🔧 Escape - Rear Brake Pad Replacement

Replacing the rear brake pads on your Escape means removing the rear wheels, retracting the electronic parking brake, swapping the worn pads, and reinstalling everything correctly. Your Escape uses an electronic parking brake, so the rear calipers must be placed into service mode before the pads are removed.

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

---

⚠️ Safety & Precautions

• ⚠️ Your Escape has an electronic parking brake, also called EPB, which is a motorized parking brake built into the rear caliper.
• ⚠️ Do not force the rear caliper pistons back without putting the EPB into service mode first, or the caliper motor can be damaged.
• ⚠️ Work on level ground and support the Escape with jack stands. Never rely on a floor jack alone.
• ⚠️ Wear safety glasses and gloves. Brake dust and brake cleaner can irritate skin and eyes.
• ⚠️ Do not press the brake pedal while a rear caliper is removed.
• ⚠️ Battery disconnect is not required for this brake pad replacement.

---

🔧 Required Tools

You'll need the following tools for this repair:

• 19mm lug nut socket
• 13mm socket
• 15mm wrench
• 3/8-inch ratchet
• Torque wrench rated 20-150 ft-lbs
• Floor jack rated 3-ton minimum
• Jack stands rated 3-ton minimum
• Wheel chocks
• Brake caliper piston compression tool
• Flat-blade screwdriver
• Small wire brush
• Bungee cord
• Brake cleaner spray
• Shop towels
• Nitrile gloves
• Safety glasses

---

🔩 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 lubricant - Qty: 1
• Rear brake rotors - Replace in pairs if worn, grooved, rust-damaged, or below minimum thickness - Qty: 2

---

📋 Before You Begin

• 🅿️ Park your Escape on level ground.
• 🧱 Place wheel chocks in front of both front tires.
• 🔓 Make sure the electronic parking brake is released before starting.
• 🧰 A caliper is the part that squeezes the brake pads against the rotor to stop the vehicle.
• 🧰 A rotor is the round metal disc behind the wheel that the brake pads clamp onto.
• 🧰 Brake hardware means the small metal clips that hold the pads in place and let them slide smoothly.

---

🔨 Step-by-Step Instructions

Follow these steps in order:

Step 1: Put the Rear Brakes Into Service Mode

• Sit in the driver seat with the doors closed.
• Use your foot to press and hold the accelerator pedal fully down.
• Use your hand to press and hold the electronic parking brake switch downward in the release position.
• Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine.
• Keep holding the accelerator pedal and EPB switch until the rear parking brake motors finish retracting.
• The instrument cluster should show a parking brake service mode message.
• Turn the ignition OFF, then release the pedal and switch.
• Listen for both rear motors.

Step 2: Loosen the Rear Lug Nuts

• Use a 19mm lug nut socket and 3/8-inch ratchet to loosen each rear lug nut about half a turn.
• Do this while the tires are still touching the ground.
• Do not remove the lug nuts yet.

Step 3: Raise and Support the Rear of the Escape

• Use a floor jack rated 3-ton minimum at the correct rear jacking point to lift the Escape.
• Place jack stands rated 3-ton minimum under the rear support points.
• Slowly lower the Escape onto the jack stands.
• Gently shake the vehicle to confirm it is stable before working underneath or near the wheels.

Step 4: Remove the Rear Wheels

• Use the 19mm lug nut socket and 3/8-inch ratchet to remove the rear lug nuts.
• Remove both rear wheels and set them flat on the ground.
• Keep the lug nuts together so they do not get lost.

Step 5: Remove the Rear Caliper Guide Pin Bolts

• Start on one side of the Escape.
• Use a 15mm wrench to hold the caliper guide pin steady.
• Use a 13mm socket and 3/8-inch ratchet to remove the upper and lower caliper guide pin bolts.
• The guide pins are smooth sliding pins that let the caliper move evenly as the pads wear.

