How to Change the Rear Brake Pads on a Hyundai Santa Fe

Brake pads are an important part of the Hyundai Santa Fe's braking system. They are the replaceable friction pads that pinch the brake disc when the brakes are applied. You should replace the brake pads before they wear beyond a quarter inch or risk damaging your Santa Fe's brake discs.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• New brake pads
• C-clamp
• Allen head, star head, or 6-point socket wrench
• Lug nut wrench
• Brake fluid

Remove the old Brake Pads

1. Park your car on a level surface. If you have a stick shift car, make sure the car is in gear. Place blocks in front of the front tires so the car does not move while you are working on it.

2. Open the hood of your car. Locate the master cylinder and brake fluid container. If necessary, remove brake fluid until the level in the container is less than half full. A turkey baster is a good tool for this. Put the brake fluid in the plastic container and dispose of it the way you dispose of motor oil.

3. Raise the rear end of your car with your car jack. Remove the rear tire or wheel assembly.

4. Use the socket wrench to remove the lower caliper bolt from the back of the caliper. Rotate the caliper up.

5. Remove the brake pads from the caliper.

Install the new Brake Pads

6. Insert the pads into the caliper.

7. Place a large C-clamp on the body of the caliper and slowly tighten the clamp evenly. Compress the piston until it is flush with the caliper.

8. Lower the caliper and use the socket wrench to attach the lower caliper bolt. Tighten the bolt to 16 to 24 foot lbs. (22–32 Nm).

9. Replace the tire wheel assembly. Lower the car to the ground. Pump the brake pedal a few times to seat the brake pads.

10. Add fluid to the master cylinder container to replace any you removed before you removed the old brake pads.

11. Season the brake pads by making only gentle stops when you are driving for the first week after you install the new brake pads. Try not to do any hard stopping when you are seasoning the brakes.

Tips & Warnings

• The master cylinder is a metal cylinder located in front of the steering wheel on the metal firewall that separates the engine from the body of the car. On top of the cylinder there is a plastic container that holds brake fluid for the system. When you work on the brakes you adjust the level of fluid so that the container is less than half-full.
• The caliper is the arc-shaped, cast iron piece attached to the brake rotor. It is usually on the upper-rear of the brake rotor. Caliper bolts are located on the back side of the caliper. The caliper piston is the large, round piston that presses on the inboard brake pad, which is the pad closest to the inside of the car.
• Be careful using brake fluid. It is an eye irritant and is hazardous if swallowed. Always wash your hands thoroughly after you have been handling brake fluid. If brake fluid does get in your eyes, immediately use clear, running water to flush your eyes for 15 minutes. If your eyes are still irritated after you rinse them or if you swallow any brake fluid, get medical assistance immediately.
• Be careful when you are handling used brake parts. The dust and dirt on the brake parts may contain asbestos fibers that can be hazardous to your health if they are inhaled.
• When you clean brake parts, always use a damp cloth, not compressed air, wire brushes, scouring pads, or anything else that could move the dust and dirt particles around. Throw away any cleaning cloths that you use and swept up dirt and dust in a sealed, impermeable container. For more information, visit the library or go online to view the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines and procedures for handling or throwing away anything that might contain asbestos fibers.

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