🔧 Fit - Rear Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement

This repair replaces the rear brake pads and rear brake rotors on your Fit. Rear disc brakes use a caliper to squeeze brake pads against the rotor, which slows the car down.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 2-3 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Work on level ground only, and support your Fit with jack stands before removing any wheel.
• ⚠️ Do not rely on a floor jack alone. A floor jack lifts the car; jack stands hold it safely.
• ⚠️ Release the parking brake before removing the rear calipers and rotors.
• ⚠️ Chock the front wheels because the rear wheels will be off the ground and the parking brake must be released.
• ⚠️ Brake dust can be harmful. Wear safety glasses and a dust mask, and use brake cleaner instead of compressed air.
• ⚠️ Do not let the caliper hang by the brake hose. Support it with a hook or bungee cord.
• ⚠️ Brake fluid can damage paint. Wipe spills immediately with water.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this rear brake job.

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🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• Floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum)
• Wheel chocks
• 19mm lug nut socket
• Ratchet wrench 3/8-inch drive
• 14mm socket
• 17mm wrench
• 17mm socket
• Breaker bar 1/2-inch drive
• Torque wrench 1/2-inch drive
• Torque wrench 3/8-inch drive
• Phillips #3 screwdriver
• Impact driver with Phillips #3 bit
• Rear brake caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty)
• Brake caliper hanger hook
• Flat-blade screwdriver 6-inch
• Wire brush
• Brake cleaner aerosol
• Shop rags
• Small drain pan
• Brake fluid tester or clean turkey baster
• Safety glasses
• Nitrile gloves
• Dust mask

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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 pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease - Qty: 1
• Brake parts lubricant - Qty: 1
• DOT 3 brake fluid - Qty: 1 bottle
• Brake cleaner aerosol - Qty: 1-2 cans

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📋 Before You Begin

• Park your Fit on a flat, solid surface.
• Shift the manual transmission into 1st gear.
• Place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• Release the parking brake fully before lifting the rear of the vehicle.
• Open the hood and locate the brake fluid reservoir. If it is very full, use a clean turkey baster to remove a small amount so it does not overflow when the caliper pistons are pushed back.
• A caliper piston is the round part inside the caliper that pushes the brake pad. On this Fit, the rear piston must be turned and pushed in at the same time.
• No infotainment menu, scan tool, electronic parking brake retraction, battery registration, or ADAS setup is required for this job.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Loosen the Rear Lug Nuts

• Use a 19mm lug nut socket and breaker bar 1/2-inch drive to loosen each rear lug nut about 1/2 turn.
• Do this while the tires are still touching the ground so the wheels do not spin.
• Tip: Loosen only, do not remove yet.

Step 2: Lift and Support the Rear of the Car

• Use the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) at the rear center jacking point or the correct rear side pinch weld jacking point.
• Place jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum) under the approved rear support points.
• Lower your Fit gently onto the jack stands.
• Give the car a light push by hand to confirm it is stable before working near the wheels.

Step 3: Remove the Rear Wheels

• Use the 19mm lug nut socket and ratchet wrench 3/8-inch drive to remove the loosened lug nuts.
• Remove both rear wheels and slide them under the side of the car as an added safety backup.

Step 4: Inspect the Brake Assembly

• Wear safety glasses, nitrile gloves, and a dust mask.
• Use brake cleaner aerosol and shop rags to clean loose dust from the caliper and bracket area.
• Look at how the pads, clips, and caliper are positioned before removing anything.
• Tip: Take a phone photo first.

Step 5: Remove the Rear Caliper

• Use a 14mm socket to remove the two rear caliper slide pin bolts.
• If the slide pin spins, hold it steady with a 17mm wrench while loosening the bolt with the 14mm socket.
• Lift the caliper off the pads.
• Use a brake caliper hanger hook to hang the caliper from the suspension spring or a solid suspension point.
• Do not twist, kink, or stretch the rubber brake hose.

Step 6: Remove the Old Brake Pads and Hardware

• Use your hands or a flat-blade screwdriver 6-inch to slide the old brake pads out of the caliper bracket.
• Use the flat-blade screwdriver 6-inch to remove the old pad clips from the caliper bracket.
• The pad clips are thin stainless pieces that let the pads slide smoothly in the bracket.
• Compare the old pads to the new rear brake pad set before throwing anything away.

Step 7: Remove the Caliper Bracket

• Use a 17mm socket and breaker bar 1/2-inch drive to remove the two rear caliper bracket bolts.
• Remove the caliper bracket from the knuckle.
• Set the bolts aside where they will stay clean.

