2003-2011 Honda Accord Front vs Rear Brakes: What Wears First and What to Replace

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

On a 2003-2007 Honda Accord the front brakes wear first, and the rear pads or shoes usually outlast two or more sets of fronts. On a 2008-2011 Accord the answer can flip: the rear pads on many 2008-2010 cars wore out in roughly 15,000 to 24,000 miles, sometimes before the fronts, because of how the brake system balanced the load. Check both ends every time a wheel comes off, and replace pads in axle sets with the rotors measured, not guessed.

Two generations, two different brake setups

The years 2003-2011 cover two Accord generations, and they do not share rear brakes. Knowing which one you have is the first step to buying the right parts.

Seventh generation (2003-2007). Honda built this car with two brake systems. The lower trims (the DX, and many 4-cylinder LX cars) got the smaller front brakes and drum brakes in the rear. The EX and the V6 cars typically got larger front brakes and rear discs with single-piston floating calipers and a parking brake built into the rear caliper. Some LX cars went either way depending on engine and the level of ABS and stability control, and special editions break the rules, so look at the back of the wheel or order by VIN rather than by trim name alone. The smaller system generally rode on 15-inch wheels and the larger one on 16-inch or bigger.

Eighth generation (2008-2012, covering 2008-2011 here). Every trim has four-wheel disc brakes: ventilated front rotors and solid rear rotors. Honda's own 2008 sedan specifications list 11.1-inch front and 11.1-inch rear rotors on the LX and LX-P, and 11.8-inch fronts with 11.1-inch rears on the EX, EX-L and V6 models. ABS, Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), Brake Assist and Vehicle Stability Assist with traction control were standard on every 2008 sedan.

Why the fronts normally wear first

When you brake, weight shifts forward onto the front tires, so the front brakes do most of the stopping on a front-heavy, front-wheel-drive sedan like the Accord. That is why the front rotors are bigger and vented and the rears are smaller and solid. On a seventh-generation car, expect to do front pads several times before the rear drums or rear pads need attention. Rear drums in particular last a long time, but the shoes, wheel cylinders and self-adjusters still need a look when the fronts are done.

Neither generation relies on a mechanical proportioning valve. All seventh-generation Accords have Electronic Brake Distribution, which uses the ABS system to set how much pressure goes to the rear. That electronic balance is also part of why the eighth generation behaves differently.

The 2008-2010 rear pad problem

Owners of 2008-2010 Accords (and the related 2009-2010 Acura TSX) reported rear pads wearing out at roughly 15,000 to 24,000 miles, against a normal expectation of around 70,000. Technicians pointed to a combination of causes: the electronic brake distribution sending more of the braking load to the rear than on older designs, rear brakes that are small for that load, rear calipers that tend to stick and drag, and an original rear pad compound that was too soft for the job.

A class action over the rear pads was settled with court approval in July 2010. It covered all 2008-2009 Accords, all 2009 TSXs, and only a small number of 2010 cars identified by VIN. Honda denied the allegations and did not issue a recall, but it released revised rear pads; the improved Honda part number cited for the fix is 43022-TA0-A40. Honda also told dealers that rotor refinishing should rarely be needed on these rear brakes.

What this means for you: if you own a 2008-2011 Accord, do not assume the rears are fine because the fronts still have life. Pull a rear wheel and measure. If the rear pads are wearing much faster than the fronts, check that both rear caliper slide pins move freely and that the pistons retract, and install a quality pad with shims rather than the cheapest set.

Symptoms and how to check each end

• Squeal while driving that stops when you brake. That is the wear indicator tab touching the rotor. On the front pads it sits on the inboard pad, at the top. Replace pads soon.
• Grinding. The friction material is gone and the backing plate is cutting the rotor. Replace pads and rotors together.
• Vibration or judder in the steering wheel. Uneven rotor wear (thickness variation). Honda issued a service bulletin in 2007 for 2003-2007 4-cylinder Accords with this complaint; the fix was new pads and refinished rotors.
• Uneven wear side to side, or one hot wheel after a drive. A sticking caliper or seized slide pin, a known contributor on the 2008-2010 rears.
• Clunk on initial braking. On the seventh generation, check the upper control arm bushings and ball joint before blaming the brakes.

Pads should be replaced once the friction material is worn below 1.6 mm. For rotors, measure thickness at eight points around the disc about 10 mm in from the outer edge; the difference between readings should not exceed 0.015 mm, and runout should not exceed 0.10 mm. These seventh-generation service figures come from Honda's published procedure:

For 2008-2011 cars, use the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor or listed in the factory service manual.