Step 6: Lift the Caliper Off the Pads

• Use a flat-blade screwdriver gently between the caliper and pad if the caliper is tight.
• Slide the caliper off the brake pads.
• Use a bungee cord to hang the caliper from the suspension.
• Do not let the caliper hang by the rubber brake hose.

Step 7: Remove the Old Brake Pads and Hardware

• Pull the old inner and outer brake pads out of the caliper bracket by hand.
• Use a flat-blade screwdriver to carefully remove the old metal pad clips from the bracket.
• Use a small wire brush to clean the bracket where the clips sit.
• Use brake cleaner spray and shop towels to clean away dust and grime.

Step 8: Compress the Rear Caliper Piston

• Use a brake caliper piston compression tool to slowly push the caliper piston straight back into the caliper bore.
• The piston is the round metal piece inside the caliper that pushes the brake pad.
• Go slowly so brake fluid can return to the reservoir without overflowing.
• Do not twist or force the piston if it resists. Confirm the EPB is still in service mode.

Step 9: Install New Brake Hardware

• Press the new rear brake pad hardware clips into the caliper bracket by hand.
• Make sure each clip sits flat and fully seated.
• Apply a thin layer of brake lubricant to the pad contact points on the clips.
• Do not get lubricant on the brake pad friction surface or rotor face.
• Less grease is better here.

Step 10: Install the New Rear Brake Pads

• Slide the new rear brake pads into the bracket by hand.
• Make sure the friction material faces the rotor.
• The pads should move smoothly in the new hardware clips.
• If a pad is tight, remove it and use the small wire brush to clean the bracket again.

Step 11: Reinstall the Rear Caliper

• Lower the caliper over the new brake pads by hand.
• Use the 13mm socket, 15mm wrench, and torque wrench rated 20-150 ft-lbs to install and tighten the caliper guide pin bolts.
• Torque to 35 Nm (26 ft-lbs).

Step 12: Repeat on the Other Rear Side

• Use the same 13mm socket, 15mm wrench, flat-blade screwdriver, brake caliper piston compression tool, small wire brush, and torque wrench rated 20-150 ft-lbs to replace the pads on the other rear wheel.
• Always replace rear brake pads as a left-and-right pair.

Step 13: Reinstall the Rear Wheels

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

Step 14: Lower the Escape and Torque the Lug Nuts

• Use the floor jack rated 3-ton minimum to lift slightly and remove the jack stands.
• Lower the Escape until the tires touch the ground.
• Use the 19mm lug nut socket and torque wrench rated 20-150 ft-lbs to tighten the lug nuts in a star pattern.
• Torque to 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

Step 15: Exit Rear Brake Service Mode

• Sit in the driver seat with the doors closed.
• Use your foot to press and hold the accelerator pedal fully down.
• Use your hand to pull and hold the electronic parking brake switch upward in the apply position.
• Turn the ignition ON without starting the engine.
• Keep holding the accelerator pedal and EPB switch until the rear parking brake motors finish applying.
• Turn the ignition OFF, then release the pedal and switch.

Step 16: Seat the Brake Pads

• Press the brake pedal slowly several times until it feels firm.
• This moves the caliper pistons back out against the new pads.
• Do not drive until the pedal feels firm.

---

✅ After Repair

• ✅ Start the Escape and confirm the brake warning light turns off after the EPB is released.
• ✅ Test the electronic parking brake by applying and releasing it once while parked.
• ✅ Check behind both rear wheels for brake fluid leaks.
• ✅ Make a slow test stop in a safe area before normal driving.
• ✅ Bed in the new pads with 5-10 gentle stops from about 30 mph to 5 mph, allowing short cooling time between stops.
• ✅ Avoid hard braking for the first 200 miles unless needed for safety.
• ✅ Recheck lug nut torque after your first short drive: 135 Nm (100 ft-lbs).

---

💰 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 1.0-1.5 hours.

---

🎯 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.