This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the first generation (2017, 2018, 2019 and perhaps also the 2020 and 2021 model years) Chrysler Pacifica minivan in changing the rear disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other FCA (Fiat Chrysler America) vehicles from Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, RAM or Fiat such as the Town & Country, 300, 200, Charger, Challenger, Durango, Journey, Grand Caravan, Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, Compass, Renegade, Patriot, RAM 1500, RAM ProMaster City, Fiat 500 and Fiat 124 may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

A few compatible replacement sets of new rear brake pads with their part numbers are as follows: Power Stop 16-1901, Callahan CPK01177 and Bendix CFC1901.

The tools and other items needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a flathead screwdriver, a 7mm hex socket or a 7mm Allen key wrench and a tube of brake caliper grease.

Place wheel chocks on both sides of the front tires to prevent the vehicle from moving.

The Pacifica is equipped with an electronic parking brake system that controls the rear caliper pistons.

In order to replace the rear brake pads, you will need to use the "UConnect Settings" on the LCD screen to retract the parking brake.

Navigate to the main menu, choose "Settings', choose "Brakes", click on "Service Mode" and choose "Yes" to retract the park brake to allow for brake system service.

Slightly loosen the five lug nuts on the rear wheel by turning them about 1/4 to 1/2 turn in the counterclockwise direction with the tire iron.

Please do not solely rely on the floor jack to support the vehicle.

I prefer to only work on one side of the car at a time to keep three tires on the ground for extra safety.

Spin off the five lug nuts in the counterclockwise direction and set them aside in a safe place.

Remove the rear wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

The bolt heads face in towards the center of the cargo area.

First, you'll need to remove the metal spring clip attached to the outside of the caliper.

I'd recommend wearing safety glasses for the next step.

Use a flat head screwdriver to carefully pry the metal spring clip off the outside of the caliper.

Pull the black round plastic bolt covers off the back side of the caliper.

Set the two bolt caps aside in a safe place.

Rotate the two bolts in the clockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 7mm hex socket or Allen key.

The caliper bolts also act as the caliper slider pins or "guide bolts".

Set the bolts / pins aside in a safe place.

Rest the caliper on the rotor or suspend it from the suspension spring with a bungee cord or some twine.

Try to avoid stressing, bending, kinking or pulling on the rubber brake fluid hose.

Make a mental note of where the wear indicator bars or "squeal" bars are situated on the old brake pads.

On this 2017 Pacifica, the wear indicator bars were situated at the bottom of both the inner and outer brake pads.

Clean off the bracket, rotor and lug studs with brake parts cleaner spray.

If your Pacifica has been exhibiting vibrations, shuddering or shaking in the rear end while braking, you probably need to replace the rotors with new rotors.

To replace the rotors, remove the two bolts on the back side of the bracket and pull off the bracket. Slide off the old rotor and push the new one into place. If you have trouble removing a stuck or "frozen" old rotor due to rust, hit the old rotor with a rubber mallet until it has loosened and can be removed.

Install the two new brake pads into the bracket with the wear indicator bars situated at the bottom of both pads.

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

First, try lowering the caliper over the new pads to see if it will fit over the thicker new brake pads.

If necessary, use a disc brake piston tool such as the Lisle 28600 or a pair of needle nose pliers to slowly turn the screw-in type caliper piston in the clockwise direction. Do not use a "C" or "F" clamp to push in the piston.

Lower the caliper over the new pads and into the bracket.

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

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins needs to be well lubricated.

Apply some brake parts lubricant grease to the smooth parts of the two combination caliper bolts / slider pins.

Re-insert the two bolts / pins and turn them a few turns by hand in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Double check that both bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

If the brake pedal has been feeling soft or spongy, it would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time to remove any moisture or air bubbles from the lines.

For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide, the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide or my Acura MDX Brake Line Bleeding Guide with a one-man bleeder bottle.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper just below the upper caliper bolt.

Push the rear wheel back into place.

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

Slightly tighten the five lug nuts in the clockwise direction in a star or "criss-cross" pattern with the lug nut wrench.

Continue progressively tightening the lug nuts in a star or criss-cross pattern to just past hand tight.

It would be best to use a torque wrench and tighten the lug nuts to 100 lb-ft as specified in the owner's manual.

Sit in the driver's seat and firmly step on the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure.

Check the brake fluid reservoir in the engine bay and verify that the level is correct. If it is low, pour in some new DOT 3 fluid.

Take the vehicle for a short test drive with the windows down so you can hear any strange noises when you press on the brake pedal that might indicate a problem.

To break in your new rear brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which might glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy and not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway, parking spot or garage for drops of fresh 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 all of my Chrysler Pacifica Minivan DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.