My 2009 Accord is making a grinding noise from the right rear wheel. Since I am a zealous user of the parking brake, I think it’s stuck. I’ve tried backing up and braking repeatedly to release it, but that hasn’t worked. So it’s repair time.
I’ve changed lots of front disc brakes before, but I’ve read that Hondas require special tools to remove the rotors, so I’ve not worked on my brakes on this car. (I did on my old 89 Accord DX sedan).
Is this something a shade tree mechanic can do, or do I need to call the local garage or dealership? If so, what’s the usual cost?
You need a large philips screwdriver to remove the screw holding the rotor to the hub.There are numerous Youtube videos on changing e-brake cables on Honda.
It might be a stuck rear caliper. I had that on my 2005 Accord in December. I did the replacement and you can too, if that is what it is. Do left and right rear at the same time. You will need to bleed the brakes when done, and without the proper tools, you will need a pal to pump the brakes.
What you need is an impact screwdriver with a #3 phillips head bit. The impact driver lets you use a 5 lb sledgehammer to loosen the screws holding the rotor to the hub. Soak the screws with penetrating oil (Deep Creep, PB Blaster, or the like) before you start. Impact drivers are under 20 bucks. Go to Google and type “impact screwdriver”. Good luck!!!
Around here be prepared to drill them out after the Phillips impact driver just cuts a nice cone shaped divot in the screw. Some here will disagree but I never replace those screws so I only have to drill them enough to get the rotors off, I don’t bother to remove the remains of the screws.
To me they seem to serve the same purpose as the speed clips American cars used to hold the drums on. We never replaced them either.
So it tuned out to be a worm out inner brake pad on the right rear. It was grinding against the rotor. I replaces it this evening with the help of a neighbor who has the cube tool for screwing in the piston.
How did the outer pad look? You did replace both pads, right? What about the other side? You should always replace all rear pads or all front pads at the same time. If there was excessive wear on only the right side, there is something wrong with the caliper.
I normally do, but the set I bought at Advance Auto parts didn’t match the pads on the car. There is a large metal clip on the replacement pads that blocks the caliper. So I had to leave the original pad on the outside and just replace the inner pad, which was worn down to the metal. hence the grinding noise.
There’s about a half inch still left on the outer pad. If I can get the darn clip off, I’ll replace that one too.
And yes, the inner pad was severely worn, while the outer wasn’t so I guess I have a brake caliper problem.
On some hub designs the rotor and hub and wheel bearing all get involved with rotor removal, but I don’t think that’s the case on your Accord. As said above, to remove the rotor I think all that’s necessary is to move the caliper out of the way, remove a couple of small phillips-head screws that are there only to prevent the rotor from falling off the hub and landing on your foot when the wheel is removed, and pull it off. Removing the phillips-head screws can be a challenge unless you have an impact screwdriver, the kind that you whack with a small hammer to get the screw to budge.
Sound like you have a temporary fix in place for the worn pad, but the advice above to replace both pads on both sides of the same axle with due speed is sound.
The large metal clip is a wear monitor. It goes on the outside of the rotor and the pad clamp fits over it. If the pad doesn’t fit, you may have the wrong pads.
Okay so here’s the update. I fought for two weeks to get the top bolt off the left rear caliper. Destroyed three sockets and more extensions.
Finally found an old Craftsman 17mm socket in the toolbox and got the darn thing loose.Now I can replace the pads on the driver side.
the problem is, the pads I got from Advance Auto Parts, all have a big metal clip on the outer pad that doesn’t fit under the caliper. I went back to the store to exchange them and all the pads in the system have this damn clip. It seems to be in the way, and the pads that are on there now don’t have this.
See attached pics if you please.
Thanks JT, I’ll try it that way. I happen to have two other boxes of brake pads in the garage and they all have this clip on them, so I guess I have to figure out how to mount them with the dumb thing in place.
