How to Replace Brakes on a 1995 Honda Accord

Your Accord's brake pads are the components that absorb the energy and heat created when come to a stop. The friction material in brake pads wear down over time. The brake pads on your Accord must maintain a minimum thickness of 1/16 inch. If any of the pads are nearing the minimum thickness, you should replace all of your Accord's brake pads. This repair procedure does not require special tools and is relatively simple to perform at home.

Instructions

Raise your Accord and support it with jack stands. Remove the front wheels. Start on one side's brake assembly.

Remove the cap on the master-cylinder reservoir in the engine compartment.

Install your C-clamp onto the brake caliper. Use the screw end of the clamp to push the piston into the caliper bore.

Check the master-cylinder reservoir to see if the brake fluid level had risen and that it didn't overflow. Use a syringe to remove any excessive fluid.

Spray brake cleaner on the caliper and brake pads and wipe off the brake dust.

Loosen and remove the lower mounting bolt on the caliper using a box-head wrench.

Lift up the caliper. Take the outer pad shim, then the outer brake pad, out of the bracket. Repeat for the inner shim and pad. Differentiate the shims when installing the new pads.

Coat the new brake-pad baking plates with anti-squeal compound per the manufacturer's instructions on the bottle.

Insert the pad retainers in the caliper-mounting bracket. Apply a thin layer of silicone grease to the retainers. Insert the pads and shims into their respective sides of the bracket.

Remove the C-clamp from the caliper. Be sure that the piston has depressed into the bore enough to clear room for the new pads.

Position the caliper back into place and install the lower mounting bolt. Torque the bolt to 54 foot-pounds, using your torque wrench.

Repeat the procedure for the other brake assembly.

Install the wheels when finished replacing the brake pads. Lower your Accord and check the brake fluid level. Fill the reservoir with DOT 3 brake fluid, if necessary.

Pump the brake pedal several times for the piston in the caliper to move into place before test-driving your Accord.