🔧 Soul - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

On your Soul, the rear brake pads press against the rear brake rotors to slow the car. When pads get thin, braking distance increases and you can damage the rotors, so replacing them on time matters.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Support the car with jack stands; never rely on a jack.
• 🧤 Brake dust is harmful—wear a mask and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot—let everything cool before touching.
• 🚗 Release the parking brake before starting (rear calipers won’t retract with it applied).
• 🧴 Brake fluid can overflow when compressing pistons—watch the reservoir level.

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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
• Lug wrench
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20–150 ft-lbs)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 14mm wrench
• Flathead screwdriver
• C-clamp (6" minimum)
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Dust mask

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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 (recommended)
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and chock the front wheels.
• Make sure the parking brake is fully released.
• Loosen rear lug nuts slightly before lifting (don’t remove them yet).
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir so you can monitor the level during piston compression.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use wheel chocks on the front wheels.
• Use a lug wrench with a 21mm socket to crack loose the rear lug nuts 1/2 turn.
• Use a floor jack to lift the rear at the approved lift point, then place jack stands under solid support points.
• Lower the car onto the jack stands and give it a gentle shake to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Use the lug wrench and 21mm socket to remove the lug nuts and take off both rear wheels.
• Do one side at a time if you prefer.

Step 3: Remove the caliper (don’t let it hang)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear, but position yourself for clear access.
• Locate the rear brake caliper and the two smaller caliper slide bolts on the back side.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet to remove the caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper using a bungee cord so it doesn’t hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand.
• If equipped, remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) using a flathead screwdriver.
• Use brake cleaner spray and a wire brush to clean the bracket pad “rails” where the pad ends slide.
• Clean rails help prevent squeaks and sticking.

Step 5: Compress the caliper piston

• Check the brake fluid reservoir level under the hood before compressing.
• Use a C-clamp (6" minimum) to slowly push the caliper piston back into the caliper.
• Go slow and steady; stop if it feels “rock hard.”
• C-clamp = a screw clamp that presses the piston in.

Step 6: Service the slide pins

• Pull the caliper slide pins out of the bracket (they slide out once the caliper is off).
• Wipe them clean, then apply a thin coat of brake caliper grease (silicone-based).
• Reinsert the pins and make sure they move smoothly by hand.

Step 7: Install new hardware and pads

• If you’re using a new hardware kit, snap the new clips onto the bracket by hand.
• Apply a very thin layer of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) where the pad “ears” contact the clips (metal-to-metal sliding points only).
• Install the new pads into the bracket in the same orientation as the old pads.
• Keep grease off pad friction material and rotor.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the supported caliper back over the new pads.
• Reinstall the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Final tighten with a torque wrench: Torque to 25–35 Nm (18–26 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall wheels

• Put the wheels back on and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car to the ground using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench: Torque to 90–110 Nm (66–81 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Final checks

• Check the brake fluid reservoir and top off only if needed (use the correct brake fluid shown on the cap).
• Use brake cleaner spray to remove any grease fingerprints on the rotor area (avoid overspray on paint).

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✅ After Repair

• Before driving, pump the brake pedal 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• With the engine running, confirm the pedal stays firm and doesn’t sink.
• Test at low speed first, then gradually increase speed.
• Bed-in (break-in) the pads: do 6–8 moderate stops from ~35 mph to 5 mph, with 30–60 seconds between stops to cool.
• Recheck for leaks, abnormal noises, and confirm the parking brake holds.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $220-$420 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $35-$90 (parts only)

You Save: $130-$330 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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