🔧 Rear Brake Pads - Replacement

The rear brake pads on your CX-5 wear with normal use and should be replaced when the friction material gets thin, uneven, or starts making noise. Because your vehicle uses rear disc brakes with an electronic parking brake, you’ll need to retract the rear caliper properly before installing the new pads.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Support the vehicle securely with jack stands. Never work under a car held up only by a jack.
• Your CX-5 uses an electronic parking brake. Put it in service/maintenance mode before retracting the rear calipers.
• Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• Avoid breathing brake dust. Use brake cleaner and a damp rag, not compressed air.
• Let hot brakes cool before starting.

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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
• 19mm lug wrench or socket
• 14mm socket
• Ratchet
• Torque wrench
• C-clamp or disc brake piston tool
• Flat blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper hanger hook or wire
• Brake cleaner
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• 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
• Brake pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake grease - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground and set the transmission to Park.
• Chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Release the parking brake before entering service mode if instructed by the parking brake procedure.
• Put the electronic parking brake into maintenance mode before compressing the rear caliper piston.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Set up the vehicle

• Use the wheel chocks to block the front wheels.
• Break loose the rear lug nuts with the 19mm lug wrench or socket, but do not remove them yet.
• Lift the rear of the vehicle with the floor jack and support it on jack stands.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheel

• Finish removing the lug nuts with the 19mm lug wrench or socket.
• Remove the wheel and set it aside.

Step 3: Put the rear brakes in service mode

• Use the parking brake switch sequence to place the electronic parking brake into maintenance mode.
• Do not force the caliper piston before this step.
• If service mode is not available, a scan tool with EPB control is required.

Step 4: Remove the caliper

• Use the 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the rear caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a brake caliper hanger hook or wire.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose.

Step 5: Remove the old pads and hardware

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

Step 6: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Use the C-clamp or disc brake piston tool to slowly compress the piston fully.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing the piston.
• Go slow to avoid seal damage.

Step 7: Install the new pads and hardware

• Apply a thin layer of brake grease to the pad contact points and hardware only.
• Install the new pad clips and hardware.
• Install the new rear brake pads in the bracket.

Step 8: Reinstall the caliper

• Slide the caliper back over the new pads.
• Install the slide bolts with the 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 9: Reinstall the wheel

• Put the wheel back on and hand-tighten the lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle and torque the lug nuts with the torque wrench.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Exit service mode and test

• Take the electronic parking brake out of maintenance mode.
• Press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
• Apply and release the parking brake to confirm normal operation.

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✅ After Repair

• Check brake fluid level and top off if needed.
• Make sure both rear wheels spin freely when the parking brake is released.
• Test drive at low speed and confirm no grinding, pulling, or warning lights.
• For the first 200 miles, avoid hard stops so the pads can bed in properly.

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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 1.5-2.5 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.