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Honda Civic Front Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the front disc brake pads on a 9th generation 2012 to 2015 Honda Civic with photo illustrated steps.

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2013 Civic Front Wheel
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Slightly Loosen Lug Nuts
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Raise Front of Vehicle
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the ninth generation (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and perhaps also the 2016 model year) Honda Civic in changing the front disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Honda or Acura vehicles such as the Accord, Crosstour, CR-V, CR-Z, Fit, Insight, Odyssey, Pilot, Ridgeline, Stream, ILX, TSX, TLX, TL, RLX, RDX and MDX may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a floor jack, two jack stands, a lug nut wrench, a 12mm socket with a ratcheting wrench and a tube of brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible sets of new front brake pads with their part numbers include the following: Wagner QC914, Bosch BC914, Akebono ACT914, ACDelco 14D914CH, Bendix D914 CQ, TRW TPC0914, Wearever Platinum Premium Ceramic # PNAD621, and ProStop PGD914M.



 

Please verify the correct replacement part numbers for your vehicle by contacting your dealership's part counter, an auto parts store or use the Amazon Part Finder website. The compatible brake pads may vary by model year, trim level or body style (coupe / sedan).
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Spin Off Lug Nuts
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5 Lug Nuts Removed
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Pull Off Plastic Wheel Cover
The first few steps are to park the vehicle on a level surface, engage the emergency / parking brake and chock both sides of the rear wheels to keep the car from moving.

Slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them in the counterclockwise direction with the tire iron.

Raise the front of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with the two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the vehicle at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

Spin off the 5 lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the plastic wheel cover (A.K.A. "hub cap") and then pull carefully pull off the front wheel.

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Rotor, Bracket, Suspension
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Front Brake Caliper
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Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt
Once the front wheel has been removed, you'll be able to see the brake caliper, bracket, rotor and the front suspension.

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

Loosen the upper caliper bolt by turning it clockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 12mm socket and ratcheting wrench.

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Loosen Lower 12mm Bolt
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Spin Out Clockwise
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Upper Bolt Removed
Then loosen the lower 12mm bolt in the clockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the car).

Spin out the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place.

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Two Caliper Bolts Removed
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Pull Off Brake Caliper
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Rest Caliper On Suspension
Pull the brake caliper out of the bracket and off the old pads.

Carefully rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a bungee cord.

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"V" Spring Clips
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Pull Off "V" Spring Clips
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Set Aside Spring Clips
Remove the two "V" or "U" shaped metal springs clips from the outer edge of the old brake pads.

Set the two spring clips aside in a safe place.

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Remove Old Outer Pad
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Wear Bar - Inner Pad
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Replace Pad Abutment Clips
Pull the old outer brake pad from the bracket.

Remove the old inner brake pad from the bracket.

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

On this 2013 Civic LX sedan, the wear indicator bar was situated at the top of the old inner brake pad.

I've always had great experiences with the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC914 brake pads and they don't require backing plates, shims or brake quiet gel.

If your new set of front brake pads included replacement brake hardware, remove the pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips from the top and bottom of the bracket before installing the new ones in their place.

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Remove Caliper Slider Pin
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Lubricate & Replace Pins
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Attach "C" Clamp To Caliper
In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider or "guide" pins need to be well lubricated.

Pull the upper and lower caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots inside the bracket.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to the smooth parts of each pin before pushing them back in to their rubber dust boots.

In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the piston will need to be compressed backwards.

Attach the "C" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.



 

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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
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Compress Caliper Piston
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Replace Brake Fluid Cap
Move to the right rear area of the engine bay and twist off the brake fluid cap in the counterclockwise direction.

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

Slowly turn the "C" or "F" clamp handle in the clockwise direction to compress the piston while repeatedly checking the level in the brake fluid reservoir to prevent it from overflowing.

Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately since brake fluid can easily damage painted surfaces.

Continue compressing the piston until it is flush with the rubber dust boot surrounding it. Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boot.

Replace the brake fluid cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture).

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Install New Outer Pad
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Wear Bar - Top Inner Pad
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Push Pads Against Rotor
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 pistons. Do not apply caliper grease to the friction surface of the new pads.

If your Civic previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the front 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 17mm bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then remove the two Phillips head screws on the outer face of the rotor, 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 top of the inner pad.

Push the two pads together until they are flush against the rotor.

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Lower Caliper Over Pads
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Spin In Top Caliper Bolt
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Spin In Lower 12mm Bolt
Lower the caliper over the new pads and in to the bracket.

If the caliper won't fit over the pads, you may need to compress the piston back a bit further.

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Spin in the two caliper bolts by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the car) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Tighten Counterclockwise
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Tighten Lower Caliper Bolt
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
Tighten the two caliper bolts in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 12mm socket and ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 25 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 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 DOT3 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 upper caliper bolt.

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Replace Front Wheel
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Push On Plastic Hub Cap
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Spin On Lug Nuts Clockwise
Replace the front wheel and push on the plastic wheel cover with the cut out section for the tire valve in the correct position.

Spin on the five lug nuts by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Slightly Tighten 5 Lug Nuts
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Lower Car From Stands
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Torque To 80 ft-lbs
Slightly tighten the 5 lug nuts in a criss-cross or "star" pattern in the clockwise direction with the tire iron.

Carefully lower the vehicle from the jack stands using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the lug nuts in a "star" pattern to about 1/4 to 1/3 turn past hand tight or 80 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 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 fluid.

To break in your new front 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 2012-2015 Honda Civic DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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