🔧 IS - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll remove the rear wheels, swap the brake pads and rotors, then reassemble and bed-in the new brakes. This restores safe braking, reduces noise/vibration, and prevents metal-to-metal wear.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Support the car with jack stands before working underneath.
• ⚠️ Never press the brake pedal with a caliper removed.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ If your IS has an electronic parking brake (EPB), you must put it in service mode before compressing the pistons.
• ⚠️ Keep brake fluid off paint; wipe spills immediately.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required, but keep the key fob away from the car if using EPB service mode.

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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 lug nut socket
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• 10mm wrench
• Caliper piston compressor tool (specialty)
• Bungee cord
• Wire brush
• Small flathead screwdriver
• Rubber mallet
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses
• Scan tool with EPB service mode (Techstream-compatible) (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 (abutment clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Brake lubricant (silicone-based) - Qty: 1
• Brake fluid (DOT 3) - Qty: 1 quart

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, set the parking brake, and chock the front wheels.
• 🔧 Loosen the rear lug nuts 1/2 turn using a 21mm lug nut socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧰 If your IS has EPB: use your scan tool with EPB service mode to retract the rear parking brake motors before pushing pistons in. EPB service mode prevents motor damage.
• 🧪 Pop the hood and check the brake fluid level; if it’s near MAX, be ready to remove a little fluid (pistons going back in can overflow).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Assumption: This procedure includes EPB service mode. If your IS has a mechanical (cable/foot) parking brake and no EPB motors, skip the EPB scan-tool steps.

Step 1: Lift and secure the rear

• Chock the front wheels using wheel chocks.
• Lift the rear using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum) at the rear lift point.
• Set the car onto jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) at the rear support points.
• Remove both rear wheels using a 21mm lug nut socket and breaker bar.

Step 2: Put the EPB into service mode (if equipped)

• Connect your scan tool with EPB service mode (Techstream-compatible) (specialty).
• Command the rear EPB to retract/open for pad replacement (often labeled “Pad Replacement Mode” or “Maintenance Mode”).
• If it won’t retract, stop and recheck.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper

• Turn the steering wheel is not needed for the rear; just work with the caliper you can access.
• Remove the lower and upper caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a bungee cord so it doesn’t hang by the hose.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) for the caliper slide bolts during reassembly. Do not over-tighten slide bolts.

Step 4: Remove pads and hardware

• Pull the pads out of the bracket by hand; use a small flathead screwdriver gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad abutment clips (hardware) from the bracket using a small flathead screwdriver.
• Clean the bracket pad lands (where clips sit) using brake cleaner spray and a wire brush.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Remove the two bracket bolts using a 17mm socket, breaker bar, and/or ratchet.
• Set the bracket aside.
• Torque to 79 Nm (58 ft-lbs) for the bracket bolts during reassembly. These are usually tight—use steady force.

Step 6: Remove the old rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If it’s stuck from rust, spray brake cleaner spray around the hub/rotor hat and tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet until it frees up.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and wipe with shop towels. A clean hub helps prevent brake vibration.

Step 7: Install the new rotor

• Clean both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner spray and wipe with shop towels (this removes protective oil).
• Install the rotor onto the hub.
• To keep it from wobbling while you work, thread on one lug nut by hand (use the 21mm lug nut socket only to snug lightly).

Step 8: Reinstall the bracket and new hardware

• Reinstall the caliper bracket over the rotor using a 17mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 79 Nm (58 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.
• Install the new abutment clips from the rear brake hardware kit.
• Apply a thin film of brake lubricant (silicone-based) where the pad ears slide on the clips (not on pad friction material).

Step 9: Compress the caliper piston

• Remove the brake fluid reservoir cap under the hood (loosens pressure).
• Use a caliper piston compressor tool (specialty) to push the piston straight back into the caliper.
• A “caliper piston compressor” is a tool that presses the piston back evenly so the thicker new pads fit.
• Go slow and watch the fluid level.

Step 10: Install the new pads and caliper

• Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket.
• Lower the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the caliper slide bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet.
• Torque to 25 Nm (18 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench.

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

• Repeat Steps 3 through 10 on the opposite rear wheel.

Step 12: Re-enable EPB (if equipped) and reinstall wheels

• Use the scan tool with EPB service mode (Techstream-compatible) (specialty) to exit service mode and initialize/close the EPB.
• Reinstall wheels and hand-thread all lug nuts.
• Lower the car off jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) using the floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum).
• Torque to 103 Nm (76 ft-lbs) for lug nuts using a torque wrench in a star pattern.

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the car on the ground, pump the brake pedal 10-15 times until it feels firm.
• 🧪 Recheck brake fluid level and top off with DOT 3 only if needed.
• 🅿️ Apply/release the parking brake a few times and confirm it holds.
• 🚗 Test drive at low speed first; confirm no grinding, pulling, or warning lights.
• 🔥 Brake pad bed-in: make 6-10 moderate stops from ~30 mph to ~5 mph, with short cool-down rolls 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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