How to Adjust Rear Brakes in a Honda

Vehicles with rear drum brakes will often need adjusting to maintain braking power. For Hondas this adjustment is done automatically. When the brake shoes inside the drum brake wear down, they have to travel farther to create friction and, as a result, they have difficulty effectively slowing the car. When this happens, a self-adjusting mechanism, which is activated by the emergency brake, will reset the rest position of the brake shoes to restore stopping power.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. To adjust the rear drum brakes on your Honda, begin by pulling the parking brake up as far as it will go.

2. Press the parking brake release, putting the parking brake back into a disengaged position.

3. Repeat this 10 times in fairly rapid succession.

4. Now press down on the brake pedal. It should be noticeably firmer. If so, you are finished and your brakes have been adjusted.

5. If your brake pedal still isn't firm, drive in reverse and then firmly apply the brakes. Do this three times, then repeat Steps 1 through 4.

Tips & Warnings

• The automatic adjuster in the rear brakes of your Honda can get stuck over time, so don't be afraid to use a little force when braking in reverse or when pulling up and releasing the parking brake in order to loosen it.
• If the brake is still not correctly adjusted after following these steps, the backing plate could be damaged and in need of replacement.

References

• Drive Accord
• Auto Media
• Automotive Forums