🔧 Camry - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear caliper, swap the old pads for new ones, then compress the caliper piston so everything fits back together. Worn pads reduce braking power and can damage rotors if driven too long.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support your Camry on jack stands—never rely on the floor jack.
• 🛑 Chock the front wheels and release the parking brake before starting (rear brakes must be free).
• 🛑 Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• 🛑 Don’t let the caliper hang by the brake hose—support it with a hook/strap.
• 🛑 Watch the brake fluid level when compressing the piston; it can overflow.

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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
• 21mm socket
• Ratchet
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (10-150 ft-lbs range)
• C-clamp (6-inch)
• Large flathead screwdriver
• Brake parts cleaner
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord or caliper hook
• 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 (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and chock both front wheels.
• Release the parking brake (your Camry uses the rear brakes for parking brake hold).
• Use the 21mm socket to slightly loosen rear lug nuts before lifting.
• Open the hood and loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap (do not remove completely). This helps the piston compress easier—check for overflow during the job.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• Lift one rear corner using the floor jack and support it with jack stands.
• Remove the wheel using the 21mm socket and ratchet.

Step 2: Locate the rear caliper and pads

• Look at the brake assembly: the caliper is the clamp over the rotor, and the pads sit inside it.
• Take a quick photo for reassembly.

Step 3: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts (upper and lower).
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord or caliper hook so the hose isn’t strained.

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Slide the old pads out of the bracket by hand. If stuck, gently pry with the large flathead screwdriver.
• Remove the old pad clips/hardware from the bracket.
• Spray the bracket contact areas with brake parts cleaner and scrub with the wire brush.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face, then use the C-clamp (6-inch) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; remove a little fluid if it gets too high.
• Go slow—fast compression can damage seals.

Step 6: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips/hardware onto the bracket (from your hardware kit).
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) to the pad ears where they slide on the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Slide the new pads into place in the bracket.

Step 7: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten the slide pin bolts using the 14mm socket and then a torque wrench: Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Reinstall the wheel

• Put the wheel back on and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car and tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench: Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Repeat Steps 1–8 on the other side. Replace pads on both sides as a pair.

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✅ After Repair

• With the car on the ground, pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Test at low speed first. Ensure normal stopping and no pulling/noises.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6–10 moderate stops from ~35 mph to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $300-$550 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$180 (parts only)

You Save: $240-$370 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.8 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.