🔧 Prius - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear calipers, replace the brake pads, and swap the rotors. On your Prius, the parking brake is a small drum brake inside the rear rotor, so you may need to adjust it if the rotor is stuck or after installing new rotors.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-4 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the Prius with jack stands—never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Keep the car OFF and keep the smart key at least 15+ feet away so the hybrid system can’t wake up unexpectedly.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake before rotor removal (parking brake shoes are inside the rotor “hat”).

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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)
• Wheel chocks
• 21mm socket
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet
• Breaker bar
• Torque wrench (20-200 Nm range)
• C-clamp brake piston compressor
• Flathead screwdriver
• Needle-nose pliers
• Rubber mallet
• M8 x 1.25 bolts (2)
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• 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 brake rotors - Qty: 2
• Rear pad hardware/clip kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, shift to Park, and chock the front wheels.
• Release the parking brake fully (your parking brake shoes live inside the rear rotor).
• Open the hood and check the brake fluid level. Fluid may rise when compressing pistons.
• Loosen rear lug nuts slightly using a 21mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Lift the rear using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and support with jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove both rear wheels using a 21mm socket and ratchet.

Step 2: Remove the rear caliper (do not hang it by the hose)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; you can work straight on.
• Remove the two caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the pads and hang it from the suspension with a bungee cord. (A bungee cord supports the caliper so the brake hose doesn’t get damaged.)
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) on reassembly for the caliper slide pin bolts.

Step 3: Remove old pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out by hand. Use a flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the stainless pad clips/hardware from the bracket using a flathead screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad “lands” (where clips sit) using brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Remove the two caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket, breaker bar, and ratchet.
• Set the bracket aside.
• Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs) on reassembly for the caliper bracket bolts.

Step 5: Remove the rotor (and deal with a stuck rotor if needed)

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub by hand.
• If the rotor is stuck from rust, tap around the rotor hat with a rubber mallet.
• If it’s still stuck, thread two M8 x 1.25 bolts (2) into the rotor’s threaded “push-off” holes and tighten them evenly with a ratchet (using the correct socket/head for your bolts) until the rotor pops loose.
• If the rotor won’t come off and feels “held” by the parking brake, the parking brake shoes are too tight. Remove the rubber plug on the backing plate (if equipped) using a flathead screwdriver, then use a flathead screwdriver to turn the star wheel adjuster (a small toothed wheel that expands/contracts the parking brake shoes) to retract the shoes until the rotor slides off.

Step 6: Prep the hub and install the new rotor

• Clean rust from the hub face using a wire brush, then spray with brake cleaner spray.
• Install the new rotor onto the hub.
• Clean rotor oil off with brake cleaner.

Step 7: Adjust the parking brake shoes (inside the rotor)

• With the rotor installed, turn it by hand and listen/feel for scraping.
• If needed, access the star wheel adjuster through the backing plate hole using a flathead screwdriver and adjust until you get a very light drag, then back it off slightly so the rotor turns freely.
• This step prevents a stuck rotor now and weak parking brake later.

Step 8: Install new pad hardware and pads

• Install the new stainless pad clips into the bracket by hand.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) to the pad contact points on the clips (not on the friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston and reinstall the caliper

• Place an old pad against the piston face, then compress the piston slowly using a C-clamp brake piston compressor. (A C-clamp compressor presses the piston back into the caliper so thicker new pads fit.)
• Reinstall the caliper over the new pads.
• Install and tighten the caliper slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and torque wrench (20-200 Nm range). Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs).

Step 10: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Reinstall both rear wheels and hand-tighten lug nuts.
• Lower the Prius and torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 21mm socket and torque wrench (20-200 Nm range).
• Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• Press the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm. First pedal push may go to floor.
• Check brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 only if needed.
• Engage and release the parking brake to confirm it holds and releases normally.
• Road test at low speed first. Confirm no grinding, pulling, or vibration.
• Pad bedding (break-in): do 6-10 moderate stops from 30-35 mph to 5 mph, with short cool-down driving between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $450-$850 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $160-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $290-$500 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2-3 hours.

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🎯 Ready to get started?

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