Step 8: Remove the Rear Rotor

• Use an impact driver with Phillips #3 bit to remove the small rotor retaining screws, if installed.
• If the screws are not stuck, a Phillips #3 screwdriver may work, but the impact driver is safer because it prevents stripping.
• Pull the rotor straight off the hub.
• If the rotor is stuck from rust, tap around the rotor hat with controlled blows using a suitable dead-blow hammer if available.
• Do not hit the wheel studs.

Step 9: Clean the Hub Face

• Use a wire brush to clean rust from the flat hub face where the rotor sits.
• Use brake cleaner aerosol and shop rags to wipe the hub clean.
• This helps the new rotor sit flat and prevents brake vibration.
• Tip: Clean hub equals smooth brakes.

Step 10: Install the New Rear Rotor

• Use brake cleaner aerosol and shop rags to clean both braking surfaces of the new rear brake rotor.
• Slide the new rotor onto the hub.
• If rotor retaining screws are used, install them with a Phillips #3 screwdriver.
• Torque rotor retaining screws to 9 Nm (80 in-lbs).
• If screws are badly damaged, replace them rather than forcing them back in.

Step 11: Service the Caliper Bracket

• Use a wire brush to clean the pad contact areas on the caliper bracket.
• Install the new rear brake pad hardware kit clips by pressing them into the bracket by hand.
• Remove each slide pin by hand, wipe it clean with a shop rag, and inspect the rubber boots.
• Apply a thin coat of brake caliper slide pin grease to each slide pin.
• Reinstall the slide pins by hand and make sure they move smoothly.

Step 12: Reinstall the Caliper Bracket

• Place the caliper bracket back over the rotor.
• Start both bracket bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
• Use a 17mm socket and torque wrench 1/2-inch drive to tighten the bracket bolts.
• Torque caliper bracket bolts to 88 Nm (65 ft-lbs).

Step 13: Install the New Brake Pads

• Apply a very thin coat of brake parts lubricant to the pad ears where they touch the clips.
• Do not get lubricant on the pad friction material or rotor surface.
• Slide the new rear brake pad set into the caliper bracket.
• The pads should move smoothly by hand without forcing them.

Step 14: Retract the Rear Caliper Piston

• Use the rear brake caliper piston wind-back tool (specialty) to rotate and push the caliper piston fully into the caliper.
• A wind-back tool turns the piston while pressing it inward; this is needed because the parking brake mechanism is built into the rear caliper.
• Watch the brake fluid reservoir while compressing the piston. Use a clean turkey baster if fluid gets near the top.
• Align the piston slots so they match the locating pin or raised nub on the inner brake pad.
• Tip: Slow pressure prevents damage.

Step 15: Reinstall the Rear Caliper

• Place the caliper over the new pads.
• Start both slide pin bolts by hand.
• If the slide pin turns, hold it with a 17mm wrench.
• Use a 14mm socket and torque wrench 3/8-inch drive to tighten the slide pin bolts.
• Torque rear caliper slide pin bolts to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 16: Repeat on the Other Side

• Repeat Steps 4 through 15 on the opposite rear brake.
• Always replace rear brake pads and rotors in pairs so braking stays even.

Step 17: Reinstall the Rear Wheels

• Place each rear wheel back onto the hub.
• Install the lug nuts by hand first.
• Use the 19mm lug nut socket and ratchet wrench 3/8-inch drive to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.

Step 18: Lower the Car and Torque the Lug Nuts

• Use the floor jack (rated 2-ton minimum) to raise your Fit slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands (rated 2-ton minimum).
• Lower the car until the tires touch the ground.
• Use the 19mm lug nut socket and torque wrench 1/2-inch drive to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque wheel lug nuts to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).

Step 19: Pump the Brake Pedal

• Before moving the car, sit in the driver seat and press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
• This moves the caliper pistons back out against the new pads.
• If you skip this, the first brake pedal press may go very low.

Step 20: Check Brake Fluid Level

• Use safety glasses and check the brake fluid reservoir.
• Add DOT 3 brake fluid only if the level is below the MIN mark.
• Do not overfill above the MAX mark.
• Clean any spilled fluid with shop rags and water.

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ Start your Fit and press the brake pedal again. It should feel firm, not spongy.
• ✅ Reapply and release the parking brake several times to help the rear calipers settle.
• ✅ Test drive slowly in a safe area. Make several gentle stops from low speed first.
• ✅ Listen for scraping, grinding, clicking, or dragging noises.
• ✅ After the test drive, carefully check for heat or burning smell at either rear wheel.
• ✅ Recheck lug nut torque after the first short drive: Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs).
• ✅ Bed in the new pads with about 8-10 moderate stops from 30-35 mph, allowing short cooling time between stops. Avoid hard emergency stops for the first 200 miles unless needed for safety.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $350-$600 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $120-$250 (parts only)

You Save: $230-$350 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1.5-2.5 hours.

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