🔧 Impala - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll be removing the rear wheels, retracting the rear caliper piston, swapping the pads, and reassembling everything safely. On your Impala, the biggest “gotcha” is the parking brake system—if you have an electronic parking brake (EPB), it must be put into service mode before compressing the caliper.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface and use jack stands—never rely on a jack alone.
• ⚠️ If equipped with Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), retract it in service mode before pushing the piston in, or you can damage the caliper/EPB motor.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is hazardous—avoid blowing it with compressed air; use brake cleaner.
• ⚠️ Don’t let the caliper hang by the brake hose—support it with a hanger.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; it damages finishes fast.

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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) - Qty: 2
• Wheel chocks - Qty: 2
• Lug nut socket (21mm)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• Torque wrench (1/2" drive, 20-200 ft-lbs range)
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Socket set (metric, 8mm-18mm)
• Wrench set (metric, 10mm-18mm)
• C-clamp or disc brake piston compressor tool (specialty)
• OBD2 scan tool with GM EPB service mode (specialty)
• Flat trim tool or flathead screwdriver
• Brake parts cleaner
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord or mechanics wire
• 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 pad hardware/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and chock the front wheels.
• Confirm whether you have an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB) (a small switch/button, not a foot pedal). If you’re not sure, tell me what your parking brake control looks like.
• Pop the hood and check the brake fluid reservoir level; if it’s near “MAX,” be ready to remove a little fluid after piston retraction to prevent overflow.
• If equipped with EPB, plan to use a scan tool to command EPB Service Mode before compressing the piston. (A scan tool does the “retract the parking brake motor” step for you.)

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen rear wheel lug nuts

• Use a 21mm lug nut socket and breaker bar to crack the lug nuts loose about 1/4 turn while the car is on the ground.

Step 2: Raise and support the rear

• Use a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) to lift the rear at the proper jack point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Confirm stability with a gentle shake before crawling near the wheel area.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using the 21mm lug nut socket and ratchet or breaker bar.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 4: Put the parking brake system in service mode (if equipped)

• If you have EPB, connect an OBD2 scan tool with GM EPB service mode (specialty).
• Use the scan tool menu to run the EPB function: Chassis/Brake > Parking Brake > Service Mode (Retract) (wording varies by tool).
• If you can’t retract EPB, stop here. Forcing the piston can damage the EPB motor/caliper.

Step 5: Remove the rear caliper (slide) bolts

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; position yourself for access behind the caliper.
• Use a ratchet (3/8" drive) with the correct metric socket to remove the two caliper slide/guide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord or mechanics wire—do not let it hang by the hose.

Step 6: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the old inner and outer pads out by hand. If they’re stuck, use a flat trim tool or flathead screwdriver gently.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.

Step 7: Clean and prep the bracket

• Spray the bracket pad lands with brake parts cleaner.
• Use a wire brush to remove rust where the pad clips sit.
• Install the new hardware clips from the rear pad hardware/abutment clip kit.

Step 8: Check and lube the slide pins

• Pull the slide pins out (one at a time) and wipe them clean.
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (silicone-based) and reinstall the pins.
• Grease only the pins, not pad friction material.

Step 9: Retract (compress) the caliper piston

• Place an old pad against the piston face (to spread the force evenly).
• Use a C-clamp or disc brake piston compressor tool (specialty) to slowly push the piston fully back into the caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir as you compress; remove excess fluid if it starts to overflow.

Step 10: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket in the same orientation as the originals.
• If your pads include wear indicators, make sure they match the original placement for that wheel.

Step 11: Reinstall the caliper

• Set the caliper back over the new pads.
• Thread the slide/guide pin bolts in by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten with a ratchet (3/8" drive), then final-tighten with a torque wrench to the factory specification.

Step 12: Re-enable EPB (if equipped)

• Use the OBD2 scan tool with GM EPB service mode (specialty) to command: Parking Brake > Service Mode (Apply/Exit).
• Verify the EPB applies and releases normally after reassembly.

Step 13: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread the lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (1/2" drive): Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• With the engine off, press the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Start the engine and confirm the pedal feels normal and doesn’t sink.
• Test at low speed first: forward/reverse, gentle braking, then gradually increase.
• Follow a gentle break-in for the first 150-200 miles: avoid hard stops unless necessary.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

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

You Save: $110-$390 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?

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.