On the 9th-gen Accord this is a straightforward two-hour job with basic hand tools. Two 12 mm guide-pin bolts release the caliper, two 17 mm bolts release the bracket, and the rotor comes off after a single small retaining screw. Lug nuts are 19 mm at 80 ft-lb.
The one thing people get wrong is the piston. The rear caliper houses the parking brake mechanism, so the piston has to be screwed clockwise back into its bore with a wind-back tool or needle-nose pliers in the slots. Clamping it will break the internal screw mechanism and cost you a caliper. The second most common problem is the rust-seized rotor retaining screw, so use a hand impact driver on it from the start.
| Item | Type | |
|---|---|---|
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum, low profile Raise the rear of the car at the pinch-weld or subframe jack point. | Required | shop |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair Support the car at the rear pinch welds while the wheels are off. | Safety | shop |
| Wheel chocks Block the front wheels since the parking brake works on the rear and must be released. | Safety | shop |
| Breaker bar or impact wrench 1/2 in drive Loosen the lug nuts before lifting and the 17 mm bracket bolts after. | Required | shop |
| Lug nut socket 19 mm, 1/2 in drive, thin wall Removes the M12x1.5 lug nuts without marring the alloy wheels. | Required | shop |
| Socket 12 mm 6-point, 3/8 in drive Removes the two caliper guide-pin bolts holding the caliper to the bracket. | Required | shop |
| Socket 17 mm 6-point, 1/2 in drive Removes the two caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts so the rotor can come off. | Required | shop |
| Ratchet and extensions 3/8 in and 1/2 in drive, 3 in and 6 in extensions Reach the bracket bolts behind the knuckle and the guide-pin bolts. | Required | shop |
| Rear caliper piston wind-back tool Cube/adapter type or screw-in disc brake tool kit The rear piston must be rotated clockwise while being pushed in; it will not compress with a clamp alone. | Required | shop |
| Needle-nose pliers Alternative to the cube tool for turning the slotted rear piston, and for the parking brake cable clip. | Recommended | shop |
| Impact driver or JIS screwdriver #3 JIS/Phillips, or 8 mm hex for hex-head screws Backs out the rotor retaining screws, which are usually seized and strip easily. | Required | shop |
| Rubber or dead-blow mallet 2 lb Frees a rust-stuck rotor from the hub. | Required | shop |
| Wire brush Steel, plus small hub cleaning brush Cleans rust and scale off the hub face so the new rotor sits flat. | Required | shop |
| Brake caliper hanger or bungee Holds the caliper up so the hose and parking brake cable are not stressed. | Recommended | shop |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 20-150 ft-lb Correctly torques lug nuts and caliper bracket bolts. | Required | shop |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 5-75 ft-lb Sets the lower-value caliper guide-pin bolts accurately. | Recommended | shop |
| Wire brush / file for bracket Small flat file Cleans the pad abutment surfaces on the bracket before fitting new clips. | Recommended | shop |
| Brake cleaner Non-chlorinated, 2 cans Removes protective oil from new rotors and cleans the hub and bracket. | Consumables | shop |
| Brake caliper grease Silicone/synthetic, high temp Lubricates guide pins, pad ears and the back of the pads to stop squeal. | Consumables | shop |
| Anti-seize Copper or nickel, small tube On the rotor retaining screw threads and a thin film on the hub face. | Consumables | shop |
| Brake fluid Honda DOT 3 Top off or check the reservoir; winding the piston back pushes fluid up. | Consumables | shop |
| Rear brake pad set 2013-2017 Accord rear, 2.4 L or 3.5 L specific The wear item being replaced; V6 and 2.4 use different pad sets. | Parts | shop |
| Rear rotors Pair; 2.4 L approx 280 mm, 3.5 L approx 305 mm Replaced with the pads; confirm diameter against your old rotor. | Parts | shop |
| Nitrile gloves and safety glasses Brake dust and cleaner spray are irritants. | Safety | shop |
Tool sizes are identical for the 2.4 L K24W and the 3.5 L J35Y: 12 mm guide-pin bolts, 17 mm bracket bolts, 19 mm lug nuts. Only the parts differ, with the V6 (and Sport/Touring) using a larger rear rotor, roughly 305 mm versus about 280 mm on the 2.4, so measure your old rotor before ordering.
| Wheel lug nuts | 80 ft-lb (108 Nm) |
| Rear caliper guide-pin bolts (12 mm head) | 17 ft-lb (23 Nm) |
| Rear caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts (17 mm head) | 40 ft-lb (54 Nm) |
| Rotor retaining screw | verify in the service manual (snug, roughly 7 ft-lb) |
| Brake hose banjo bolt (only if caliper removed from hose) | verify in the service manual |
The 12 mm guide-pin bolts, 17 mm bracket bolts and 19 mm lug nuts are consistent across all 2013-2017 Accord sedans and coupes with rear discs; confirm the caliper bracket bolt torque and rotor screw spec in a Honda service manual for your exact trim before final tightening.
Yes. The rear piston is a screw-in type connected to the parking brake, so you need a wind-back (cube) tool or a disc brake tool kit to rotate it clockwise as it retracts. Sturdy needle-nose pliers in the piston slots will work in a pinch, but the tool is safer.
The two caliper guide-pin bolts take a 12 mm socket and torque to about 17 ft-lb. The two caliper bracket bolts behind the knuckle take a 17 mm socket at roughly 40 ft-lb, and the lug nuts are 19 mm at 80 ft-lb.
No. These Accords use a conventional foot-pedal or hand parking brake with cables to the rear calipers, so no service mode or scan tool is required. Just cycle the pedal and parking brake several times after reassembly so the rear self-adjusters take up.
First make sure the retaining screw is out, using a hand impact driver with a #3 JIS or 8 mm hex bit. Then soak the hub center with penetrant and tap the rotor face between the studs with a dead-blow mallet, or thread a bolt into the threaded puller hole in the rotor hat to push it off.