🔧 Forester - Rear Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement

On your Forester, replacing the rear brake pads and rotors means removing the rear calipers and caliper brackets, swapping the rotors, then installing new pads and reassembling with correct torque. Because your Forester uses an Electronic Parking Brake (EPB), the rear calipers typically must be put into a “maintenance/service mode” before you can safely push the pistons back.

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

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• Work on flat, solid ground and chock the front wheels before lifting the rear.
• Support the Forester with jack stands before removing any wheels; never rely on a jack alone.
• Brake dust and cleaner are irritating—wear safety glasses and gloves.
• Do not press the brake pedal with a rear caliper removed.
• EPB caution: do not force/compress the rear pistons until the EPB is retracted via maintenance mode, or you can damage the EPB motor/gearbox.

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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) - Qty: 2
• Wheel chocks - Qty: 2
• 19mm socket
• Ratchet (3/8" drive)
• Breaker bar (1/2" drive)
• Torque wrench (10-200 Nm range)
• 14mm socket
• 17mm socket
• Flat trim/pry tool
• Bungee cord or mechanics wire
• Brake caliper piston compressor tool
• Brake pad spreader (specialty)
• Wire brush
• Micrometer or vernier caliper (specialty)
• Scan tool with Subaru EPB maintenance mode (specialty)
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves

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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 (abutment clips/shims) - Qty: 1
• Silicone brake lubricant (high-temp) - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner - Qty: 1
• Medium-strength threadlocker - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• Confirm the Forester has an EPB switch (button). If it does, plan on using EPB maintenance mode.
• Put the transmission in Park, keep the parking brake OFF, and chock the front wheels.
• Loosen rear lug nuts 1/2 turn before lifting (use a 19mm socket and breaker bar).
• Have your scan tool with Subaru EPB maintenance mode (specialty) ready—this is how you retract the EPB motors so the pistons can be pushed back safely. A scan tool is a device that talks to the car’s computers.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Put the EPB into maintenance/service mode

• Turn ignition ON (engine OFF) and ensure the EPB is released.
• Connect the scan tool with Subaru EPB maintenance mode (specialty) and run the EPB maintenance/retract function for the rear brakes.
• Wait until the scan tool confirms the EPB is fully retracted before touching the calipers.
• Stop if your scan tool can’t retract EPB.

Step 2: Lift the rear and remove both rear wheels

• Lift the rear at the approved lift points using a floor jack (rated 3-ton minimum), then place jack stands (rated 3-ton minimum) under solid support points.
• Remove the lug nuts using a 19mm socket and ratchet (3/8" drive), then remove both rear wheels.

Step 3: Remove the rear caliper (do not hang it by the hose)

• Locate the rear caliper slide pin bolts.
• Remove the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet (3/8" drive).
• Lift the caliper off the bracket and support it with a bungee cord or mechanics wire (do not let it hang from the brake hose).

Step 4: Remove the old pads and hardware

• Pull the inner and outer pads out by hand; use a flat trim/pry tool gently if they’re stuck.
• Remove the pad abutment clips from the bracket.
• Clean the bracket pad lands with brake cleaner and a wire brush.

Step 5: Remove the caliper bracket

• Remove the caliper bracket bolts using a 17mm socket and breaker bar (1/2" drive).
• Set the bracket aside.
• When reinstalling later: apply medium-strength threadlocker and Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs).

Step 6: Remove the rotor

• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If the rotor is stuck from rust, tap around the hat area (not the braking surface) using a controlled pry/rocking motion with a flat trim/pry tool.
• Clean the hub face with brake cleaner and a wire brush so the new rotor sits flat.

Step 7: Install the new rotor

• Spray shipping oil off the new rotor using brake cleaner.
• Install the rotor onto the hub.

Step 8: Compress the rear caliper piston (after EPB retract)

• With EPB already retracted (Step 1), compress the piston slowly using a brake caliper piston compressor tool.
• Go slowly and keep the tool square so you don’t cock the piston.
• If brake fluid rises close to the top of the reservoir, stop and remove a small amount (do not overflow).

Step 9: Reinstall the caliper bracket and install new hardware + pads

• Reinstall the bracket and tighten using a 17mm socket, then Torque to 65 Nm (48 ft-lbs) with a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range).
• Install the new abutment clips from the hardware kit.
• Apply a thin film of silicone brake lubricant (high-temp) to pad ears where they contact the clips (do not get lube on rotor/pad friction surfaces).
• Install the new inner and outer pads.
• If pads are tight, use a brake pad spreader (specialty) to help seat them evenly.

Step 10: Reinstall the caliper

• Slide the caliper over the new pads.
• Reinstall the slide pin bolts using a 14mm socket and ratchet (3/8" drive).
• Torque to 27 Nm (20 ft-lbs) using a torque wrench (10-200 Nm range).

Step 11: Reinstall wheels and lower the Forester

• Install wheels and hand-thread lug nuts.
• Lower the Forester and torque lug nuts in a star pattern using a 19mm socket and torque wrench (10-200 Nm range).
• Torque to 120 Nm (89 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Exit EPB maintenance mode and restore EPB function

• Use the scan tool with Subaru EPB maintenance mode (specialty) to run the EPB close/initialize function (wording varies by scan tool).
• Confirm the EPB applies and releases normally with the switch.

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✅ After Repair

• With the Forester still in Park, pump the brake pedal firmly 10-15 times until it feels normal (this seats the pistons against the pads).
• Check brake fluid level and top off only if needed.
• Do a slow test drive and verify: no grinding, no pulling, normal pedal feel, EPB holds and releases.
• Pad bedding (break-in): do several gentle stops from 30-40 mph and let brakes cool between stops.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $550-$950 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $180-$450 (parts only)

You Save: $370-$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.

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Quick check (2 questions so I can keep this 100% accurate):

• Does your Forester have an electronic parking brake switch (button), not a foot pedal?
• Do you already have access to a scan tool that can run Subaru EPB maintenance mode?