🔧 LaCrosse - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing your rear brake pads restores safe stopping and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin. You’ll remove the rear caliper, swap the pads (and hardware), then compress the caliper piston so everything fits back together.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack alone.
• 🧤 Wear safety glasses and mechanic gloves; brake dust and rust fall easily.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot; let everything cool before touching.
• ⚠️ If your LaCrosse has an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), you must retract it before pushing the piston in, or you can damage the caliper.
• 🔌 Keep the key away from the car while working (prevents EPB/auto systems from moving unexpectedly).

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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
• 19mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (20-200 ft-lbs range)
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Flat blade screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Brake caliper rewind tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop rags
• Mechanic gloves
• Safety glasses
• Scan tool with EPB service function (specialty)

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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/abutments) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, steering straight, and place wheel chocks at the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake completely before lifting the rear.
• Open the hood and remove the brake fluid reservoir cap (set it on loosely). This helps fluid return when you compress pistons.
• Assumption (best-effort): Your LaCrosse may have EPB on the rear calipers; steps below include both EPB and non-EPB paths.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use wheel chocks to block the front wheels.
• Crack the rear lug nuts loose with a 19mm socket and breaker bar (about 1/2 turn).
• Lift the rear using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the rear jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under solid rear support points.
• Remove the wheel using a 19mm socket.

Step 2: Identify whether you have EPB or a cable/lever parking brake

• Look at the rear caliper: if there’s an electric motor unit with a wiring connector on the caliper, you have EPB.
• If you see a parking brake cable and lever on the caliper, it’s the cable/lever style.

Step 3: Retract the parking brake system (critical)

• If EPB: Use a scan tool with EPB service function (specialty) and command the rear parking brakes into service mode (retracted).
• If cable/lever style: Verify the parking brake is fully released. Do not pull the lever while the caliper is off.
• Service mode prevents EPB damage.

Step 4: Remove the rear caliper (pads are inside)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear, but rotate the rotor by hand to position bolts where you can reach.
• Use a flat blade screwdriver to gently pry the caliper outward a tiny bit (this creates clearance). Go slowly.
• Remove the caliper guide/slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket. Support it with a bungee cord so it doesn’t hang by the hose.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out of the bracket by hand.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) using a flat blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad lands (where the clips sit) using a wire brush and brake cleaner spray, then wipe with shop rags.

Step 6: Compress (retract) the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face to spread the force evenly.
• If EPB caliper: After EPB service mode is set, compress the piston straight in using a C-clamp (6" minimum).
• If cable/lever caliper: Use a brake caliper rewind tool (specialty) to rotate-and-push the piston inward. A rewind tool is a cube/plate tool that turns the piston while applying pressure.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; if it starts to overflow, stop and remove a little fluid (use shop rags to protect paint).

Step 7: Lube slide pins and install new hardware + pads

• Pull the slide pins out (one at a time), wipe them clean with shop rags, and apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (silicone).
• Snap in the new pad clips from the hardware kit.
• Apply a very thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) on the pad ears where they touch the clips (not on pad friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper guide/slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket.
• Torque to 28 Nm (21 ft-lbs) (rear caliper guide pin bolts).
• If you removed the caliper bracket (not always required): reinstall bracket bolts using a 15mm socket or 18mm socket as equipped and torque to 125 Nm (92 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall the wheel

• Install the wheel and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the stands using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 19mm socket and torque wrench.
• Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs) (wheel lug nuts).

Step 10: Restore EPB function (if equipped)

• If EPB: Use the scan tool with EPB service function (specialty) to exit service mode and re-apply/release EPB once.

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, slowly pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm. This seats the pads against the rotor.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 if needed (do not overfill).
• Do a slow test drive in a safe area. Verify no pulling, grinding, or warning lights.
• Bed-in (break-in) the pads: make 6-10 medium stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph, with cooling time between stops.
• Recheck for leaks and recheck lug nut torque after 25-50 miles using a torque wrench.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $60-$140 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$310 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 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.