Paul's Travel Pictures

Hyundai Sonata Rear Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to replace the rear brake pads on a 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 Hyundai Sonata with picture illustrated DIY instructions.

Main Menu            Home           Digital Cameras

Misc. Pictures            Articles            My Blog

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-001
Sonata Rear Wheel
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-002
Loosen 5 Lug Nuts
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-003
Raise Vehicle - Wheel Off
This automotive "how-to" guide was specifically written to assist owners of the sixth generation (2011, 2012, 2013 & 2014) Hyundai Sonata in replacing the rear brake pads.

Owners of other Hyundai or Kia vehicles such as the Elantra, Accent, Veloster, Tucson, Santa Fe, Veracruz, Genesis, Forte, Optima, Rio, Soul, Sedona, Sorento, Tiburon and Sportage may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this rear brake job include a floor jack, jack stands, wheel chocks, a lug nut wrench, a 14mm socket with ratcheting wrench and a "C" or "F" clamp.

A few of the compatible aftermarket rear brake pads for the Hyundai Sonata include the following with their respective part numbers: Wagner QC1445, Bosch BP1313, Wagner ZD1445 Akebono ACT1445, Raybestos PGD1445C, ACDelco 17D1445CH and Genuine Hyundai 58302-3QA10.



 
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-004
Brake Rotor & Caliper
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-005
Remove Lower Caliper Bolt
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-006
Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt
The first few steps are to put the gear shifter into "Park", ensure that the parking brake is not engaged, and chock the front wheels to prevent the vehicle from moving.

Use the lug nut wrench or "tire iron" to slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the rear wheel.

Then raise the rear of the vehicle with the floor jack and securely support it with at least two jack stands.

Spin off the five lug nuts, set them aside in a safe place and remove the rear wheel.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-007
Remove Bolt - Clockwise
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-008
Two 14mm Caliper Bolts
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-009
Pull Off Rear Caliper
The rear brake caliper is held on to the bracket by two 14mm bolts located on the back side of the caliper.

Remove the two caliper bolts with a 14mm socket and ratcheting wrench by turning them clockwise as seen from the outside of the vehicle.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-010
Rear Caliper Piston
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-011
Rest Caliper On Suspension
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-012
Pull Out Old Pads
Once the two caliper bolts have been removed, you can carefully pull the brake caliper off the rotor. Rest the caliper on the rear suspension arm and try to avoid placing any stress on the rubber brake lines.

Pull the old brake pads out of the caliper bracket and make a mental note of how the wear or "squeal" is orientated. On this 2011 Hyundai Sonata, the wear bar was situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

I recommend buying the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1445 brake pads since they have excellent reviews on Amazon. I also like how they don't require any backing plates or shims due to the built in insulators.

If your new brake pads didn't come equipped with wear bars, pull the old wear bar off the existing pads and attach it to the new pads.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-013
Wear Bar - Bottom Inner
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-014
Replace Anti-Rattle Clips
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-015
Brake Parts Cleaner

If your new set of rear brake pads came with metal anti-rattle clips, pull the old ones out of the caliper bracket and install the new ones in their place.

Thoroughly clean off the rotor, caliper body, caliper piston and caliper bracket with some brake parts cleaner spray.

To help prevent braking noise, apply some CRC Disc Brake Quiet gel or any other similar product to the rear of the brake pads where they come in contact with the caliper. (Do not apply anything to the friction surface of the new pads.)

If your vehicle exhibits shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or just replace them altogether with brand new rotors. If this is the car's first front brake job and the rotors appear to be in excellent condition, you should be able to just replace the pads with great results.



 
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-016
CRC Disc Brake Quiet
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-017
"F" Clamp Compress Piston
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-018
Remove Reservoir Cap
In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the rear caliper's piston will need to be compressed backwards with a "C" or "F" clamp.

Remove the cap on the brake fluid reservoir in the engine bay by turning it counter-clockwise. Removing the reservoir cap will allow the brake fluid to more easily travel backwards through the lines when the piston is compressed.

Attach the "F" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to help evenly distribute the force across the piston.

Very slowly compress the brake caliper piston until it rests flush with the rubber dust boot.

Check the brake fluid level in the reservoir repeatedly while compressing the piston to ensure that it does not overflow.

Brake fluid is harmful to any painted surface.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-019
Pull Out Caliper Slider Pin
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-020
Check & Lubricate
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-021
Lubricate Upper Pin
Pull the brake caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots to make sure that they are well lubricated.

If they appear dry, apply a generous amount of a high pressure / temperature brake caliper grease.

Re-insert the well lubricated caliper pins into the bracket until their rubber dust boots pop back into place.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-022
Insert New Brake Pads
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-023
Wear Bar - Bottom Inner
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-024
Push Pads Flush On Rotor
Place the new rear brake pads into the caliper bracket with the wear or "squeal" bar positioned at the bottom of the inner pad.

Push the two brake pads towards each other until they rest flush against the rotor.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-025
Lower Caliper On Rotor
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-026
Insert Upper Caliper Bolt
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-027
Replace Lower Caliper Bolt
Lower the rear brake caliper down over the new brake pads and on to the rotor.

If the caliper won't fit over the new brake pads, you may need to compress the piston back a bit further with the "C" clamp.

Line up the holes in the caliper with the slider pins before inserting the two 14mm caliper bolts.

Rotate the bolts a few turns by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-028
Tighten Caliper Bolt
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-029
Torque Upper Caliper Bolt
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-030
Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
Tighten the two 14mm caliper bolts to just past hand tight or about 20-25 ft lbs of torque.

Double check that both caliper bolts are snug before continuing on to the final steps.

If your brake pedal previously felt mushy or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain 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 new DOT 3 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding DIY Guide.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-031
Bleeder Valve Rubber Cap
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-032
Replace Wheel & Lug Nuts
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-033
Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts
Replace the rear wheel, spin on the five lug nuts a few turns by hand and tighten them a bit more with the lug nut wrench.

Lower the vehicle from the jack stands and floor jack until the rear tire holds enough of the vehicle's weight to prevent it from spinning.

Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-034
Lower Vehicle
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-035
Tighten Lug Nuts
Hyundai-Sonata-Rear-Brake-Pads-Replacement-Guide-036
Replace Reservoir Cap
Progressively tighten the five lug nuts in a "star" or "criss cross" pattern to just past hand tight. It would be best to use a torque wrench or an air gun with a torque stick to tighten the lug nuts to about 80-100 ft lbs.

Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and pump the brake pedal several times to restore the brake line pressure.

Then check the brake fluid level in the reservoir and verify that it is at the "MAX" (maximum) line. If it is low, pour in some fresh DOT 3 fluid.

Once the brake fluid level is correct, replace the brake fluid reservoir cap by twisting it on clockwise.

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 brake pads and cause them to be noisy and/or not perform well.

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

For more, check out my Hyundai Sonata Repair & Maintenance Guides page.
 

If you found this guide to be helpful, please consider making a small donation by clicking on the PayPal.com "Donate" button located to the right of this paragraph. Thank you!
(Note: I am not a registered charity. Donations are not tax deductible.)

Main Menu       Home       Digital Cameras

Misc. Pictures       Articles       My Blog

 

Copyright 2024 © PaulsTravelPictures.com
 All Rights Reserved ®

Paul's Travel Pictures is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Privacy Policy     About Paul & Author Contact Info