🔧 Legacy - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

On your Legacy, rear brake pads wear down over time, and rotors can get grooved or warped. Replacing pads and rotors together restores braking power and helps prevent noise and vibration.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2.0-3.5 hours

Assumption: your Legacy uses an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB).

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground; support the car with jack stands (never the jack alone).
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a caliper is off the rotor.
• ⚠️ EPB warning: the rear calipers may have an electric motor—you must retract/disable the EPB before compressing the piston or you can damage the caliper.
• ⚠️ Avoid breathing brake dust; use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; it can damage the finish.

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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
• 19mm socket
• Breaker bar (1/2")
• Torque wrench (1/2")
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" or 1/2")
• Needle-nose pliers
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Brake piston compression tool
• Wire brush
• Rubber mallet
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Scan tool with EPB service mode (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 rotors - Qty: 2
• Rear brake hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 (small bottle for top-off)

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the transmission to Park, and chock the front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Release the parking brake (EPB) before lifting the car.
• Open the hood and check the brake fluid level; plan for it to rise when pistons are pushed back.
• Prepare EPB service mode: you’ll use a scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) to retract the rear parking brake motors.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen wheel lug nuts

• Use a 19mm socket with a breaker bar (1/2") to loosen the rear lug nuts about 1 turn while the car is on the ground.

Step 2: Lift and support the rear

• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the approved rear jacking point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under safe support points.
• Remove the wheels using the 19mm socket.

Step 3: Put the EPB into service (maintenance) mode

• Connect the scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) and run the EPB “Pad Replacement/Service Mode” function to retract the parking brake motors.
• This backs the motor off the piston safely.
• If you cannot place the EPB into service mode, stop here—forcing the piston can damage the caliper.

Step 4: Remove the rear caliper (pads stay in caliper bracket)

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed; you’re working in the rear.
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet to remove the two caliper slide pin bolts.
• Lift the caliper off the rotor and hang it using a brake caliper hanger hook.
• Never let the caliper hang by the hose.

Step 5: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Remove the pads from the bracket by hand or with a flat-blade screwdriver (gentle pry if stuck).
• Remove pad clips/hardware (if equipped) using needle-nose pliers.
• Clean the bracket pad “rails” (where clips sit) using a wire brush and brake cleaner spray.

Step 6: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket with a breaker bar (1/2") to remove the caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the bracket and set it aside.
• Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs) during reassembly.

Step 7: Remove the rotor

• If the rotor is stuck, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet to break rust loose.
• Remove the rotor from the hub.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and brake cleaner spray so the new rotor sits flat.

Step 8: Install the new rotor

• Spray the new rotor with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels to remove packing oil.
• Install the rotor onto the hub.

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper bracket and hardware

• Reinstall the bracket using the 17mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench (1/2").
• Install new pad clips/hardware (recommended) from the hardware kit.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease (silicone) where the pad ears contact the clips.

Step 10: Compress the caliper piston

• Before compressing, confirm EPB service mode was completed (rear motors retracted).
• Use a brake piston compression tool to slowly push the piston straight back into the caliper.
• Check the brake fluid reservoir under the hood while compressing; don’t let it overflow.

Step 11: Install the new pads and reinstall the caliper

• Install the new pads into the bracket.
• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench (1/2").

Step 12: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 3 through 11 on the other rear wheel.
• Always replace pads/rotors in pairs.

Step 13: Exit EPB service mode

• Use the scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) to exit service mode and re-apply/recalibrate the EPB as prompted.

Step 14: Reinstall wheels and torque lug nuts

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car off the stands using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench (1/2"): Torque to 120 Nm (89 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 and top off with DOT 3 brake fluid if needed.
• Test the EPB: apply/release it a few times while parked.
• Do a careful test drive: start with low-speed stops and listen for unusual grinding or pulling.
• Pad bedding (break-in): make 6–10 smooth stops from ~30 mph down to ~5 mph with light-to-medium pressure; allow a little cooling between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $180-$350 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$500 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 2.0-3.0 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.