🔧 Passport - Rear Brake Pads & Rotor Replacement

You’ll be removing the rear calipers, swapping the rear pads, and replacing the rear rotors, then reassembling everything with the correct torque. On your Passport, the electronic parking brake (EPB) must be put into a service/maintenance mode so the rear calipers can move correctly and you don’t damage the EPB system.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2.5-4.0 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on a flat, solid surface and support your Passport with jack stands (never the jack alone).
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a rear caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Put the EPB into Maintenance Mode before compressing the rear caliper piston, or you can damage the EPB actuator.
• ⚠️ Brake dust is unhealthy—use brake cleaner, not compressed air.
• ⚠️ Keep grease and fingerprints off rotor friction surfaces; clean with brake cleaner.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required, but keep ignition steps controlled during 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
• 19mm socket
• 3/8" drive ratchet
• 1/2" drive breaker bar
• 12mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Torque wrench (20-150 ft-lbs range)
• Caliper piston compressor tool (specialty)
• Flat trim/pry tool
• Wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Impact driver for rotor screw (specialty)
• #3 Phillips bit
• Rubber mallet
• 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 Replace in pairs
• Rear brake pad hardware kit (clips) - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper grease (silicone) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 2 cans

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park on level ground, shift to P, and chock the front wheels.
• 🛞 Loosen rear lug nuts 1/2 turn with a 19mm socket and breaker bar before lifting.
• 🧠 Confirm the EPB Maintenance Mode method you’ll use:
  • If you have a scan tool that supports Honda EPB: use that method.
  • If you don’t: use the manual pedal/switch method below.
• 🧴 Pop the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. You may need to remove a little fluid if it’s at MAX (fluid rises when pistons are pushed back).

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Put the EPB into Maintenance Mode

• If using a scan tool: connect it and select the EPB service function (rear brake service/maintenance) and follow prompts. Use the scan tool (specialty) if you have one.
• If doing it manually (no scan tool): with your Passport on the ground, ignition ON (engine off), use the EPB switch and brake pedal to enter EPB maintenance mode per Honda procedure. Use the EPB switch and brake pedal.
• If the EPB won’t enter mode, stop here.

Step 2: Lift and secure the rear

• Use a floor jack to lift the rear and support with jack stands.
• Remove both rear wheels using a 19mm socket.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper (one side)

• Turn the steering wheel straight and locate the rear caliper.
• Remove the caliper slide pin bolts using a 12mm socket and ratchet.
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and hang it with a bungee cord. Do not let it hang by the brake hose.

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull out the brake pads from the bracket by hand or use a flat trim/pry tool carefully.
• Remove the pad clips/hardware from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad contact areas with a wire brush and brake cleaner spray.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and breaker bar.
• Set the bracket aside.
• During reassembly: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Remove the rotor

• If your rotor has a retaining screw, remove it using an impact driver for rotor screw (specialty) with a #3 Phillips bit.
• Pull the rotor off. If it’s stuck, tap the rotor hat with a rubber mallet.
• Clean the hub face with a wire brush and finish with brake cleaner spray so the new rotor sits flat.

Step 7: Install the new rotor

• Spray both sides of the new rotor with brake cleaner spray and wipe clean.
• Install the rotor onto the hub. If it uses a retaining screw, reinstall it using the impact driver and #3 Phillips bit.

Step 8: Compress the rear caliper piston

• Confirm EPB is still in Maintenance Mode.
• Use a caliper piston compressor tool (specialty) to slowly push the piston straight back into the caliper.
• Go slow to avoid overflowing the reservoir.

Step 9: Reinstall bracket, hardware, and new pads

• Reinstall the caliper bracket using a 17mm socket and ratchet, then torque wrench.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).
• Install the new pad clips/hardware into the bracket.
• Apply a thin film of brake caliper grease where pads slide on the clips (not on rotor/pad friction material).
• Install the new pads into the bracket.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Slide the caliper over the new pads.
• Install the slide pin bolts using a 12mm socket.
• Torque to 34 Nm (25 ft-lbs).

Step 11: Repeat on the other rear side

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

Step 12: Reinstall wheels

• Reinstall both rear wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower your Passport and torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a torque wrench.
• Torque to 127 Nm (94 ft-lbs).

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✅ After Repair

• 🦶 With the engine off, pump the brake pedal slowly until it feels firm (this seats the pistons against the pads).
• 🧠 Exit EPB Maintenance Mode (use your scan tool procedure, or the manual EPB switch/pedal procedure to return to normal mode).
• 🧴 Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed (use the correct Honda-specified DOT brake fluid for your Passport).
• 🔍 Test the EPB applies/releases normally and confirm no brake warning lights.
• 🛣️ Bed-in (break-in) the pads: do several moderate stops from city speeds, letting brakes cool briefly between stops. Avoid hard panic stops for the first 200 miles.
• 👂 Listen for scraping/grinding; recheck your work if you hear anything abnormal.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $650-$1,050 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $220-$480 (parts only)

You Save: $430-$570 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.