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Mechanically this is one of the easier modern rear brake jobs: a floating single-piston caliper, two 14 mm guide bolts, two 17 mm bracket bolts, and a hub-mounted rotor with no retaining screws. The one thing that makes the XU70 different from an older Highlander is the electric parking brake motor bolted to the back of each rear caliper. You cannot simply wind or clamp the piston back — the EPB has to be commanded into maintenance mode with a scan tool first, and re-initialized when you are done.
The mistake people make is buying pads and rotors, getting the wheel off, and only then discovering they need a bidirectional tool. A basic code reader will not do it; you need something with Toyota EPB service functions. The second most common problem is a rotor rust-welded to the hub — use the two M8 jacking holes in the rotor hat rather than beating on the friction surface.
| Item | Type | Product search |
|---|---|---|
| OBD2 scan tool with Toyota EPB service mode Bidirectional (Techstream, Autel, Launch, Foxwell NT530-class) Releases the electric parking brake motors so the rear pistons can be retracted, then re-initializes the EPB afterward. | Required | search retailer |
| Floor jack 2 ton minimum, low profile Lifts the rear of the vehicle at the pinch weld or rear subframe lift points. | Required | search retailer |
| Jack stands 2 ton pair minimum Supports the vehicle while both rear wheels are off. | Safety | search retailer |
| Wheel chocks Front wheels must be chocked because the parking brake will be released electronically. | Safety | search retailer |
| Breaker bar or impact wrench 1/2 in drive Loosens the 21 mm lug nuts and the 17 mm caliper bracket bolts. | Required | search retailer |
| Lug nut socket 21 mm, 1/2 in drive, thin-wall or protective sleeve XU70 Highlander wheel nuts are 21 mm; thin wall protects alloy wheel seats. | Required | search retailer |
| Socket set 14 mm and 17 mm 6-point, 3/8 in and 1/2 in drive 14 mm for the caliper guide (slide) bolts, 17 mm for the caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts. | Required | search retailer |
| Ratchet 3/8 in drive General fastener work in the tight space behind the rear wheel. | Required | search retailer |
| Combination wrench 14 mm Holds the slide pin flats if a guide bolt spins the pin instead of loosening. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Caliper piston compressor / C-clamp Large C-clamp or brake piston press Pushes the rear piston back once the EPB motor has been retracted in service mode. | Required | search retailer |
| Bungee cord or wire hook Hangs the caliper body so the EPB motor wiring and brake hose are not stressed. | Required | search retailer |
| Wire brush and small file Cleans rust and scale off the bracket abutment surfaces and hub face so pads and rotor sit flat. | Required | search retailer |
| Hammer 3 lb dead blow or ball peen Shocks a rust-stuck rotor off the hub. | Required | search retailer |
| M8 x 1.25 bolts Two, about 40-50 mm long, plus 12/13 mm socket Threaded into the rotor's jacking holes to press a seized rotor off without hammering. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 1/2 in drive, 30-150 ft-lb Torques the bracket bolts and the wheel nuts to spec. | Required | search retailer |
| Torque wrench 3/8 in drive, 10-80 ft-lb Accurate torque on the smaller 14 mm caliper guide bolts. | Recommended | search retailer |
| Brake caliper slide pin grease Silicone/synthetic high-temp caliper grease Lubricates the guide pins, pad ears and shim contact points. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Brake cleaner Chlorine-free aerosol, 2 cans Removes protective oil from new rotors and cleans the bracket and hub. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Penetrating oil Frees rust-bonded rotors and corroded bracket bolts. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Rear brake pad set OE Toyota or equivalent for XU70 Highlander, includes shims The wear item being replaced; keep the anti-squeal shims that come with the set. | Parts | search retailer |
| Rear brake rotors Pair, 12.9 in / 328 mm on most XU70 (verify by measuring your rotor) Replaced with the pads for even bedding and full pedal feel. | Parts | search retailer |
| Pad abutment clips / hardware kit Rear, XU70 Rusty abutment clips cause uneven pad wear and stuck pads; cheap insurance. | Parts | search retailer |
| Anti-seize (nickel or copper) Thin film on the hub face only, never on friction or thread contact surfaces of the lug studs. | Consumables | search retailer |
| Nitrile gloves and safety glasses Brake dust and brake cleaner spray are both nasty. | Safety | search retailer |
Rear brake hardware is the same across the 3.5 V6, the 2023+ 2.4 turbo and the Hybrid: 21 mm lug nuts, 14 mm caliper guide bolts, 17 mm bracket bolts. Larger wheel and trim packages (Limited, Platinum, XSE) can use a larger rear rotor diameter, so measure the old rotor or order by VIN. Grand Highlander is a different platform and is not covered here.
| Wheel nuts | 76 ft-lb (103 Nm) |
| Rear caliper guide (slide) bolts, 14 mm head | verify in the service manual (typically about 20 ft-lb / 27 Nm) |
| Rear caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts, 17 mm head | verify in the service manual (typically about 65-77 ft-lb / 88-104 Nm) |
| Brake hose/bracket clip bolt | verify in the service manual |
Yes, in practice. The rear calipers have electric parking brake motors, and they must be retracted with a scan tool's EPB maintenance mode before the piston can be pushed back, then re-initialized afterward. A plain code reader will not do it.
The two caliper guide (slide) bolts take a 14 mm socket, and the two caliper bracket-to-knuckle bolts take a 17 mm socket. Lug nuts are 21 mm.
76 ft-lb (103 Nm), tightened in a star pattern with the vehicle on the ground. Re-check them after 50-100 miles.
Soak the hub area with penetrating oil, then thread two M8 x 1.25 bolts into the threaded jacking holes in the rotor hat and tighten them alternately to press the rotor off. A dead blow hammer on the hat helps; do not strike the friction surface.