Changing Brakes on 04 Honda Civic EX

Last week I called my mechanic to ask how much it would cost to change the front and rear brakes on my 2004 Honda Civic Ex. He told me it would be $260. A week before, a friend of mine, who does his brakes himself each year, offered to teach me. I was hesitant at first, but after I was told it'd cost $260, I agreed and successfully changed my brakes. I didn't end up needing rear brakes, but my front brakes were worn out. It would have been $160 for the front alone. I changed them for $18 and some free time. Below I have documented the process from start to finish.

Before you begin

1. Buy your brakes from any auto parts store ( I got mine from Auto Zone--semi metallic front brakes for $18)
2. 12mm wrench
3. 10in. plumbers slip joint wrench (shown in pictures below)
4. Jack (from your trunk)

Once you have this, follow these instructions:

1. Put your car's parking brake on and loosen the bolts for the tires. Don't remove them completely, just loosen them.



2. Raise car


3. Remove Tire



4. Remove lower screw of the caliper (there are two that hold the caliper, one on top and one on bottom, the one that is in the middle is for your brake fluid, DO NOT remove this one). This screw will be VERY TIGHT, don't give up...(this may not be the best way, but I used a hammer with a wrench to make it come off)





5. Lift the caliper up




6. Remove the front brake pad (there are two pads per axle)




7. Remove the rear brake pad



8. Place the new front pad in



9. Place the new rear pad in



10. Use a "plumbers slip joint wrench" to push the piston in so that you can put the caliper back down. Remember that the piston is going to push the brake fluid back out, so at first it will seem impossible, but you just have to keep pressure on the piston and allow the fluid to slowly move back, don't squeeze the wrench so hard that you bend the piston...



11. Put the caliper down (make sure the piston is pushed in enough to allow you to put the caliper back down)



12. Screw the lower caliper screw back in





13. Place the tire back on




14 - 16. Tighten wheel screws, lower the car, make sure wheels are tight



17. IMPORTANT: start the car, LEAVE IT IN PARK, and pump your brakes, this will allow the brake fluid to refill and push the piston back out, (during the changing process, we pushed the fluid back up by pushing the piston in, because the new brakes were not worn like our old ones)...once you do not need to slam your brakes down to feel like the car is braking, you can test drive it slowly around your block...should work fine...



Brakes changed: $20