🔧 Traverse - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads restores safe stopping and prevents rotor damage when pads get thin. On your Traverse, the key detail is the parking brake system—many are equipped with an electronic parking brake (EPB) that must be put into service mode before you push the caliper piston back.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Work on level ground and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• 🧯 Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed (the piston can pop out).
• 🔥 Brakes get hot—let everything cool before touching.
• ⚡ If your Traverse has an electronic parking brake (EPB), do not force the piston back until EPB is in service mode, or you can damage the caliper.
• 🧍 Use jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.

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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, pair)
• Wheel chocks
• Lug wrench or 22mm socket
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 1/2" drive torque wrench (50-200 ft-lbs range)
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 3/8" drive torque wrench (10-80 ft-lbs range)
• Socket set (10mm-21mm)
• 13mm socket
• 18mm socket
• Flathead screwdriver
• Brake caliper piston compression tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord or mechanics wire
• Wire brush
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Scan tool with EPB service mode capability (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 pad hardware/abutment clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🧭 Park on level ground, shift to P, and keep the steering straight.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• 🛞 Break loose the rear lug nuts about 1/4 turn using a 22mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• ⚡ Check your parking brake type: do you have an EPB switch button (not a foot pedal)? If yes, you should use EPB service mode before compressing the piston.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Lift the rear at the approved rear lift point using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum, pair) and lightly shake the vehicle to confirm it’s stable.

Step 2: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts using a 22mm socket and 1/2" drive breaker bar.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 3: Put the parking brake into the correct mode (EPB-equipped vehicles)

• If your Traverse has an EPB, use a scan tool with EPB service mode capability (specialty) to command Rear Brake Pad Service Mode.
• Service mode retracts the EPB mechanism.
• If you do not have a scan tool, stop here and tell me whether you see an EPB motor on the rear caliper (a small electric motor/connector on the caliper). I’ll give you the correct safe path for your exact setup.

Step 4: Access the caliper and inspect

• Turn the rear hub by hand and visually inspect pad thickness through the caliper window.
• Spray the caliper/bracket area with brake cleaner (keep it off painted surfaces as much as possible).

Step 5: Remove the caliper guide pin bolts

• Remove the two caliper guide pin bolts using a 13mm socket and 3/8" drive ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord or mechanics wire so it does not hang by the brake hose.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs) during reassembly.
• “Caliper” clamps the pads on the rotor.

Step 6: Remove old pads and hardware

• Slide the old pads out of the bracket by hand (use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck).
• Remove the old pad abutment clips (hardware) from the bracket.

Step 7: Compress the caliper piston

• Before compressing, open the brake fluid reservoir cap under the hood (do not remove fluid yet).
• Slowly push the piston in using a brake caliper piston compression tool (specialty) until it bottoms out smoothly.
• If the piston will not move with steady pressure, stop—this often means the EPB is not in service mode or the caliper is seized.
• Go slow to avoid overflow.

Step 8: Clean and install new hardware

• Clean the pad “lands” (where the clips sit) using a wire brush.
• Install the new abutment clips from the hardware kit into the bracket by hand.

Step 9: Install new pads (and grease correctly)

• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone-based) to pad ears where they contact the hardware clips.
• If your new pads include new wear indicators or shims, install them as supplied with the pad set.
• Slide the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand.
• Do not get grease on pad friction material.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the guide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading, then tighten using a 13mm socket and 3/8" drive torque wrench.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 4 through 10 on the opposite rear wheel.
• Replace rear pads as an axle set (both sides) to keep braking even.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall the wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle off the jack stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a 1/2" drive torque wrench (50-200 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 140 Nm (103 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 Pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• 🧪 Check brake fluid level in the reservoir and top off only if needed (use the correct DOT brake fluid shown on the reservoir cap).
• ⚡ If EPB-equipped, use the scan tool with EPB service mode capability (specialty) to exit service mode, then apply/release the parking brake a few times.
• 🚗 Do a careful test drive: slow stops first, then normal stops. Listen for grinding or pulling.
• 🛑 Bed-in (break-in) pads: make 8-10 smooth stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, allowing short cool-down between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$650 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $60-$160 (parts only)

You Save: $190-$590 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.