🔧 Fusion - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing your A4’s rear brake pads means removing the rear wheels, taking the calipers off, swapping the pads, and reassembling everything with the correct torque. Rear brakes are safety-critical, so we’ll go slowly and keep everything clean and secure.

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

Assumption: Steps include both rear parking-brake styles (Electronic Parking Brake or cable-style) used on the Fusion.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Never work under a car supported only by a jack; use jack stands on solid ground.
• 🧤 Brake dust is irritating; wear gloves and safety glasses. Avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• 🔥 Brakes can be very hot after driving; let them cool 30+ minutes.
• 🧯 Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor; it can pop the piston out.
• 🔌 If your Fusion has an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), you must retract it (service mode) before pushing the piston in.

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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
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Torque wrench (20–200 ft-lbs range)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• 19mm socket
• 13mm socket
• 15mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Ratchet (1/2" drive)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Brake piston compressor tool
• Brake caliper rewind tool kit (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner spray
• C-clamp (6")
• Scan tool with EPB service mode (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 hardware kit (abutment clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 4) - Qty: 1 bottle

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, turn the engine off, and chock the front wheels with wheel chocks.
• Make sure the parking brake is released before lifting the rear.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap sitting loosely on top (don’t remove it completely). This helps pressure release as pistons retract.
• If your Fusion has EPB: plan to use Scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) to retract the rear parking brake motors before compressing pistons. (EPB = an electric motor that applies the parking brake.)

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts

• Use a 19mm socket and breaker bar (1/2" drive) to loosen each rear wheel’s lug nuts about 1/2 turn while the car is on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear of the car

• Lift using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the proper rear jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) and give the car a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.
• Remove both rear wheels with the 19mm socket.

Step 3: Retract the parking brake (EPB only) OR verify cable slack (non-EPB)

• If your Fusion has EPB: Use the Scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) and run the EPB “Service/Pad Replacement” function to retract the rear parking brake motors.
• If your Fusion does NOT have EPB: Confirm the parking brake is fully released. If you see a cable going to the rear caliper, that’s the cable-style system.
• Don’t force the piston until this is correct.

Step 4: Remove the rear caliper

• Locate the two caliper slide pin bolts on the back of the caliper.
• Use a 13mm socket and ratchet (3/8" drive) to remove the slide pin bolts.
• Carefully lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Hang the caliper using a brake caliper hanger hook so the hose is not stretched.

Step 5: Remove old pads and hardware clips

• Pull the inner and outer brake pads out of the bracket by hand. Use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless abutment clips from the bracket using the flat-blade screwdriver.
• Clean the pad “rails” on the bracket with a wire brush and spray with brake cleaner spray.

Step 6: Check and lubricate slide pins

• Pull each slide pin out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe old grease off with a rag, then apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone).
• Reinstall the pins and confirm they move smoothly. (Slide pins let the caliper “float” evenly.)

Step 7: Retract the caliper piston

• Watch the brake fluid reservoir as you retract the piston. If it gets near full, remove a little fluid (do not overflow).
• EPB-style caliper (after EPB service mode): Use a brake piston compressor tool or C-clamp (6") to press the piston straight back in slowly.
• Cable-style parking brake caliper: Use a brake caliper rewind tool kit (specialty) to rotate-and-push the piston inward as required. (A rewind tool turns the piston while pushing it in.)
• Go slow to avoid damaging seals.

Step 8: Install new hardware clips and pads

• Install new abutment clips from the rear brake hardware kit (abutment clips) onto the bracket by hand.
• Apply a very thin layer of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone) to the pad contact points on the clips (not on the pad friction material).
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper and torque fasteners

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the slide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and torque wrench (20–200 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs) for the rear caliper slide pin bolts.

Step 10: 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 (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque the lug nuts in a star pattern using a 19mm socket and torque wrench (20–200 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs) for the lug nuts.

Step 11: If EPB, exit service mode

• Use the Scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) to command the EPB to close/initialize after pad installation.

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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 against the rotors.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with brake fluid (DOT 4) if needed (do not overfill).
• Start the car and verify there are no warning lights. Apply/release the parking brake to confirm it works normally.
• Do a cautious test drive: a few gentle stops at low speed first, then gradually normal braking.
• Avoid hard stops for the first 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$500 (parts + labor)

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

You Save: $210-$380 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-3.0 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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