 4 as marked on the cap).

Test Drive & Bed-In Pads 🧪

• 🧪 In a safe, empty area, drive about 30–40 km/h and gently brake to a stop 5–10 times.
• 🧪 Avoid hard emergency-style stops for the first 200–300 km unless needed.
• 🧪 Listen for grinding or loud squeals; a light hiss is normal at first.

Typical Shop Cost vs DIY 💰

• 💰 A shop would usually charge around $220–$320 (₹18,000–₹26,000 equivalent) for rear pads (more if rotors).
• 💰 Doing it yourself with HowToo parts and tools can save you roughly half or more.

HowToo makes it easy: same-day/2-day shipping on every part, plus all the tools and specialty tools you need! Check the parts and tools section below to add the correct rear pads, hardware, and any tools you’re missing to your cart.

If you tell me whether your rotors look rough or fairly smooth, I can advise if you should replace them now or just do pads.