How to Change the Brake Pads and Rotors on a 2005 to 2015 Toyota Tacoma

Replacing your truck’s brake pads and rotors is a common repair that helps maintain a healthy, reliable brake system, and prevents premature wear to other parts of the braking system. This video and included instructions explain how to perform a brake job on a 2013 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road equipped with a V-6 engine, and repair procedures will be similar for most 2005 to 2015 Toyota Tacoma models. It’s important to find brake maintenance and repair information in your service manual to understand specific locations, specs, and steps for your exact vehicle before beginning your repairs. Choose the right brake pads for your vehicle, as well as the right rotors, hand tools, and more at O’Reilly Auto Parts to maintain a healthy, responsive braking system in your Tacoma. If you’re looking for more instructional videos or automotive advice, visit our How-To Hub for articles on when to change your brakes and much more to help you get the job done right.

Tools & Materials

Safety Glasses Safety Glasses

Gloves Nitrile Gloves

Shop Brake Pads Import Direct Brake Pads

Shop Brake Rotors Import Direct Brake Rotors

Breaker Bar Breaker Bars

lug wrench Lug Wrenches

Wheel Clocks Wheel Chocks

Jacks and Jack Stand Jack Stands

Brake Cleaner Brake Cleaner

New bleeder tool Brake Bleeder Tool

Brake Caliper Compressor Tool Brake Pad Spreader

Steps to Replace Your Tacoma’s Brakes

Brake pads and brake rotors are key components of your Toyota Tacoma’s braking system that help slow your truck down when you apply pressure to the brake pedal. Your Tacoma’s brake pads compress against the brake rotors, using friction to slow the wheels of your truck for smooth stopping. Inspecting and replacing bad brake pads and rotors on your 2005 to 2015 Toyota Tacoma helps maintain a healthy braking system for safe, responsive driving under any conditions. Signs that your brake pads or rotors are worn include grinding or squeaking noises while braking, or you may feel pulsing, shaking, or vibrations in the brake pedal. It’s good practice to replace your truck’s brake pads and rotors at the same time, since they have presumably had the same usage and wear, and are likely to fail at similar intervals. Warping, cracking, and other signs of failing brake components can affect braking distance, response, and overall handling, potentially putting you and others in danger if your braking components fail to stop your truck quickly. Our detailed video and instructions can guide you through a brake pad and rotor replacement on your 2005 to 2015 Toyota Tacoma to keep your brake system working as it should.


Our O’Reilly expert loosens the lug nuts on the wheel of a 2013 Toyota Tacoma.

Step 1: Prepare Your Tacoma

Park on a level surface. Use a breaker bar and a 19mm socket or lug wrench to loosen the lug nuts on your front wheels.
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The back wheels are chocked and the front end is lifted with a Power Torque hydraulic jack.

Chock the rear wheels. Lift and support the front end of the truck.
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Our expert removes the lug nuts of one of the front wheels and then removes the wheels entirely.

Step 2: Remove Your Front Wheels

Remove the lug nuts and the front wheels. Turn the steering wheel away from the side you’re working on for easier access to the caliper.
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In three images, our expert uses a punch and hammer to remove the slide pins, then uses a screwdriver and pliers to remove other clips and pins on the brake caliper.

Step 3: Remove Your Caliper Pins and Clips

Remove the spring clip from the inside of the slide pins. Use a punch and hammer to tap the slide pins toward the outside of the caliper. Remove the pins and the retainer clip. If needed, use a flathead screwdriver between the rotor and brake pads to compress the caliper piston slightly.
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Remove Your Old Brake Components

In two images, the old brake caliper is removed from the vehicle.

Step 4: Remove Your Old Brake Pads

Make sure you have enough room to remove your old brake pads. Once you have enough space, remove the old brake pads from the caliper. Needle-nose pliers can make this step a little easier.
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Our expert uses a ratchet and 12mm socket to remove the mounting bolt and bracket to the brake line.

Step 5: Remove Your Brake Line

Use a ratchet and a 12mm socket to remove the brake line mounting bolt and bracket.
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In two images, a ratchet and 17mm socket is used to loosen the caliper bolts.

Step 6: Loosen Your Caliper Bolts

Use a ratchet and 17mm socket to loosen the two caliper bolts. When you remove the second bolt, the caliper will be loose, so secure the caliper with your other hand.
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Our expert moves and suspends the caliper next to the Tacoma’s wheel area, out of the way of your working space.

Suspend the caliper out of the way, making sure there’s no pressure on the brake hose.
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In three images, the old brake rotor is removed from the vehicle. Our expert uses a hammer to knock the old rotor loose.

Step 7: Remove Your Old Rotor

You may need to use a hammer to knock it loose.
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Install Your New Brake Components

Silicone grease is applied to the vehicle hub before installing the new rotor.

Step 8: Install Your New Rotor

Install your new rotor, and use one of the wheel lug nuts to hold it in place as you continue to work. Adding silicone brake grease to the hub before installing your new rotor will make it easier to remove it during your next brake service.
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Our expert applies brake cleaner to a shop rag to wipe down your caliper pistons.

Step 9: Clean Your Pistons

Clean the exposed portion of your caliper pistons with brake cleaner on a towel or rag.

