🔧 Rear Brake Pads - Replacement

Your rear pads wear down from normal braking and need to be replaced before the backing plates damage the rotors. On your Prius, the rear brake calipers must be retracted correctly before the new pads will fit.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on level ground and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Use jack stands. Never rely on a floor jack alone.
• If your Prius has an electronic parking brake, put it into pad replacement/service mode before retracting the rear calipers.
• Hybrid system warning: keep the car in READY OFF and do not press the brake pedal unless instructed.
• Brake parts can be hot after driving. Let them cool first.
• Brake dust is harmful. Avoid blowing it off with compressed air.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Jack stands
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm lug wrench or socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm wrench
• Ratchet
• Torque wrench
• Brake caliper piston tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord or mechanic's wire
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Brake cleaner
• Wire brush
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile 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 pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on a level surface and set the parking brake.
• Place the transmission in P.
• Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts slightly before lifting.
• If equipped with an electronic parking brake, switch it to pad replacement/service mode first.
• Keep the ignition off unless you are moving the parking brake system into service mode.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Prepare the vehicle

• Use the 21mm lug wrench or socket to slightly loosen both rear wheel lug nuts.
• Chock the front wheels, then raise the rear of the vehicle with the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Support it with jack stands under the rear lift points.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheel

• Use the 21mm lug wrench or socket to remove the lug nuts and take off the wheel.
• Set the wheel aside flat so it cannot roll.

Step 3: Retract the rear caliper

• If your Prius has an electronic parking brake, place it in service mode before going further.
• Use the 14mm socket and 17mm wrench to remove the caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord or mechanic's wire.
• Use the brake caliper piston tool (specialty) to push the piston back slowly and evenly.
• Go slow so the seals stay happy.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Remove the old inner and outer pads from the caliper bracket.
• Use the flat blade screwdriver to remove pad clips and hardware if needed.
• Clean the bracket contact points with wire brush and brake cleaner.

Step 5: Install the new pad hardware and pads

• Install the new hardware clips from the rear brake pad hardware kit.
• Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease only to the pad contact points and slide surfaces.
• Install the new inner and outer pads in the same positions as the old ones.
• Do not grease the friction material.

Step 6: Reinstall the caliper

• Swing the caliper back over the new pads.
• Use the 14mm socket and 17mm wrench to reinstall the slide pin bolts.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 7: Reinstall the wheel

• Put the wheel back on and hand-start the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle with the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Use the 21mm lug wrench or socket to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

Step 8: Restore brake pedal feel

• Press the brake pedal slowly several times until it feels firm.
• If you used parking brake service mode, exit service mode now.
• Check that the parking brake works normally.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the car and confirm there are no brake warning lights.
• Test the brake pedal at low speed before driving normally.
• Listen for rubbing or clicking from the rear brakes.
• Break in the new pads with several gentle stops.
• Recheck lug nut torque after 50-100 miles.

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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 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.