2013-2017 Chevrolet Trax Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a Chevrolet Trax is one of the easier jobs on any small crossover: front disc brakes on every model, and at the rear either drums (front-wheel drive) or a single-piston disc caliper (all-wheel drive). Most owners replace front pads and rotors first, and the rear lasts much longer. The main things to get right are knowing which rear setup your Trax has, replacing the front abutment clips, and adjusting the rear drums or parking brake correctly.

How the Trax Brake System Is Laid Out

The Trax shares its brake hardware with the Buick Encore. Every Trax uses a sliding single-piston caliper on a front rotor. The rear depends on the drivetrain, and this is the single most important thing to confirm before you order parts:

The ABS modulator does more than prevent lockup. On the Trax it handles electronic brake force distribution (there is no separate proportioning valve), actively controls rear brake pressure, and runs hill start assist on equipped vehicles. Hill hold engages on grades over 5 percent and holds pressure for up to 2 seconds after you lift off the pedal, so a brief hold on a hill is normal, not a dragging brake.

US-market Trax models covered by the technical references start at 2015. If you own a 2013 or 2014 Trax sold outside the US, confirm the rear brake type on the vehicle itself before ordering.

Symptoms That Your Trax Needs Brakes

• High-pitched squeal while driving that goes away when you brake - this is usually the wear squealer on the inboard front pad touching the rotor. It means the pads are near the end of their life.
• Grinding or scraping - the pad backing plate or rear shoe is contacting metal. Stop driving on it; the rotor or drum is being damaged.
• Steering wheel shake or pedal pulsation when stopping - usually uneven rotor thickness. The Trax rotor spec allows only 0.001 inch of thickness variation and 0.002 inch of lateral runout, so it does not take much to feel it.
• Rattle or vibration from the rear on AWD models - the rear calipers use round dampeners on the upper guide pins to stop vibration. These rubber pieces degrade with age and can be replaced.
• Parking brake lever pulls up too far - on FWD models this points to rear shoe wear or an out-of-adjustment drum.
• Falling brake fluid level - the owner's manual notes the level drops as linings wear and comes back up when new linings go in. A low level with new pads, or a sudden rapid increase in pedal travel, points to a leak that needs attention right away.

Front Brake Job: Pads, Rotors and Clips

The front brakes wear first because they do most of the stopping, and the job has no surprises. The key points:

• Replace the abutment clips with the new pads. Reusing old clips is a common source of noise and uneven pad wear.
• Replace pads as complete sets - both sides of the axle, which is also what the owner's manual calls for.
• Measure or replace the rotors. If the rotors are scored, below minimum thickness, or cause pulsation, replace them. New brake rotors for the front axle paired with fresh pads gives the smoothest pedal.
• Clean the hub face before the rotor goes on, and check runout. Rust on the hub is a leading cause of runout, and the tolerance here is tight.
• Clean and lubricate the guide pins with brake-rated grease, and inspect the pin boots.

Torque the front caliper bracket bolts to 118 ft-lb and the caliper guide pin bolts to 21 ft-lb. Lug nuts go to 103 ft-lb, tightened in a star pattern with a torque wrench, not an impact gun. For a quiet, low-dust daily driver, ceramic brake pads are a good match for how most Trax owners drive.

Rear Brake Job: Drums (FWD) or Discs (AWD)

FWD Trax: rear drums and shoes

Rear drums on a light crossover last a long time, often through several sets of front pads. When the shoes do wear out, replace them as a set on both sides, and install a new brake hardware kit (springs and retainers) at the same time; tired springs cause dragging and noise. Inspect the wheel cylinders for seepage when the drums are off, and replace the drums if they are scored or worn past the limit cast into them.

Adjustment is the step people get wrong. Use a drum and shoe clearance gauge: set the shoes so the difference between the drum inside diameter and the shoe diameter is 0.40 to 0.9 mm. Final parking brake adjustment is made under the center console at the base of the hand lever. Replacement brake shoes are the main part you will need.

AWD Trax: rear disc brakes

AWD models use a single-piston rear caliper with a screw-type parking brake actuator. That means the piston must be turned back into the bore with a caliper piston tool, not pushed straight in with a C-clamp. Replace the guide pin dampeners if they are cracked or hard. Torque the rear caliper bracket bolts to 74 ft-lb and the guide pin bolts to 21 ft-lb.

What to Replace at the Same Time

• Rotors with pads when the rotors are near minimum thickness, scored, or causing pulsation. New pads on worn rotors often come back with noise or vibration.
• Hardware: abutment clips up front, springs and retainers on rear drums, guide pin dampeners on AWD rear calipers.
• Brake fluid: the Trax uses DOT 3 or DOT 4 as marked on the reservoir cap. Clean the cap and the area around it before opening, and keep the level between MIN and MAX. Old, dark fluid is a good reason to flush during a brake job.
• Calipers or hoses if a caliper is sticking (one pad worn far more than the other) or a hose is cracked. See our brake calipers if a caliper will not slide freely after cleaning.

How Hard Is the Job, and What Drives the Cost

A front pad and rotor job is a good first brake job for a home mechanic with a floor jack, jack stands and a torque wrench. The high bracket bolt torque means you need a wrench that reaches 118 ft-lb. Rear drums on FWD models take more patience because of the springs and the adjustment. The AWD rear calipers need the piston-winding tool.

Cost comes down to four things: pads only versus pads and rotors, one axle versus both, parts quality, and shop labor if you are not doing it yourself. A front pads-only job is the least expensive; adding rotors raises parts cost but usually saves a return visit for noise or pulsation. Rear shoes are needed far less often. Doing the work yourself removes the labor portion entirely, which is often the largest share of a shop bill. Browse our full range of brake pads and brake parts to price your own job.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Chevy Trax have rear disc or drum brakes?

It depends on the drivetrain. Front-wheel-drive Trax models use rear drum brakes. All-wheel-drive models use rear disc brakes with a single-piston caliper that also works the parking brake.

What brake fluid does a Chevy Trax use?

DOT 3 or DOT 4, as marked on the brake fluid reservoir cap. Check the cap on your vehicle and use that type.

Why is my Trax squealing when I am not braking?

The most common cause is the wear squealer on the inboard front pad contacting the rotor, which is a warning that the pads are nearly worn out. Inspect the front pads soon.

Can I push the rear caliper piston back with a C-clamp on an AWD Trax?

No. The rear caliper has a screw-type parking brake actuator, so the piston has to be rotated back into the bore with a caliper piston tool. Forcing it straight in can damage the caliper.

Do I need to replace rotors every time I change pads?

Not always. If the rotors are above minimum thickness, smooth, and within the 0.002 inch runout and 0.001 inch thickness variation limits, they can be reused. Many owners replace them anyway because worn rotors are the top cause of noise and pulsation after a pad change.

Is the Trax brake job the same as the Buick Encore?

The two share their brake layout: front discs on all models, rear drums on FWD and rear discs on AWD. Always confirm parts by year and drivetrain before ordering.

Sources

1. Brake and Front End: Brake Job, 2015-Current Chevy Trax and Buick Encore - FWD drum and AWD disc layout, abutment clips, inboard wear squealer, torque values, rotor runout and thickness variation, drum clearance
2. Tomorrow's Technician: Brake Job, Chevy Trax and Buick Encore - rear caliper screw-type parking brake actuator, guide pin dampeners, ABS brake force distribution, hill hold above 5 percent for up to 2 seconds
3. 2016 Chevrolet Trax Owner's Manual: Brakes and Brake Fluid - DOT 3 or DOT 4 per the reservoir cap, fluid level and lining wear, replace pads as complete sets, pedal travel warning