🔧 Elantra - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take the rear brake calipers off, swap the old pads for new ones, then compress the caliper pistons so everything fits back together. The only “gotcha” is that some rear calipers require the piston to be turned while pushing because the parking brake mechanism is built into the caliper.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and use jack stands; never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Chock the front wheels and release the parking brake before starting (rear pads won’t come off correctly if the parking brake is applied).
• ⚠️ Don’t let the caliper hang by the brake hose; support it with a hanger.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; wipe spills immediately.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum, pair)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" ratchet
• Breaker bar
• Torque wrench (10–150 ft-lbs range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper piston rewind tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner
• High-temp silicone brake grease
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

---

🔩 Required Parts

HowToo sells all the parts you need for this repair:

• Rear brake pad set - Qty: 1
• Rear brake pad hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• High-temp silicone brake grease - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1

---

📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, put the shifter in Park, and chock both front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully.
• Pop the hood and check the brake fluid level; if it’s at MAX, be ready for it to rise when you compress the pistons.
• Quick check: look at the rear caliper piston face. If you see two notches/slots, it’s a “turn-and-push” (rewind) style.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Confirm your rear piston type (important)

• Remove one rear wheel first (Steps 2–4 below), then look at the piston face.
• If the piston face has two notches/slots: you must use a brake caliper piston rewind tool (specialty) to turn while pushing.
• If the piston face is smooth (no notches): it typically pushes straight in (still go slowly).

Step 2: Loosen lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket and breaker bar to loosen the rear wheel lug nuts about 1/2 turn (do not remove yet).

Step 3: Lift and support the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear at the proper jack point.
• Set the car down onto jack stands and lightly shake the car to confirm it’s stable.

Step 4: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove the lug nuts with the 21mm socket and take the wheels off.

Step 5: Remove the rear caliper (slide pin bolts)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; just position yourself for access.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off and support it with a bungee cord so the hose is not stretched.

Step 6: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the old pads out of the bracket by hand; use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless pad clips (hardware) from the bracket.

Step 7: Clean the bracket and prep the pad contact points

• Spray the bracket with brake parts cleaner.
• Use a wire brush to clean the areas where the pad clips sit.
• Install the new hardware clips.
• Apply a thin film of high-temp silicone brake grease where the pad ears slide on the clips (do not get grease on the pad friction material or rotor).

Step 8: Compress (retract) the rear caliper piston

• Place one old pad against the piston face to protect it.
• If it’s the notched/slot piston type: use the brake caliper piston rewind tool (specialty) to turn the piston while pushing it in slowly.
• If it’s the smooth piston type: use the brake caliper piston rewind tool (specialty) to push it in slowly and straight.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir level as you compress; stop if it’s close to overflowing.

Step 9: Install the new pads

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket by hand (make sure they slide smoothly in the new clips).

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide pin bolts by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Tighten with a 14mm socket and torque wrench. A torque wrench tightens bolts to the correct tightness so you don’t strip or loosen them.
• Torque to 23–32 Nm (17–24 ft-lbs)

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear wheel

• Repeat Steps 5–10 on the other side.

Step 12: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Put the wheels back on and snug the lug nuts with the 21mm socket.
• Lower the car off the jack stands using the floor jack.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern with a torque wrench.
• Torque to 88–108 Nm (65–80 ft-lbs)

---

✅ After Repair

• Before driving, press the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm (this seats the pads against the rotors).
• Confirm the brake fluid level is between MIN and MAX and reinstall the reservoir cap.
• Test in a safe area at low speed first; verify normal stopping and no pulling or grinding.
• Pad break-in: make 6–10 smooth stops from ~50 km/h to ~10 km/h, then drive a few minutes to cool (avoid hard stops for the first 200 km).

---

💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: ₹6,000-₹14,000 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: ₹2,000-₹6,000 (parts only)

You Save: ₹4,000-₹8,000 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run ₹800-₹1,500/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.0-1.5 hours.

---

🎯 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.