🔧 Impreza - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheel, unbolt the rear caliper, swap the old pads for new ones, then compress the caliper piston so everything fits back together. This restores safe stopping power and prevents grinding damage to the rotors.

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

Assumption: Your Impreza has rear disc brakes with a mechanical parking brake (no electronic parking brake).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and use jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Wear safety glasses and mechanic gloves; brake dust and cleaner are irritating.
• 🔥 Brakes get hot—let everything cool before you start.
• 🧯 Keep brake cleaner off painted surfaces and away from flames.
• 🧱 Release the parking brake before removing the rear caliper (the parking brake is separate, inside the rear rotor “hat”).

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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" drive)
• Torque wrench (1/2" drive, 20–150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Small flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" or larger)
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Wire brush
• Shop towels
• Safety glasses
• Mechanic 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 hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• High-temp silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 (optional if worn or grooved)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in 1st gear, and place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose using a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting the car.
• Pop the hood and check the brake fluid level. If it’s near “MAX,” be ready to remove a little later—compressing pistons can make it rise.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Lift the rear with a floor jack at the rear center jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands at the pinch welds or rear side support points.
• Give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheel

• Remove the lug nuts with a 19mm socket and ratchet, then remove the wheel.

Step 3: Remove the caliper (do not let it hang)

• Locate the two caliper slide pin bolts on the back side.
• Remove the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper from the suspension using a brake caliper hanger hook. (A hanger hook is a metal hook that supports the caliper so the brake hose isn’t strained.)

Step 4: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand. Use a small flathead screwdriver if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless hardware clips (abutment clips) from the bracket.
• Clean the pad “rails” on the bracket with a wire brush and spray with brake parts cleaner.
• Clean metal helps the pads slide freely.

Step 5: Check slide pins (important for even braking)

• Pull each slide pin out of the bracket (by hand).
• Wipe old grease off with shop towels.
• Apply a thin coat of high-temp silicone brake lubricant and reinstall the pins so they move smoothly.

Step 6: Compress the caliper piston

• Place one old brake pad against the piston face.
• Use a C-clamp (6" or larger) to slowly press the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Go slowly and keep it straight. Check the brake fluid reservoir and don’t let it overflow.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new abutment clips from your rear brake hardware kit into the bracket.
• Add a very light smear of high-temp silicone brake lubricant where the pad ears contact the clips (metal-to-metal contact points only).
• Install the new pads into the bracket in the same orientation as the originals.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque bolts

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs).
• If you removed the caliper bracket (not always required), reinstall bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and torque wrench: Torque to 70 Nm (52 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheel and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheel and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench: Torque to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 1–9 for the other rear wheel. Replace rear pads as a pair.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Check the brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Do a slow test drive in a safe area. Confirm normal braking and no pulling.
• Bed-in the pads (typical): make 6–10 moderate stops from ~30–40 mph, allowing a short cool-down between stops. Avoid hard stops for the first 150–200 miles unless necessary.
• Recheck for leaks, odd noises, and lug nut torque after a short drive.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $40-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $130-$410 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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