EBC Brakes for the Hyundai Elantra: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

If you drive a 2007-2008 Hyundai Elantra sedan with the 2.0L engine, the EBC front pad that fits is the Redstuff ceramic set DP31643C. If you drive a 2009-2012 Elantra Touring 2.0L, the Touring uses a different front pad shape, and EBC offers it in two compounds: Redstuff DP31562C and Greenstuff 2000 Series DP21562. The rest of this guide explains how to tell which car you have, how the two compounds differ, and what to check before you order.

Which EBC Pads Fit Which Elantra

The Elantra name covers more than one car in these years. The 2007-2008 sedan and the 2009-2012 Elantra Touring wagon are different platforms, and their front calipers take different pads. That is why the part numbers do not cross over. Ordering by "Elantra" alone is the most common way people end up with a pad that will not seat in the caliper bracket.

To confirm which one you own, look at the badge on the tailgate and the body style. The Touring is the wagon with a rear hatch. Your registration or a VIN decode will also show the model name. If your car is a 2009 or later sedan rather than the Touring, none of the three pads above is listed for it, so browse our full brake pad selection by vehicle instead.

Redstuff vs Greenstuff: How the Two Compounds Differ

Both are street pads made for lighter cars, and both are a step up in bite from a basic replacement pad. They are aimed at slightly different owners.

EBC Redstuff (DP31643C and DP31562C)

EBC describes Redstuff as an aramid fiber based pad enhanced with ceramic granules, with zero metallic or steel fibers and no lead, nickel, copper or antimony sulfides. The headline feature is dust: EBC calls it probably the lowest dusting pad on the market, and says the small amount of dust it does make washes off with a simple sponge. EBC rates it at a 10 to 15 percent increase in braking performance over original equipment pads, and says it lasts about as long as OEM semi-metallic pads. EBC lists it for modern cars including hatchbacks, hot hatches and sedans, which is exactly where an Elantra sits.

EBC Greenstuff 2000 Series (DP21562)

Greenstuff 2000 is EBC's sport street pad for lighter sedans and hot hatches, and EBC says it suits modern Euro and Asian models alike. EBC lists a nominal friction coefficient of 0.55 and a nominal 10 to 15 percent brake improvement. EBC describes its dust as medium to low and says it has improved resistance to heat fade at higher speeds. It contains no lead, copper or toxic sulfides.

Which one to pick

• Pick Redstuff if clean wheels matter most and you drive mostly in traffic and on the highway. It gives a firmer bite than a basic pad with the least dust.
• Pick Greenstuff 2000 on the Touring if you drive hilly roads, often carry a loaded cargo area, or brake hard from speed and want a bit more initial bite. Expect somewhat more dust than Redstuff.

Signs Your Elantra Needs Front Pads

Front pads do most of the stopping on a front-wheel-drive car like the Elantra, so they usually wear first. Common signs:

• A high-pitched squeal while driving that goes away when you press the brake. That is usually the wear indicator tab touching the rotor.
• A grinding or metal-on-metal sound, which means the friction material is gone and the backing plate is cutting the rotor. Stop driving on it.
• A longer pedal, or a car that takes more distance to stop than it used to.
• Pulsation through the pedal or steering wheel under braking, which points to rotors with thickness variation rather than the pads themselves.
• Pad material you can see through the wheel spokes that looks close to the backing plate.

A soft or sinking pedal, or brake lights that do not come on, is not a pad problem. Those point to the hydraulics or to the stop lamp switch covered in the recall section below.

What to Replace at the Same Time

New pads only perform as well as the surface they rub against. EBC notes that all pads make more dust while bedding in, especially when rotors are worn, and a fresh compound laid on a grooved or warped rotor will be noisy and slow to seat.