What to replace, and what to replace with it

Front job. Replace front brake pads as an axle set, and resurface or replace the rotors if they are under minimum thickness, out of spec for thickness variation, or scored. Many technicians report seventh-generation front rotors can be turned at least once; if yours are near the limit, new brake rotors save a comeback.

Stick with ceramic. These Accords were designed around ceramic friction material. A more aggressive semi-metallic pad can push more heat into the caliper piston and fluid. Ceramic brake pads are the right match for daily driving.

Do not skip the shims and hardware. Honda uses clip-on shim sets, including a two-piece shim on the front inboard pad, to stop vibration from reaching the lighter caliper and knuckle. Reuse good shims or install new ones, and replace worn abutment clips with a brake hardware kit. Clean the slide pins and relubricate them with silicone-based caliper grease; put a light coat of molybdenum-based lubricant on the pad retainers and pad backs.

Rear drums (2003-2007 base cars). Replace brake shoes in axle sets, check the wheel cylinders for seepage, and make sure the self-adjusters work.

Rear discs. On the 2003-2007 rear caliper, the piston has a notch that must line up with the tab on the inboard pad, because the parking brake works through the caliper. Retract the piston with the correct caliper piston tool rather than a plain C-clamp. On 2008-2010 cars, if a rear caliper is dragging, a replacement from our brake calipers collection fixes the root cause instead of eating another set of pads.

Fluid. If the job included opening the system or replacing a caliper, bleed it. Honda's seventh-generation procedure bleeds left front, right front, right rear, then left rear, with the reservoir kept at MAX. A spongy pedal afterward can mean air in the ABS modulator; cycle the ABS and bleed again. Use the brake fluid type printed on your reservoir cap and in your owner's manual.

How hard is the job?

A front pad and rotor job on either generation is a reasonable driveway job with basic hand tools, a torque wrench and a caliper piston tool. One tip from Honda technicians: remove the bolt holding the front brake hose bracket to the knuckle first, so the caliper can be hung out of the way without stressing the hose. Do not let the caliper pin spin in its bore when removing the flange bolt; hold the flats with a wrench. For the seventh generation, the published caliper flange bolt torque is 26 ft-lb on the smaller front system and 37 ft-lb on the larger one. For the eighth generation, torque to the value in the factory service manual.

Rear discs are slightly more work because of the parking brake mechanism, and rear drums take patience with springs and adjusters. On the seventh-generation Accord Hybrid, the hybrid system must be handled per service information before brake work. If you are not comfortable with any of this, the parts list above is what a shop will quote you anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my 2003-2007 Accord have rear drums or rear discs?

DX and many 4-cylinder LX cars have rear drums; EX and V6 cars typically have rear discs. Some LX and special edition cars differ, so look behind the rear wheel or order by VIN.

Why are my 2008-2010 Accord rear pads worn out before the fronts?

Electronic brake distribution puts a large share of braking on the rear, the rear brakes are small, calipers can drag, and the original rear pad compound was soft. Honda released a revised rear pad, part number 43022-TA0-A40.

Should I replace rotors every time I replace pads?

Not automatically. Measure them. Replace or refinish if they are under minimum thickness, have too much thickness variation or runout, or are scored or cracked.

Can I use semi-metallic pads on my Accord?

You can, but these cars were designed for ceramic friction material. Aggressive semi-metallic pads can add heat and noise. Ceramic is the better daily-driver choice.

Do I need to replace the front and rear brakes at the same time?

No. Replace each axle when it needs it, always as a left-and-right pair. Just inspect both ends at every service, especially on a 2008-2011 car.

Sources

1. Brake and Front End: Honda Accord Brake Repair Job 2003-2008 - seventh-generation drum vs disc by trim, EBD, ceramic pads, shims, rotor specs, pad limit, torque, bleed order, 2007 judder bulletin
2. Honda News: 2008 Honda Accord Sedan Specifications and Features - four-wheel disc brakes, rotor sizes by trim, standard ABS, EBD, Brake Assist and VSA
3. AA1Car: Honda Accord Rear Brake Wear - 2008-2010 rear pad wear mileage, causes, revised pad part number
4. Class Law Group: Honda and Acura Brake Pads Class Action - covered models and years, July 2010 settlement approval, Honda dealer guidance on rotor refinishing