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Kia Rio Rear Disc Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the rear disc brake pads on a third generation 2012-2016 Kia Rio sedan with photo illustrated steps.

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2014 Kia Rio Rear Wheel
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Slightly Loosen 4 Lug Nuts
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Raise Rear of Vehicle
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the third generation (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and also the face lifted 2016 model year) Kia Rio in changing the rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Kia and Hyundai vehicles such as the Optima, Forte, Cadenza, K900, Sorento, Sportage, Sedona, Soul, Elantra, Veloster, Sonata, Azera, Tucson, Santa Fe, Genesis, ix20, i20, ix35 and Equus may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this rear brake job procedure include a lug nut wrench (or an electric impact wrench with a 21mm socket), a floor jack, two jack stands, a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratchet, a Lisle # 28600 caliper piston tool and a tube of synthetic brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible replacement rear brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1544, Raybestos PGD1544C, Bosch BP1544, ACDelco 14D1544CH, Perfect Stop PS1544C, EBC Brakes UD1544, Bendix D1544 and Centric 106.15440.



 
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Spin Off Lug Nuts
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4 Lug Nuts Removed
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Remove Plastic Hub Cap
The first two steps are to park the vehicle on a level surface and make sure that the emergency / parking brake is not engaged.

Chock both sides of the front wheels to make sure that the car won't move while you are replacing the brake pads.

Slightly loosen the four lug nuts on the rear wheel by turning them counterclockwise with the lug nut wrench.

Raise the rear of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with at least 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 4 lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Remove the plastic wheel cover or "hub cap" and set it aside in a safe place.

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Caliper, Bracket, Rotor
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Rear Brake Caliper
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Loosen Lower Caliper Bolt
Pull off the rear wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

The rear brake caliper is held in place to the bracket by two bolts on the back side of the caliper facing in towards the trunk.

Loosen the lower caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with a 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

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14mm Socket
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Loosen Top Caliper Bolt
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Spin Out Lower Caliper Bolt
Then loosen the upper 14mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the car).

If you have trouble getting your socket wrench over the top caliper bolt. Use a standard 14mm wrench instead.

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Remove Upper Caliper Bolt
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Two Caliper Bolts Removed
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Lift Off Rear Brake Caliper
Spin out the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place.

Carefully lift the rear brake caliper out of the bracket and off the old pads.

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Rest Caliper On Suspension
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Remove Old Outer Pad
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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
Rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord.

Pull the old inner and outer brake pads out of the bracket.

Make a mental note of where the wear indicator bar or "squeal" bar is located on the old pads.

On this 2014 Rio sedan, the wear indicator bar was located at the bottom of the inner pad.

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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
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Pull Out Caliper Slider Pins
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Lubricate & Replace Pins
I recommend buying the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1544 brake pads since they have excellent reviews on Amazon.

If your new set of rear brake pads includes replacement brake hardware, pull the old pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket.

Install the new pad abutment clips in to the bracket.

In order for the brake caliper to work smoothly, the two caliper slider or "guide" pins in the bracket need to be well lubricated.

Pull the upper and lower caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots and apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to each before pushing them back in.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the "screw in" type caliper piston needs to be turned back.



 

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Disc Brake Piston Tool
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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
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Turn Back Caliper Piston
Test fit the various sides of the caliper piston tool to find the side that has the best grip on the piston. It should be the side with four small nubs or pegs.

Attach the Lisle 28600 disc brake caliper piston tool to a small extension bar and a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction.

Removing the brake fluid cap will allow the fluid to more easily travel back through the lines when you turn back the caliper piston.

Slowly rotate the caliper piston back in the clockwise direction to compress it.

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Replace Brake Fluid Cap
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Install New Outer Pad
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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
Replace the brake fluid cap as soon as possible by twisting it on the in the clockwise direction.

Brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture from the air) so it's important to not leave the reservoir cap for any longer than necessary.

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.

Apply a thin layer of brake parts lubricant to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper piston.

Do not apply brake caliper grease to the friction surface of the new pads.

If your Kia Rio previously exhibited shuddering, pulsations, 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 first front brake job on your car and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Remove the two Phillips head set screws on the front of the rotor. Then loosen the old rotor with a rubber mallet, pull it off, and slide the new one in its place.

Install the new brake pads in to the bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

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Push Pads Against Rotor
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Lower Caliper Over Pads
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Spin In Lower Caliper Bolt
Push the two pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

Carefully lower the rear caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

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Replace Top 14mm Bolt
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Tighten Upper 14mm Bolt
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Tighten Lower 14mm Bolt
Spin in the upper and lower caliper bolts a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the caliper bolts to just past hand tight or about 20 to 25 lb-ft of torque.

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Rubber Valve Cap
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain some 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 DOT 3 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 just below the top caliper bolt

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Replace Rear Wheel
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Push On Plastic Wheel Cover
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Spin On 4 Lug Nuts
Replace the rear wheel and push on the plastic hub cap with the cut out section for the tire valve situated in the correct position.

Spin on the four lug nuts in the clockwise direction by hand a few turns to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts
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Lower Car From Stands
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Torque To 65-80 lb-ft
Slightly tighten the lug nuts in the clockwise direction with the tire iron.

Then carefully lower the car from the jack stands by using the floor jack.

Tighten the lug nuts in the clockwise direction to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight.

It would be best to use a torque wrench to make sure that the lug nuts are properly tightened. Kia specifies that the lug nuts should be tightened to between 65 to 79 lb-ft of torque.

Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and pump 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 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 and/or not perform as well.

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

For more, check out my other 2012-2016 Kia Rio DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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