🔧 Civic - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads on your Civic means removing the rear wheels, retracting the electric parking brake motors, removing the calipers, and installing new pads and hardware. Your Civic uses an electronic parking brake, so the rear calipers must be placed into maintenance mode before the pads are replaced.

Difficulty Level: Intermediate | Estimated Time: 1.5-2.5 hours

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⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Your Civic has an electronic parking brake, also called EPB. Do not force the rear caliper piston back unless the EPB motor has been retracted first.
• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the car with jack stands. Never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Brake dust can irritate your lungs and skin. Wear safety glasses, gloves, and avoid blowing dust with compressed air.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while the caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not normally required, but keep the ignition off until instructed during EPB service mode steps.

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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 handle 3/8-inch drive
• Torque wrench 1/2-inch drive
• 12mm socket
• 17mm open-end wrench
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Rear brake caliper piston compressor (specialty)
• Brake cleaner spray
• Small wire brush
• Bungee cord or mechanic’s wire
• 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 pad hardware kit - Qty: 1
• Brake caliper slide pin grease - Qty: 1
• Brake cleaner spray - Qty: 1

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📋 Before You Begin

• 🚗 Park your Civic on level ground.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks in front of the front tires.
• 🔓 Release the parking brake before starting the rear brake job.
• 📌 EPB means electronic parking brake. It uses small electric motors on the rear calipers instead of a handbrake cable.
• 🔧 A scan tool is the safest method to retract the EPB. If a compatible scan tool is available, use EPB Maintenance Mode / Rear Brake Pad Replacement Mode.
• 📌 If you do not have a scan tool, your Civic supports a manual EPB maintenance sequence using the parking brake switch and ignition button.

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🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Enter EPB Maintenance Mode

• Use the vehicle’s ignition button and parking brake switch. Do not touch the brake pedal unless told.
• Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine.
• Release the parking brake using the EPB switch.
• Turn the ignition OFF.
• Within 5 seconds, pull up and hold the EPB switch, then turn the ignition ON.
• Continue holding the EPB switch until you hear the rear motors operate, then release the switch.
• Turn the ignition OFF.
• Push down and hold the EPB switch, then turn the ignition ON.
• Continue holding the switch until the rear EPB motors fully retract and the brake warning lights appear.
• Turn the ignition OFF.
• Listen for both rear motors.

Step 2: Loosen the Rear Lug Nuts

• Use a 19mm lug nut socket and 1/2-inch drive breaker bar or torque wrench to loosen each rear lug nut about half a turn.
• Do this while the tires are still touching the ground.

Step 3: Raise and Support the Rear of the Car

• Use a floor jack rated 2-ton minimum at the approved rear lift point.
• Place jack stands rated 2-ton minimum under the rear side support points.
• Gently lower your Civic onto the jack stands.
• Give the car a light shake to confirm it is stable.

Step 4: Remove the Rear Wheels

• Use the 19mm lug nut socket to remove the loosened lug nuts.
• Remove both rear wheels and place them flat under the car as an extra safety backup.

Step 5: Remove the Rear Caliper Lower Bolt

• Look at the back side of the rear brake caliper.
• Use a 12mm socket to remove the lower caliper slide bolt.
• If the slide pin spins, hold it with a 17mm open-end wrench while loosening the bolt.
• A slide pin is the smooth pin that lets the caliper move side-to-side as the pads wear.

Step 6: Swing the Caliper Up

• Use your hand to swing the caliper upward off the brake pads.
• If it sticks, gently use a flat-blade screwdriver to help pry it upward.
• Support the caliper with a bungee cord or mechanic’s wire.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the rubber brake hose.

Step 7: Remove the Old Brake Pads and Hardware

• Use your hands to slide the old inner and outer brake pads out of the bracket.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to remove the old stainless pad clips from the caliper bracket.
• Pad clips are thin metal guides that help the brake pads slide smoothly.
• Compare the old pads to the new pads before throwing anything away.

Step 8: Clean the Caliper Bracket

• Use brake cleaner spray on the pad contact areas of the bracket.
• Use a small wire brush to remove rust and dirt where the pad clips sit.
• Let the bracket dry fully before installing the new hardware.
• Clean surfaces prevent brake noise.

Step 9: Install New Pad Hardware

• Press the new pad clips from the rear brake pad hardware kit into the caliper bracket by hand.
• Make sure each clip sits flat and fully snapped into place.
• Apply a light film of brake caliper slide pin grease only to the pad ears where they touch the clips.
• Do not get grease on the brake pad friction material or rotor face.

Step 10: Compress the Rear Caliper Piston

• Use the rear brake caliper piston compressor to slowly press the piston straight back into the caliper bore.
• The piston is the round metal part inside the caliper that pushes the pad against the rotor.
• Because the EPB was retracted first, the piston should push in smoothly.
• If the piston will not move, stop and recheck EPB maintenance mode.

Step 11: Install the New Rear Brake Pads

• Slide the new inner and outer pads into the caliper bracket by hand.
• Make sure the friction material faces the rotor.
• The pads should move easily in the clips without binding.

Step 12: Reinstall the Rear Caliper

• Swing the caliper down over the new pads by hand.
• Install the lower caliper slide bolt by hand first to avoid cross-threading.
• Use the 12mm socket and hold the slide pin with the 17mm open-end wrench if needed.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 13: Repeat on the Other Rear Side

• Use the same 12mm socket, 17mm open-end wrench, flat-blade screwdriver, and rear brake caliper piston compressor on the opposite rear brake.
• Always replace rear brake pads in pairs.

Step 14: Reinstall the Rear Wheels

• Place each rear wheel back onto the hub by hand.
• Install the lug nuts by hand first.
• Use the 19mm lug nut socket to snug the lug nuts in a star pattern.

Step 15: Lower the Car and Torque the Lug Nuts

• Use the floor jack rated 2-ton minimum to lift the car slightly off the jack stands.
• Remove the jack stands rated 2-ton minimum.
• Lower your Civic fully to the ground.
• Use a torque wrench 1/2-inch drive with the 19mm lug nut socket.
• Torque to 108 Nm (80 ft-lbs) in a star pattern.

Step 16: Exit EPB Maintenance Mode

• Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine.
• Pull up and hold the EPB switch until the parking brake applies.
• Release the switch, then press the brake pedal firmly several times until it feels normal.
• Apply and release the parking brake 2-3 times using the EPB switch.
• Make sure the EPB warning light turns off after cycling.

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✅ After Repair

• ✅ Before driving, press the brake pedal several times until it feels firm.
• ✅ Check that the parking brake applies and releases normally.
• ✅ Look behind both rear wheels for brake fluid leaks.
• ✅ Take a slow test drive in a safe area and confirm the brakes stop smoothly.
• ✅ Bed in the new pads by making several gentle stops from moderate speed, allowing the brakes to cool between stops.
• ✅ Avoid hard braking for the first 100-200 miles unless needed for safety.

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💰 DIY vs Shop Cost

Shop Cost: $250-$450 (parts + labor)

DIY Cost: $45-$120 (parts only)

You Save: $130-$330 by doing it yourself!

Shop labor rates vary but typically run $100-$150/hour. This repair takes a shop approximately 1-1.5 hours.

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