🔧 Seltos - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take the rear calipers off, swap the old pads for new ones, then reassemble and pump the brake pedal to restore normal pedal feel. The key is handling the rear caliper piston correctly—especially if your Seltos has an electronic parking brake (EPB).

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• 🛑 Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack—use jack stands.
• 🧱 Chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• 🔥 Brakes can be hot; let them cool before touching.
• 🧪 Brake fluid damages paint—wipe spills immediately.
• ⚡ If your Seltos has an electronic parking brake (EPB), you must put it in service/maintenance mode (or retract it with a scan tool) before pushing the piston in.

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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
• 21mm socket
• 3/8" ratchet
• 1/2" breaker bar
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (20–150 ft-lbs range)
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper piston compressor tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Brake parts cleaner spray
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Scan tool with EPB service function (specialty)

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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 (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to P, and turn the ignition OFF.
• Chock both front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Check your rear parking brake type:
  • If you have an EPB switch (a button/switch), plan to retract EPB before compressing the piston.
  • If you have a manual parking brake lever/pedal, make sure it is fully released before starting.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir; keep the cap loosely set on top (don’t remove it completely).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the rear wheel lug nuts

• Use a 21mm socket with a 1/2" breaker bar to crack the lug nuts loose 1/4 turn while the tires are still on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear

• Lift the rear using a floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) at the proper rear jacking point.
• Set the vehicle onto jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Shake the vehicle lightly to confirm it’s stable before you remove wheels.

Step 3: Remove the rear wheels

• Remove lug nuts with a 21mm socket and 3/8" ratchet.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them aside.

Step 4: If equipped, retract the Electronic Parking Brake (EPB)

• If your Seltos has an EPB switch, connect a scan tool with EPB service function (specialty).
• Use the scan tool’s EPB maintenance/service mode to retract the rear caliper motors.
• If you’re unsure, stop here and ask.

Step 5: Remove the rear caliper from the bracket

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for rear; position yourself for access.
• Use a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it from the suspension using a bungee cord.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the rubber brake hose.

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 old pad clips/hardware from the bracket (if replacing) using a flat-blade screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad “lands” (where the pad ears slide) using a wire brush and brake parts cleaner spray.

Step 7: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Before compressing, check brake fluid level at the reservoir (it may rise).
• Use a brake caliper piston compressor tool (specialty) to slowly push the piston back into the caliper.
• If the piston will not compress smoothly, stop—this can happen if the EPB is not retracted or the caliper is seized.

Step 8: Install new hardware and new pads

• Install the new pad clips from the hardware kit into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of silicone brake lubricant where the pad ears contact the clips.
• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• Keep grease off pad friction material.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and 3/8" ratchet.
• Tighten with a torque wrench: Torque to 28–32 Nm (21–24 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 5–9 for the other rear wheel.

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the vehicle 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).

Step 12: Restore pedal feel and reactivate EPB (if equipped)

• With the vehicle still parked, press the brake pedal slowly 10–15 times until it feels firm.
• If equipped with EPB, use the scan tool with EPB service function (specialty) to exit maintenance mode.
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.

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✅ After Repair

• Start the vehicle and confirm the brake pedal stays firm.
• Test at low speed first; verify normal stopping and no grinding noises.
• Check for any brake warning lights (especially EPB).
• Pad break-in: make 6–10 moderate stops from ~30 mph to 5 mph, with cool-down between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

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

You Save: $90-$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?

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