How to Repair the Brakes on a 94 Toyota Celica

The 1994 Toyota Celica is available in four trim levels: ST coupe, ST liftback, GT coupe and GT liftback. All four trim levels come fitted with front disc brakes and semi-metallic brake pads. Over time, typically every 25,000 to 35,000 miles, the front brake pads need to be replaced. Towing and heavy cargo can lead to accelerated pad wear. Replacing the front brake pads on the 1994 Celica is a relatively easy task that requires only basic hand tools.

Instructions

Open the Celica's hood and remove the lid from the master cylinder reservoir, the plastic container on the drivers side of the firewall. Remove about half of the fluid in the reservoir, using a turkey baster, and put it in a clean container.

Loosen the front lug nuts slightly, with a ratchet and socket, do not remove them at this time. Place the floor jack under the Celica and raise it front wheels from the ground. Place the jack stands under the Celica's sub-frame and slowly lower the floor jack until the stands are holing the vehicle up. Resume loosening the lug nuts and pull the wheels from the vehicle.

Look on the rear of the brake caliper and locate the caliper bolts. Notice these bolts go through the caliper and into a sleeve. Place a combination wrench on the lower sleeve to hold it and remove the lower caliper bolt with a ratchet and socket. Place a combination wrench on the upper sleeve and loosen, but do not remove, the upper bolt with a ratchet and socket.

Pivot the caliper up, using the upper bolt as the pivot point. Attach the caliper to a nearby suspension component to hold it out of the way.

Remove the brake pad anti-squeal clips, the pair of thin-wire clips on top of the brake pads, by lightly squeezing the clips and pulling them upward.

Grab both brake pads and pull them from the brake assembly.

Place the old inner brake pad over the caliper piston, the hollow cylinder inside the brake caliper, an place an 8-inch C-clamp over the caliper so the screw portion is touching the brake pad and the fixed side touches the rear of the caliper. Tighten the C-clamp until the brake pad stops moving, then loosen and remove the C-clamp.

Place the new brake pads on to the brake assembly just as the old ones sat prior to removal. Make certain the wear indicator -- the curved metal clip -- is positioned at the top of the pad. Place the anti-squeal clips back on the top of the pads by inserting one side of each clip into the hole on the top of one pad, then squeeze the clips and insert the other ends into the hole on the opposite pad.

Remove the caliper from the bungee strap and pivot it down and over the brake pads. Tighten the upper and lower caliper bolts to 25 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench, socket and a combination wrench.

Repeat steps 2 through 8 for the brakes on the other side of the Celica.

Place the front wheels on the Celica and hand-tighten the lug nuts. Raise the vehicle from the jack stands, with the floor jack, remove the jack stands and slowly lower the car the the ground.

Tighten the lug nuts, in a crossing-pattern, to 80 foot-pounds, using the torque wrench and a socket.

Press and release the brake pedal repeatedly until it feels firm.

Check the fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir, it must be between the "Min" and "Max" lines on the reservoir. Add fluid from the container until the level is between the two marks. If any fluid remains in the container, dispose of it properly.

Close the Celica's hood.