• Rotors: Measure them against the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor or listed in the factory service manual. If they are below it, scored, or causing pulsation, replace them. See our brake rotors.
• Hardware: Abutment clips and slide pin boots get tired on cars this age. A brake hardware kit keeps the new pads sliding freely and quietly.
• Calipers: If one pad is worn far more than the other, or the car pulls, check the slide pins and piston. A sticking caliper will chew through any compound. See brake calipers.
• Brake fluid: Use the fluid type printed on the reservoir cap or in the owner's manual, and flush it if it is dark or overdue.

Installing and Bedding EBC Pads on an Elantra

Swapping front pads on an Elantra is a job most home mechanics can handle with basic hand tools, a piston tool or C-clamp, and jack stands. Lift the car safely, remove the wheel, remove the caliper slide bolts, hang the caliper so it does not stretch the hose, press the piston back, swap pads and clips, clean and grease the slide pins, and reinstall. Torque the caliper and bracket bolts and the lug nuts to the values in the factory service manual. Pump the pedal until it is firm before you move the car.

Bedding matters with EBC pads. Both compounds carry EBC's Brake-in surface coating to speed up seating. EBC says the first 40 to 50 miles of driving condition the pad surface, and that bedding in to full performance can take as much as 500 miles. Drive gently for the first stretch, avoid panic stops and long hard braking while the pads settle, and expect the pedal to feel stronger as the pads seat.

Elantra Brake Recalls to Check First

Before you spend money on pads, run your VIN at NHTSA. Two recalls touch the brake system on these cars:

• NHTSA 13V113000 (stop lamp switch): covers 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring, among other Hyundai models. A faulty stop lamp switch can keep the brake lights from coming on, stop the brake pedal from cancelling cruise control, and let the shifter move out of Park without the brake applied. Dealers replace the switch free of charge.
• NHTSA 20V061000 (ABS module): covers certain 2007-2010 Elantra and 2009-2011 Elantra Touring vehicles. Moisture can enter the ABS module and cause an electrical short that can lead to an engine compartment fire, even with the car off. Dealers install a relay in the main junction box, free of charge.

Neither recall is fixed by new pads, but either one can explain brake light or warning light complaints that owners sometimes blame on worn brakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the Elantra Touring pads fit my 2010 Elantra sedan?

No. The DP31562C and DP21562 pads are listed for the 2009-2012 Elantra Touring 2.0L only. The sedan uses a different front pad, so check the model name before ordering.

Are EBC Redstuff pads noisy on a daily driver?

Redstuff is built as a street pad for passenger cars. Most noise after a pad change comes from worn rotors, dry slide pins or missing clips, so install new hardware and bed the pads properly.

Will Greenstuff 2000 make more dust than Redstuff?

Yes, somewhat. EBC rates Redstuff as probably the lowest dusting pad on the market and Greenstuff 2000 as medium to low dust.

Do I need new rotors with EBC pads?

Only if your rotors are under minimum thickness, scored or causing pulsation. Fresh pads on worn rotors bed in slowly and make more dust, so resurface or replace questionable rotors.

How long until the new pads feel right?

EBC says the first 40 to 50 miles condition the pad surface and full performance can take up to 500 miles. The pedal usually feels better within the first few drives and keeps improving as the pads seat.

Sources

1. EBC Brakes - Low Dust Ceramic Brake Pads - Redstuff composition, dust level, intended vehicles, pad life and bed-in miles
2. EBC Brakes - Product Focus: Redstuff Brake Pads - 10-15 percent braking increase over OE, copper-free, sponge-wash dust
3. EBC Brakes - Greenstuff Brake Pads - Greenstuff 2000 friction coefficient, dust level, fade resistance, intended use, Brake-in coating
4. NHTSA Recall 13V113000 - Hyundai stop lamp switch recall covering Elantra and Elantra Touring
5. NHTSA Recall 20V061000 - Hyundai ABS module moisture and fire risk recall
6. NHTSA Recalls API - 2008 Hyundai Elantra - recall list and remedy details for the 2008 Elantra