🔧 Prius - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swing the rear brake calipers out of the way, swap the old pads for new ones, then reassemble and verify the brakes work correctly. On your Prius, it’s especially important to prevent the brake system from powering up while your hands are near moving parts.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-3.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Keep the car OFF (not in READY). Keep the key fob at least 10+ feet away so the system can’t wake up.
• ⚠️ Disconnect the 12V negative battery cable to help prevent the electric brake actuator/pump from running while you work.
• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands. Never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is removed or swung open.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy. Use brake cleaner, not 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 (rated 3-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 3/8" ratchet
• 1/2" breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• C-clamp (6" minimum) or disc brake piston compressor (specialty)
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• 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 (abutment clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake pad contact grease (anti-squeal) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Qty: 2 (optional if worn/grooved)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground. Put the shifter in P and turn the car OFF.
• Chock the front wheels with wheel chocks.
• Release the parking brake after the front wheels are chocked.
• Open the rear hatch and disconnect the 12V negative battery cable using a 10mm wrench equivalent—if you don’t have one, use a 10mm socket. This prevents brake system wake-ups.
• Place the key fob away from the car (10+ feet).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen each rear wheel’s lug nuts about 1/2 turn (do not remove yet).

Step 2: Lift and support the rear of the car

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear at the proper jacking point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) placed at solid support points.
• Give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable before you remove a wheel.

Step 3: Remove both rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 21mm socket and 3/8" ratchet.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 4: Locate the rear caliper and slide pin bolts

• Look at the rear brake assembly. The caliper is the clamp over the rotor.
• The caliper is held by two slide pin bolts (these let the caliper move smoothly as pads wear).

Step 5: Remove the caliper slide pin bolts

• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 6: Swing the caliper up and secure it

• Carefully swing the caliper up and off the pads/rotor.
• Use a bungee cord to hang the caliper from the suspension spring/arm so the hose stays relaxed.

Step 7: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the old pad hardware/abutment clips with needle-nose pliers if needed.
• Use a wire brush and brake cleaner spray to clean the pad “shelves” where the clips sit.

Step 8: Compress the caliper piston

• The piston is the round part in the caliper that pushes the inner pad.
• Place an old pad against the piston face, then use a C-clamp (6" minimum) or disc brake piston compressor (specialty) to slowly push the piston back in.
• Go slow and keep it straight. Slow pressure protects seals.

Step 9: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new abutment clips from the rear brake pad hardware kit.
• Apply a very thin layer of brake pad contact grease (anti-squeal) to pad backing plate contact points (not the friction material).
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) to the slide pin contact areas if you remove/inspect pins.
• Install the new inner and outer pads in the bracket.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Swing the caliper back over the new pads.
• Reinstall the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

• Perform Steps 4 through 10 on the opposite rear brake.
• Replace pads on both sides as a set. Always replace in pairs.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Use a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range) with a 21mm socket to torque lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

Step 13: Reconnect the 12V battery

• Reconnect the 12V negative battery cable securely using a 10mm socket and 3/8" ratchet.

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✅ After Repair

• With the car still in P, press the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm. This seats the pistons against the new pads.
• Start the car and confirm no warning lights related to braking appear.
• Do a low-speed test in a safe area: gentle stops first, then normal stops.
• Pad bed-in (break-in): make 8-10 smooth stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, with cool-down driving between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first ~200 miles.
• Recheck for any fluid leaks around the calipers and listen for abnormal grinding or pulling.

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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 1.0-1.5 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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