How to Change the Brake Pads on a 2007 Honda Accord

The 2007 Honda Accord is equipped with four wheel disk brakes. Disk brakes wear down and require regular maintenance. Worn brake pads can cause squeeling and grinding noises, as well as reduced braking power. Improperly maintained brake pads can cause damage to the brake rotors as well as brake failure. Save on labor costs by replacing your own brake pads.

Instructions

1

Park your Honda Accord on a hard, level surface. Turn off the engine and set the parking brake.

2

Using the lug wrench, slightly loosen the lug nuts on the front wheels.

3

Place blocks behind the rear wheels to prevent your car from rolling. Jack up the front of the car until the front tires are no longer touching the ground. Place a jack stand under both the drivers side and passenger side. Be certain that the jack stands are level, and extend them up to the frame of the Accord. Gently lower the car to the stands.

4

Unscrew the lug nuts and remove the front wheels. Set them aside and don't lose any lug nuts.

5

The brake disk and caliper are now exposed. There are bolts attaching the brake caliper to the knuckle. Remove the caliper mounting bolts. Using the 14mm wrench, loosen the caliper bolt from the side closest to the car engine. The 17mm wrench is used on the side of the bolt closest to you, which is next to a rubber boot. Prevent this nut from spinning while you loosen the caliper bolt from the other side. Make note of the bolt positions if they are not the same size.

6

Remove the caliper from the brake rotor. Support the caliper so that it doesn't drop or hang and damage the brake lines. Remove the brake pads from the caliper. You may need to pry them out if they are stuck.

7

Inspect the brake rotor for wear and grooves. A brake rotor that is highly worn will need to be replaced. If there are deep grooves, bring the rotor to a machine shop to have it turned.

8

Inside the caliper, beneath where the inner brake pad was, is the caliper piston. Retract this piston back into the caliper by turning it clockwise with flat head screwdriver. You may need to loosen the brake fluid reservoir under the hood to make this easier. Make note of the orientation of the grooves in the piston, and be sure that it ends in the same position after you have turned it. This is necessary to set the new brake pad correctly.

9

Install the new brake pads into the caliper and slide the caliper over the brake rotor. Slide the caliper bolts back into place and screw them in by hand before tightening them down with a wrench.

10

Put the front wheels back on and tighten them down. Always tighten lug your lug nuts in a crisscross pattern.

11

Repeat steps two through ten on the rear of the car, this time with blocks in front of the front wheels.