How to Repair Subaru Brakes

Repairing Subaru brakes is a task that has many avenues of approach. There are several components to a braking system that may need to be repaired. The brake pads and braking rotors are the fundamental components of the braking system. The calipers and the brake lines are also key components that may be in need of repair or replacement. It is essential that the Subaru owner inspects all of the components of the braking system when making repairs or replacements to any other component, to ensure that any brake work will solve the problem completely.

Instructions

Replace the Brake Pads and Rotor

1

Park the Subaru in a location that allows you to work on both sides of the vehicle. Loosen the lug nuts on the wheels with the tire iron. Place the lifting jack beneath a frame of the vehicle. Lift the Subaru and place jack stands under the frame. Leave ample clearance between the tires and the road surface.

2

Remove the lug nuts and the wheels from the Subaru. Turn the steering wheel to the side of the vehicle opposite the brake you are repairing. Remove the caliper bolts on the side of the caliper closest to the vehicle's frame, with a 13 millimeter wrench. Pull the caliper from the rotor.

3

Slide the brake pads from the two sides of the caliper. Open the bleed valve on the caliper with the 10 millimeter wrench. Place the drip pan beneath the brake. Place the C-clamp over the caliper pistons and the side of the caliper. Screw the C-clamp so that the pistons are forced against the side of the caliper. The excess brake fluid will drip from the bleed valve into the drip pan below.

4

Close the bleed valve with the 10 millimeter wrench. Slide the new brake pads onto the walls of the caliper.

5

Pull the rotor from the wheel bolts. If the rotor is stuck to the wheel bolts, use a hammer and tap the rotor until it is free.

6

Remove the new rotor from the packaging. Spray the entire rotor with brake cleaner. Wipe the rotor clean with a towel. Place the new rotor onto the wheel bolts.

7

Replace the caliper onto the rotor. Screw in the caliper bolts of the 13 millimeter wrench.

Bleed the Brake Lines

8

Loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels with the tire iron.

9

Place the lifting jack beneath the frame at the rear of the Subaru. Lift the vehicle and place jack stands under the frame. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.

10

Open the hood of the Subaru. Remove the cap on the master cylinder (the master cylinder is located near the windshield on the driver's side of the vehicle). Position the spare tire on the top of the engine. Make sure the air filler nozzle is near the master cylinder. Connect the master cylinder cap from the bleed kit to the master cylinder container. Connect the tubing from the bleed kit cap to the air fill nozzle of the spare tire. This will provide the pressure needed to belled the brake line.

11

Remove the lug nuts by hand and pull the wheels from the wheel bolts. Place the tube from the pressure bleeding kit onto the bleed valve of the right rear brake. Place the 10 millimeter wrench onto the bleed valve. Place the drip pan beneath the brake.

12

Open the bleed valve with the wrench and watch the flow of brake fluid through the tube. When there are no air bubbles in the fluid stream, close the bleed valve with the wrench.

13

Remove the bleed kit tube from the bleed valve and place it on the bleed valve of the left rear brake. Repeat the steps for bleeding before moving to the front right brake, and ending on the front left brake.

14

Replace the wheels onto the wheel bolts and screw on the lug nuts. Lift the vehicle to remove the jack stands and then return the vehicle to the ground. Tighten the lug nuts with the tire iron.

15

Remove the bleed kit master cylinder cap from the container. Fill the master cylinder with DOT-3 brake fluid and replace the master cylinder cap. Disconnect the bleed kit tube from the spare tire and stow the tire. Close the hood.

16

Press the brake pedal slowly to restore the brake fluid to the calipers.