I researched online and discovered that Honda had agreed to settle a class action lawsuit for a "defect" with the rear brakes of about 750,000 Honda Accord and Acura TSX vehicles.

All 2008, 2009 and a few early 2010 model year Accord vehicles are possibly affected by the problem along with 2009 and some 2010 Acura TSX cars.

Rather than spend $199 at the dealership and wait to be reimbursed for only $150, I decided to quickly correct the problem myself for much less money and hassle.

I purchased new ACDelco 17D1336CH ceramic rear brake pads and printed out a PDF of the directions that accompany the "improved" Honda rear brake pads for swapping the two rear caliper pins which were installed incorrectly at the factory.

The "improved" Honda Accord rear brake pads that are probably now made of ceramic material, come with two metal pieces to act as springs that keep the pads off the rotor when the vehicle is not braking. The new Honda rear brake pads are part # 43022-TA0-A40.

I recommend buying the ACDelco 17D1336CH or the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1451 rear brake pads.

Owners such as myself that replace the rear pads with a different brand other than Honda pads are only eligible for a reimbursement of 50% of the cost. I doubt I'll take the time to jump through the hoops to file a claim.

Another issue that leads to the rear brake pads wearing out prematurely is the EBD or Electronic Braking Distribution system (A.K.A. Electronic Brake Proportioning) which is biased to apply more pressure to the rear brakes. This prevents the nose of the vehicle from diving under braking and also minimizes braking noise.

I'm almost 100% certain that reversing the caliper pins to the correct positions will allow the new more durable ACDelco ceramic brake pads to last at least 50,000-60,000 miles or more.

If they don't, I may still take our Accord to the dealership for the Electronic Braking Distribution (EBD) system to be adjusted and also purchase the "new" Honda pads with springs.

Then raise the rear of the vehicle with a floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

Spin off the lug nuts the rest of the way, carefully remove the rear wheel and set it aside in a safe place.

Behind the wheel you'll see the rear brake rotor, caliper, caliper bracket, and the old brake pads.

Then carefully pull the brake caliper off the old pads and rest it securely on the suspension.

Avoid putting any stress on the rubber brake fluid lines.

The completely round and smooth pin goes into the top of the caliper bracket.

The caliper pin that has flat edges needs to be placed in the bottom of the caliper bracket.

Refer to Picture # 22 for a close up shot of the caliper pin reversal directions.

On this and most 2008-2010 Honda Accords, the wear bar is situated at the bottom of the inner pad.

If your 2008-2010 Honda Accord or 2009-2010 Acura TSX was among the vehicles affected by this issue, you'll see that the pin in the top of the caliper bracket is "Pin A" with flat edges, and the pin in the bottom of the bracket is "Pin B" which is completely round.

Then re-insert Pin A which has flat sides into the bottom of the caliper bracket.

Having this pin in the correct position as originally intended by the Honda engineers must help to keep the pads from dragging on the rotor and shortening their useful lives.

The 2008-2010 Honda Accord cars and many other modern vehicles have "screw type" rear brake pistons that allow the parking or "emergency" brake to be self adjusting over the life of the pads.

The screw in type rear brake pistons need to be turned or rotated clockwise (to the right) in order to reset them back into the caliper assembly.

You can either use a very large flathead screwdriver to accomplish this or I'd highly recommend spending just over $10 for a "Disc Brake Piston Tool" such as the Lisle Disc Brake Piston Tool # 28600 pictured above.

The disc brake piston tool looks like a metal six sided die with different nubs or pegs on each side that correspond to the screw in type rear brake pistons of various automobile manufacturers.

I found that the side with a small nub at each of the four corners worked best (Picture # 42).

Then use the disc brake piston tool to slowly turn the piston backwards by rotating it clockwise (right) until it is almost flush with the metal part of the brake caliper. Regularly check the brake fluid level in the reservoir to ensure that it does not overflow.

If you find that the rubber boot around the piston starts to bunch up or bind, turn the piston counter-clockwise (left) a tiny bit and then try to turn it clockwise again.

Try to avoid turning the caliper piston too quickly which may cause damage to the rubber dust boot.

Align the face of the piston so that it looks like a plus "+" sign when the caliper is held straight up in front of you as shown below in Picture # 47.

The new inner brake pad has corresponding pegs or nubs that fit into the recessed "+" sign grooves on the piston face as shown in Picture # 46 below.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper, caliper pistons, and caliper bracket with some brake parts cleaner spray and an automotive rag or shop towel.

If your vehicle exhibits shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations while braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or better yet just replace them altogether with brand new rotors. If this is the car's first rear brake job and the rotors are in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results.

If your set of new rear brake pads came with new anti rattle clips, remove the old metal clips and install the new ones in their place on the caliper bracket.

Be sure to orientate the wear or "squeal" bar at the bottom of the inner pad.

Be sure that the piston still lines up in the plus "+" sign position.

Line up the bolt holes at the top and bottom of the caliper before inserting the caliper bolts.

Tighten them with the 12mm socket and ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 25-30 ft lbs of torque if you have a torque wrench.

If your brake pedal previously felt mushy or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain air bubbles. It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time to flush out the old fluid and replace it with some new DOT 3 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding Guide.

Next lower the vehicle until the tire holds enough weight to keep it from rotating and complete tightening the lug nuts. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an air gun with a torque stick to tighten the lug  nuts to about 100 ft lbs.

Get into the driver's seat and pump the brake pedal a few times to restore brake line pressure. Then check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and verify that it is above the "MIN" (minimum) line. Once the brake fluid level is correct, replace the brake fluid reservoir cap.

To break in your new rear brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may "glaze" the new brake pads and cause them to squeak.

It's also a good idea to regularly inspect your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, verify the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also check that the lug nuts are still properly tightened. 

For more, check out my Honda Accord Repair & Maintenance Guides page.