How to Change a Caliper on the Rear Brakes of a 2007 Nissan Altima

Nissan launched the Altima in 1993 as the replacement for the aging and oddly named Stanza. The Altima gave Nissan the more modern look it needed with its more curvaceous body, as opposed to the boxy look of the Stanza. By 2007, Nissan had turned the Altima into one of the sharpest-looking sedans on the market. The 2007 Altima came standard with four-wheel disc brakes. Changing the rear caliper on the Altimas disc brakes is a simple process, but you must bleed the brakes afterward.

Instructions

Loosen the lug nuts on the tire on the rear of the Altima with the failed caliper, using a ratchet and socket. Kick a set of wheel chocks in front of the front wheels. Raise the rear of the vehicle with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the vehicles rear suspension cross-member. Remove the lug nuts and pull the rear wheel off the vehicle.

Hand-tighten two lug nuts onto the wheel studs to secure the rotor onto the hub.

Slide a drain pan under the failed rear caliper and remove the bolt securing the hose to the caliper, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the brake hose from the caliper. Remove the bolt and the two brass washers from the brake hose.

Remove the two bolts securing the caliper to its bracket, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the caliper off its bracket and leave the brake pads inside the caliper bracket.

Slide the new caliper onto the bracket. Hand-thread the caliper bolts, then torque them to 32 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Guide one new brass washer -- two washers come with the new caliper -- onto the brake hose bolt, then slide the second new washer onto the bolt.

Set the brake hose onto the caliper so that the L-shaped pin on the end of the hose inserts into the hole in the caliper. Hand-thread the brake hose bolt into the caliper and torque it to 13 foot-pounds. Remove the lug nuts securing the rotor.

Reinstall the rear wheel onto the rear hub and hand-tighten the lug nuts.

Open the hood and loosen the negative battery cable end with a combination wrench. Pull the negative cable end from the battery and set it aside to prevent accidental reconnection.

Fill the brake master cylinder to the Max line with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid.

Lift the front of the Altima with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the vehicles subframe. Lower the vehicle onto the jack stands.

Press one end of a 3-foot-long, 1/4-inch inside diameter rubber hose onto the bleeder valve on the rear of the rear-right caliper. Set the other end of the rubber hose into a clean and clear container.

Fill the clean and clear container with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid until fluid submerges the free end of the rubber hose.

Instruct an assistant to press and release the brake pedal four or five times, then hold it down. Loosen the bleeder valve a full turn with a combination wrench and watch the submerged end of the hose for air bubbles. Tighten the bleeder valve with a combination wrench. Repeat this step until no air bubbles come from the rubber hose.

Refill the master cylinder to the Max line with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid.

Repeat steps 3 through 7 to bleed the remaining three wheels, in the following order: front left, rear left, then front right.

Raise the front of the Altima from the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the front of the vehicle to the ground. Repeat this step on the rear of the vehicle to lower it the rest of the way to the ground.

Tighten the lug nuts on the wheel with the new caliper, in a crisscross pattern, to 83 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and socket.

Take any old DOT 3 brake fluid to a nearby used automotive fluid recycling center for disposal. Some auto parts stores take old fluids free of charge.