Do It Right: If the rubber boot is cracked or if there’s brake fluid leaking, the caliper needs to be replaced.

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Bleed Your Brakes

In two images, our expert attaches a bleeder tool to the brake caliper and opens the valve.

Step 10: Open Your Bleeder

Attach your bleeder tool and open the bleeder valve by turning it counter-clockwise.
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A brake caliper compressor is used on the brake caliper and the bleeder valve is tightened.

Step 11: Compress Your Calipers

Compress the brake caliper with a brake caliper compressor tool. Use an old brake pad to protect the pistons. When you’re done, the pistons should be flush with the housing. Tighten the bleeder valve, being careful not to let any air into the line.
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In three images, the caliper is reinstalled onto the new rotor and the caliper bolts are threaded and secured.

Step 12: Reinstall Your Caliper

Reinstall the caliper on the rotor and thread the two caliper bolts by hand. Use your 17mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the bolts to 91 foot pounds.
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Our expert lubricates the contact points on the new brake pads and installs them onto the vehicle.

Step 13: Install Your New Brake Pads

Lubricate the contact points on the new brake pads with 100% silicone grease and install your new brake pads in the caliper. Be sure not to get any grease on the friction side of the pads or the rotor.
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Brake cleaner and silicone grease is applied to a shop cloth to apply to your caliper slide pins.

Step 14: Reinstall Your Clips & Pins

Clean the slide pins with brake cleaner then apply some fresh silicone grease.
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In three images, our expert reinstalls the retainer clip, the bottom slide pin, and the remaining slide pins.

Reinstall the top slide pin and the retainer clip. Hold the retainer clip in place as you install the bottom slide pin. Install the spring clip that holds the slide pins against the caliper and make sure it’s secure.
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The brake hose mount bracket is reinstalled and secured with a socket and ratchet.

Step 15: Reinstall Your Brake Hose

Reinstall the brake hose mounting bracket and bolt and tighten using a 12mm socket and ratchet.
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Our expert removes a lug nut that kept the rotor in place on the hub.

Step 16: Remove The Lug Nut

Remove the lug nut you used to keep the rotor in place and be sure you’ve removed your caliper hanger.
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Final Installation Steps

The front wheels of the Tacoma are reinstalled.

Step 17: Reinstall Your Front Wheels

Reinstall the wheel and tighten the lug nuts until the wheel is secure against the rotor.

Do It Right: It’s always a good idea to change brake pads and rotors in pairs, so repeat these steps on the other side.

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Our expert uses a socket and torque wrench to tighten the lug nuts, removes the wheel chocks, and lowers the front end of the vehicle.

Lower the front end and remove the wheel chocks.
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Once all four wheels are level on the floor, our expert tightens the lug nuts further to secure them.

Step 18: Secure the Wheel Lug Nuts

Use your 19mm socket and torque wrench to tighten the nuts in a star pattern to 83 foot pounds.
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In two images, our expert presses their foot on the brake and checks the brake fluid levels in the master cylinder.

Step 19: Test Your New Brakes

Once the job is complete, BEFORE you drive anywhere, be sure to pump your brake pedal several times until you feel the pressure return. Some brake fluid was pushed out when you compressed your pistons, so check your master cylinder and add fluid as needed.

If your brake pedal feels spongy, you may have air in your brake lines. To remove it, check out how to bleed your brakes How-To for a more thorough brake bleeding process.

To help break in the new components, it’s a good idea to test drive your vehicle. While driving, accelerate your Tacoma up to 30mph and then brake with moderate pressure. Allow the brakes to cool for 30 seconds before trying it again. Repeat this process again until you’ve completed the process 30 times.

Try to avoid aggressive stops during this break-in process. Your brakes will probably smell after you’ve done this, and that’s okay. If the odor persists past five hundred miles or so, or if you have excessive dust on a wheel, you may have a stuck caliper.
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Additional Resources

BrakeBest Select brake pads and rotors group

Which Brake Pads Are Best For My Vehicle?
BrakeBest brake pads family shot

How Do Brakes Work?
brake tire marks on road

Top Symptoms of Brake Component Failure

Replacing your truck’s brake pads and rotors is a common repair that helps maintain a healthy, reliable brake system, and prevents premature wear to other parts of the braking system. This video and included instructions explain how to perform a brake job on a 2013 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road equipped with a V-6 engine, and repair procedures will be similar for most 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, and 2015 Toyota Tacoma models. It’s important to find brake maintenance and repair information in your service manual to understand specific locations, specs, and steps for your exact vehicle before beginning your repairs. Choose the right brake pads for your vehicle, as well as the right rotors, hand tools, and more at O’Reilly Auto Parts to maintain a healthy, responsive braking system in your Tacoma. If you’re looking for more instructional videos or automotive advice, visit our How-To Hub for articles on when to change your brakes and much more to help you get the job done right.


The automotive repair work depicted in this series is performed under the direction of the manufacturer of the product featured. Prior to undertaking any of the demonstrated repairs on your vehicle, we suggest you consult with a certified mechanic or another professional who can adequately advise you of the proper repair or remedy required. O’Reilly Automotive Stores, Inc. and its affiliates (“O’Reilly”) disclaims any responsibility for injury or damage resulting from a viewer’s attempt to recreate the repairs shown in this series.