Honda Pilot
Rear Disc Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake
pads on a 2nd generation 2009 to 2015 Honda Pilot SUV with photo illustrated
steps.
2012 Pilot Rear Wheel |
Slightly Loosen 5 Lug Nuts |
Raise Rear of Vehicle |
This
automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist
owners of the second generation (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
& 2015) Honda Pilot SUV in changing the rear disc brake pads and
lubricate the caliper slider pins. Owner's of other Honda or Acura vehicles such as the Odyssey, Insight, Ridgeline, CR-V, Fit, Civic, CR-Z, Crosstour, Accord, MDX, RDX, RLX, TL, TSX and ILX may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful. The tools needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 12mm socket, a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp and a tube of synthetic high temperature brake parts lubricant grease. A few compatible sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Akebono ACT1281, Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1585, Bosch BC1281, Raybestos PGD1281C, ACDelco 17D1281C, Honda 43022-SZA-A10, Prime Choice SCD1281, Dura International BP1281 MS, TRW TPC1585 and Monroe CX1585. |
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Spin Off 5 Lug Nuts |
Five Lug Nuts Removed |
Rear Caliper & Rotor |
The first few steps
are to park the SUV on a level surface, turn off the engine and make sure
that the parking / emergency brake is NOT engaged.
Then chock both sides of the front wheels to prevent the car from moving while you are replacing the brake pads. Slightly loosen the five lug nuts in the counterclockwise direction. Raise the rear of the SUV with the floor jack and securely support it with two jack stands. I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety. Spin off the five lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place. Pull off the rear wheel to reveal the rear brake caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension. |
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Rear Caliper |
Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt |
Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt |
The rear caliper is
held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side of the caliper
with the bolt heads facing in towards the passenger compartment. Loosen the upper caliper bolt by turning it clockwise, as seen from the outside of the vehicle, with the 12mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench. Then loosen the lower 12mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the SUV). |
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Spin Out Top Caliper Bolt |
Remove Bottom Caliper Bolt |
Two Caliper Bolts Removed |
Spin out the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place. | ||
Pull Off Rear Brake Caliper |
Rest Caliper On Suspension |
Two Metal "V" Springs |
Gently pull the
rear brake caliper out of the bracket and rest it on the suspension or
suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord. Pull off the two "V" shaped metal spring clips from the outer edge of the old brake pads. |
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"V" Springs Removed |
Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad |
Remove Old Outer Pad |
Pull the old inner
and outer brake pads out of the bracket. Make a mental note of where the wear indicator or "squeal" bar is situated on the old pads. On this 2012 Pilot, the wear indicator bar was located at the bottom of the old inner brake pad. I recommend buying the Akebono ACT1281 brake pads since they have excellent reviews on Amazon. |
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Replace Anti-Rattle Clips |
Pull Out Caliper Slider Pins |
Lubricate & Replace Pins |
If your new set of
rear brake pads included replacement brake hardware, pull the old metal pad
abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.
Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant to the bracket before pushing the new pad abutment clips in to place. Spread a thin layer of brake caliper grease on the part of the new pad abutment clips that will come in contact with the brake pads. Pull the caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots and lubricate them so that the caliper will operate smoothly. Push the caliper slider pins back in to the bracket. |
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Attach "F" Clamp To Piston |
Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap |
Tighten Handle Clockwise |
Attach the "C"
or "F"
clamp to the caliper by using the back of an old brake pad to evenly
distribute the pressure across the piston. Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the black plastic brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction. Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel back through the line when you compress the piston. Slowly turn the "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction until the piston is flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it. Check the fluid level in the reservoir to make sure that it doesn't over flow. Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since it can easily damage painted surfaces. |
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Replace Brake Fluid Cap |
Install New Outer Brake Pad |
Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad |
Replace the brake
fluid cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (easily
absorbs moisture from the air).
Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, lug nut studs and the brake caliper assembly with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since inhaling brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (cancer causing) if inhaled. If your Pilot previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the rear end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them with brand new rotors. If this is the SUV's first rear brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just change the pads with great results. To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two set screws on the front of the rotor and the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Remove the bracket and set it aside in a safe place. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place. Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper pistons. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the rotor. Install the new brake pads in to the bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the bottom of the inner pad. |
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Push Pads Against Rotor |
Re-Attach Spring Clips |
Two "V" Clips Replaced |
Push the two new
pads together until they are flush against the rotor. Re-attach the two "V" shaped metal spring clips to the outer edge of the new pads. |
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Replace Rear Caliper |
Spin In Bottom Caliper Bolt |
Replace Top Caliper Bolt |
Lower the rear
caliper back in to the bracket and over the new pads. It the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you might need to compress back the piston a bit more. Spin in the two caliper bolts by hand a few turns in the counterclockwise direction. |
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Tighten Top Caliper Bolt |
Tighten Bottom Caliper Bolt |
Rubber Valve Cap |
Tighten the two
caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction with the 12mm socket and
3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 27 ft-lbs of
torque. Double check that both of the caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps. If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid might be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain a few air bubbles. It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT3 or DOT4 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide. The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper right next to the top bolt. |
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve |
Push On Rear Wheel |
Spin On 5 Lug Nuts |
Push the rear wheel back in to place and spin on the 5 lug nuts in the clockwise direction. | ||
Slightly Tighten Clockwise |
Lower Car From Stands |
Torque To 94 ft-lbs |
Slightly tighten
the five lug nuts in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern. Carefully lower the car from the jack stands by using the floor jack. Continue progressively tightening the lug nuts in the clockwise direction in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or about 94 ft-lbs of torque. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts. Sit in the driver's seat of the car and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, add some fresh DOT 3 or DOT 4 fluid. 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 over the new pads and cause them to be noisy or not perform as well. It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug bolts are still tight. Be sure to record the brake pad change in your Pilot's service records. For more, please check out my other
2009-2015 Honda Pilot DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides. |
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