How to Change the Brake Pads on a Hyundai Santa Fe

The Santa Fe is a mid-sized sport utility vehicle (SUV) sold by Hyundai Motors. The Santa Fe debuted in the American marketplace in 2001, and the design was given a substantial overhaul for the 2007 model-year. All Santa Fes are equipped with disc brakes on all four wheels, and changing the pads on them is very similar regardless of the model-year. Santa Fe owners can save themselves time and money by doing routine brake service themselves.

Park the vehicle on a hard, level surface. Shift automatic transmissions into park, or manual transmissions into first or reverse gear. Set the parking brake if servicing a front brake. If servicing a rear brake, do not set the parking brake but block the front wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling. Slightly loosen the lug nuts then raise the vehicle with a jack and support it on jack stands. Completely remove the lug nuts and pull the wheel off.

Unfasten the two caliper guide rod bolts and pull them out. Grip the caliper frame and roll it back and forth to spread the brake pads until they clear the disc. Remove the caliper from the disc and hang it out of the way on a wire hook or bungee cord. Be careful not to damage the flexible brake line.

Slide the brake pads and shims out of the caliper.

Retract the caliper piston with a brake piston retractor. There are two pistons on the front brake calipers and a single piston on the rear calipers. Place the retractor's spindle swivel on the face of the piston and the retractor's metal plate on the inner surface of the outer caliper frame opposite the piston. Advance the spindle to push the piston back into the cylinder bore. For front brakes, repeat this for the second piston. Be careful not to pinch the piston seals.

Inspect the brake pads. Measure the brake pad lining thickness with a brake disc micrometer. If there is less than .0787 of an inch or if the lining is damaged or unevenly worn, the pads must be replaced.

Measure the thickness of the brake disc at several places around the disc with the micrometer. The shop manual states that the minimum disc thicknesses are .96 of an inch for front discs and .33 of an inch for rear discs on 2006 and earlier models, and 1.04 inches for front discs and .37 of an inch for rear discs on 2007 and later models. Replace the disc if the thickness is below the specified minimum, or if it is deeply scored, warped or cracked. Have the disc machined at an auto parts store or brake shop to repair minor damage.

Reassemble the brake by following the above steps in reverse order. Coat the guide rod bolts with brake grease before reinstalling them into the caliper. Start the vehicle and test the brake operation. Remount the wheel with the lug nuts and lower the vehicle with the jack.