How to Replace the Rear Brakes on a 2014 to 2019 Toyota Highlander

Park on a level surface. Chock the front wheels and use a lug wrench or breaker bar and 21mm socket to loosen the lug nuts on the rear wheels.

Use a jack and jack stands to lift and support the rear end of the vehicle.

Remove the rear wheels.

Use a ratchet and 14mm socket to loosen and remove the caliper bolts.

Work the caliper off the rotor and hang it somewhere out of the way, making sure there’s no pressure on the brake hose.

Remove the old brake pads and hardware from the caliper bracket taking note of their orientation, so you can install your new pads and hardware properly. If needed, you can use a flathead screwdriver to separate the old pads and caliper bracket.

Use your ratchet and 17mm socket to loosen and remove the caliper bracket bolts.

Set the bracket aside for now.

Remove the old rotor. If the rotor doesn’t come off easily, you can use a flathead screwdriver to turn the shoe adjuster to contract the parking brake shoes. Before doing this, make sure your parking brake is not set.

We’re going to install Import Direct rotors, which don’t require cleaning but most rotors need brake cleaner applied to a shop towel to remove oil from the friction surfaces of the new rotor. Clean any rust off the hub with a wire brush.

Adding silicone brake grease to the hub before installing your new rotor will make it easier to remove it during your next brake service.

Install your new rotor, and use one of your wheel lug nuts to hold it in place as you continue to work.

Clean the exposed portion of your caliper piston with brake cleaner on a towel or rag. If the rubber boot is cracked or if there’s brake fluid leaking, the caliper needs to be replaced.

Attach your bleeder tool and open the bleeder valve by turning it counter-clockwise.

Using an old brake pad to protect the piston, compress the brake caliper with a brake caliper compressor tool. When you’re done, the piston should be flush with the housing.

Tighten the bleeder valve, being careful not to let any air into the line. Detach the bleeder tool.

Give your caliper bracket a visual inspection. If the bracket is extremely rusty where the pads or hardware will sit, it needs to be replaced.

Remove the slide pins, and visually inspect them. If they’re corroded or pitted, they also need to be replaced.

Spray the bracket down with brake cleaner, but don’t use a wire brush to clean it. This can lead to further corrosion.

Wipe down the slide pins and apply some fresh silicone grease. Reinstall the pins, and make sure they glide smoothly.

You’ll also apply silicone grease to the notches on the bracket where your new brake hardware will sit as well as the back of your new brake pads.

Install the new brake hardware. With the slide pins and hardware installed, reinstall the bracket. Lift it into place and thread the 17mm bracket bolts by hand, starting with the top one. Use your ratchet and socket to tighten the bolts, then use your torque wrench to tighten those bolts to 70 foot-pounds.

Install your new brake pads. For our repair, we used Import Direct brake pads.

Move the caliper into place over the pads, making sure the brake hose isn’t twisted. Thread the two mounting bolts by hand, starting with the top one. Use your ratchet and 14mm socket to tighten them. Once they’re snug, torque these bolts to 20 foot-pounds.

If you used a lug nut to keep the rotor in place, you can remove it now as well as your caliper hanger.

Reinstall the wheel and tighten the lug nuts until the wheel is secure against the rotor.

Lower the rear end and remove the wheel chocks. Use your 21mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the nuts in a star pattern to 76 foot-pounds.