🔧 Optima - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, take off the rear calipers, replace the pads and rotors, then reassemble and bed-in the brakes. Doing this correctly prevents noise, vibration, and uneven braking.

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

Assumption: Torque specs listed match common Optima rear brake hardware; if your fasteners differ, use the spec for your exact rear caliper/bracket.

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car on jack stands before removing wheels.
• ⚠️ Hybrid safety: keep the car OFF, key/fob away, and do not work near orange high-voltage cables.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal with a caliper removed (it can pop the piston out).
• ⚠️ If your Optima has an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), it must be put in service mode before pushing pistons back.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is harmful—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.

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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 3/8" drive (10-100 ft-lbs range)
• Torque wrench 1/2" drive (50-150 ft-lbs range)
• Ratchet 3/8" drive
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Bungee cord
• Brake piston rewind tool kit (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Micrometer or vernier caliper (specialty)
• Rubber mallet
• Phillips screwdriver #2
• Brake cleaner spray
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• OBD2 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 - Replace in pairs - Qty: 2
• Rear brake hardware kit (clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease (high-temp silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake parts cleaner - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3 or DOT 4) - Qty: 1 quart

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the front wheels.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. Leave the cap sitting loose (don’t remove it fully). This helps fluid return when you compress pistons.
• If equipped with EPB: use your OBD2 scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) to retract the rear parking brake motors before touching the calipers. A scan tool puts the EPB in “service mode,” which safely backs the motors off.
• Break the rear lug nuts loose 1/2 turn before lifting the car.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Use wheel chocks at the front tires.
• Use a breaker bar 1/2" with a 19mm socket to loosen rear lug nuts.
• Lift the rear with a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) and support with jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Remove the wheels using a 19mm socket.

Step 2: Remove the rear caliper

• Turn the steering wheel straight (rear work is easier with the car stable).
• Locate the two caliper slide bolts (usually the smaller bolts on the back of the caliper).
• Use a 14mm socket and ratchet 3/8" drive to remove the caliper slide bolts.
• Lift the caliper off and hang it from the suspension with a bungee cord. Never let it hang by the hose.

Step 3: Remove the pads and hardware

• Remove the old pads by hand (use a flat-blade screwdriver gently if stuck).
• Remove the pad clips/abutment hardware from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad “tracks” with brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 4: Remove the caliper bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar 1/2" to remove the two caliper bracket bolts.
• Set the bracket aside.
• On reassembly: Torque to 98-118 Nm (72-87 ft-lbs).

Step 5: Remove the old rotor

• If your rotor has a retaining screw, remove it with a Phillips screwdriver #2.
• Pull the rotor off the hub. If it’s stuck, tap the hat (center area) with a rubber mallet while spraying brake cleaner spray around the hub/rotor seam.
• Clean the hub face using brake cleaner spray and a wire brush. A clean hub helps prevent brake shake.

Step 6: Install the new rotor

• Clean both faces of the new rotor with brake cleaner spray (new rotors ship with protective oil).
• Install the rotor onto the hub. If it uses a retaining screw, reinstall it using a Phillips screwdriver #2.

Step 7: Service the slide pins (important for even wear)

• Pull the caliper slide pins out of the bracket by hand.
• Wipe them clean and apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease (high-temp silicone).
• Reinstall the pins and make sure they move smoothly.

Step 8: Compress (retract) the rear caliper piston

• Rear calipers often require a “push-and-turn” retraction because the parking brake mechanism is inside the piston.
• Use a brake piston rewind tool kit (specialty) to rotate and press the piston back in slowly until it bottoms out.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing; if it gets too full, remove a little fluid (do not overflow).
• If equipped with EPB: do not force the piston without EPB service mode active.

Step 9: Install new hardware and pads

• Install the new pad clips from the rear brake hardware kit (clips/shims) onto the bracket.
• Install the new pads into the bracket. Make sure they slide freely in the clips.

Step 10: Reinstall bracket and caliper

• Reinstall the caliper bracket using a 17mm socket and ratchet 3/8" drive.
• Torque to 98-118 Nm (72-87 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench 1/2" drive (50-150 ft-lbs range).
• Set the caliper over the new pads and install the slide bolts using a 14mm socket.
• Torque to 22-32 Nm (16-24 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench 3/8" drive (10-100 ft-lbs range).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels

• Put the wheels back on and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the car enough that the tires touch the ground and won’t spin.
• Tighten lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench 1/2" drive (50-150 ft-lbs range).
• Torque to 88-108 Nm (65-80 ft-lbs).

Step 12: If equipped with EPB, exit service mode

• Use the OBD2 scan tool with EPB service mode (specialty) to close/apply the EPB and exit service mode.

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✅ After Repair

• With the car still in Park, press the brake pedal slowly 10-15 times until it feels firm. This seats the pads against the rotors.
• Check the brake fluid level and top off with brake fluid (DOT 3 or DOT 4) if needed.
• Test at low speed first. Confirm no grinding, pulling, or warning lights.
• Bed-in the pads: make 6-10 moderate stops from 30 mph down to 5 mph, with cooling time between stops. Avoid hard stops for 200 miles.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

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

DIY Cost: $180-$420 (parts only)

You Save: $270-$430 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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