Replace the rear brake pads on a 2024 Tesla Model X Long Range. The rear calipers are conventional sliding-pin design; the main Tesla-specific concerns are putting the car in Transport/Service Mode to disable Auto Park/regenerative creep behaviors and retracting the electric parking brake (EPB) before piston compression.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear brake pad set (OEM or OEM-equivalent for Model X rear caliper) × 1 — Manufacturer-specified rear pad set for 2024 Model X
• Caliper hardware/abutment clips (if included with pad set or worn) × 1 — OEM clip kit if supplied with pads

Fluids

• Silicone brake caliper grease (slide pins / pad backing contact points)
• DOT 3 Brake Fluid (top-off only if needed after piston retraction)

Preparation

1. Park on level ground, place in P, engage parking brake.
2. Exit ALL doors with key fob away from the vehicle. Wait at least 2 minutes for HV systems to fully de-energize, even on this non-HV job.
3. Disconnect the 12V low-voltage battery in the frunk (similar position to Model S — remove frunk liner/access panel as required, then disconnect negative terminal).
4. DO NOT touch, cut, or pierce ANY orange cable — these are high-voltage and lethal.
5. If at any point you encounter an orange cable, an HV component, or are unsure if a system is de-energized: STOP and consult a Tesla-certified technician.
6. BEFORE disconnecting 12V: on the touchscreen, enable Service Mode (or at minimum the EPB Pad Replacement / 'Brake Service Mode' function) to retract the rear electric parking brake pistons. The EPB will not retract once 12V is disconnected.
7. Also before 12V disconnect: enable Jack Mode (Controls > Service > Jack Mode) so the air suspension does not try to self-level while the car is on stands.
8. Loosen the rear lug nuts a half-turn while the wheels are still on the ground.
9. Lift the rear of the vehicle at the Tesla-specified jack puck points only, support on rated jack stands, and remove the rear wheels.
10. Inspect rotor surface, pad thickness, and dust boot condition before disassembly. If rotors are below minimum thickness or scored, plan to replace them (separate procedure).

Procedure

1. 1

   Confirm EPB is in Service Mode
   Verify the rear electric parking brake pistons have retracted (audible motor cycling on the touchscreen command, and pads should feel free against the rotor). Do NOT proceed if the EPB has not been placed in pad replacement mode — manually forcing the piston back will strip the EPB actuator gears.
   ⚠️Manually winding back an active EPB piston without entering Service Mode will destroy the rear caliper's parking brake motor.
2. 2

   Remove the caliper guide/slide pin bolts
   At the rear caliper, locate the upper and lower caliper slide pin bolts (the bolts threading into the slide pins inside the rubber boots, securing the caliper body to the bracket). Hold the slide pin flats with a wrench if they spin, and remove both bolts. Inspect the rubber slide pin boots for tears.
3. 3

   Lift caliper off and support it
   Slide the caliper body off the rotor and pads. Support the caliper with a wire hook or bungee from the suspension — do NOT let it hang by the brake hose or by the EPB electrical harness. Do not disconnect the EPB connector.
   ⚠Do not stress the EPB wiring harness — its connector and pigtail are not designed for repeated flexing.
4. 4

   Remove old pads and inspect hardware
   Remove the inner and outer brake pads from the caliper bracket. Remove the abutment/anti-rattle clips. Clean the bracket pad slides with a wire brush and brake cleaner. Inspect the rotor friction surface for deep grooves, hot spots, or excessive lip.
5. 5

   Inspect and lubricate slide pins
   Pull each slide pin from the bracket. Wipe clean. The pins must move freely with no binding and the boots must be intact. Apply a thin film of silicone brake grease to each pin and reinsert. Replace boots if torn.
6. 6

   Retract the caliper piston
   With the EPB already retracted via Service Mode, use a wind-back tool to rotate AND compress the rear piston back into its bore (rear Tesla calipers with integrated EPB require rotational wind-back, not straight push). Watch the brake fluid reservoir level in the frunk during this step — fluid will rise; siphon off if it approaches the MAX line.
   ⚠Do not use a C-clamp to push the piston straight in — the EPB screw mechanism requires clockwise rotation to retract.
7. 7

   Install new abutment clips and pads
   Install fresh abutment clips (if supplied with the pad kit) into the caliper bracket. Apply a thin film of silicone brake grease to the pad ear contact points (NOT to the friction surface). Install the new inner and outer pads into the bracket, ensuring any wear-indicator tab is in the correct position per the manufacturer's instructions.
8. 8

   Reinstall the caliper
   Lower the caliper body over the new pads and onto the bracket. Align the slide pins. Apply silicone brake grease to the slide pin bolt threads (per manufacturer guidance) and start both slide pin bolts by hand to avoid cross-threading.
9. 9

   Torque the caliper slide pin bolts
   Tighten the upper and lower slide pin bolts to specification using a calibrated torque wrench. Verify the caliper floats freely on the slide pins after torquing.
   Torque spec

   Caliper Slide Pin Bolts30 Nm (22 lb-ft)
10. 10

    (If bracket was removed) Reinstall caliper bracket
    If the caliper bracket was removed for any reason during this job, clean the bracket bolt threads, apply medium-strength threadlocker, and torque to specification. If the bracket was NOT removed, skip this step.
    ⚠Verify the bracket bolt tightening sequence with the Tesla Service Manual before final torque.
    Torque spec

    Caliper Bracket Bolts100 Nm (74 lb-ft)
11. 11

    Repeat on the opposite rear wheel
    Perform steps 2–9 on the other rear corner. Always service rear brakes as a pair to keep braking balanced.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall the rear wheels. Hand-thread all lug nuts before applying any torque.
2. Snug lugs in a star pattern, then lower the vehicle so the tires support the weight.
3. Final-torque the lug nuts in a star pattern to the verified specification (see torqueRefs: Wheel Lug Nuts). Verify the sequence per the Tesla Service Manual.
4. Reconnect the 12V battery in the frunk and reinstall any frunk trim removed for access.
5. Close the frunk and re-enter the vehicle with the key fob. Power up the touchscreen.
6. Exit Jack Mode and Service Mode via the touchscreen. The air suspension will return to normal ride height.
7. Use the touchscreen EPB function to re-engage / re-calibrate the parking brake (cycle EPB on/off) so the rear pistons re-clamp against the new pads.
8. With the vehicle stationary and engine-off equivalent (Park, foot on brake), pump the brake pedal firmly several times until it feels solid. The pedal will be soft on the first 1–3 presses while the pistons take up pad clearance — this is normal and expected.
9. Check the brake fluid reservoir level in the frunk and top up to MAX with DOT 3 if needed.
10. Drive at very low speed in a safe area and perform several gentle stops from ~20 mph to confirm pedal feel and proper braking before returning to normal driving.
11. Perform the new-pad bed-in procedure recommended by the pad manufacturer (typically a series of moderate stops from 35–40 mph, avoiding full stops while the pads are hot).

Verification

• Touchscreen shows no brake system, ABS, EPB, or vehicle dynamics fault messages after a key cycle and a short drive.
• Parking brake engages and releases normally (audible actuator cycle, no warning lights, no 'Service Brake System' alert).
• Brake pedal is firm at the top of travel after pumping; no drop under steady foot pressure (would indicate fluid leak or piston not fully seated).
• After a short test drive, no rear brake drag (rotors should not be excessively hot relative to the fronts), no pulling under braking, no grinding or squealing beyond normal new-pad noise.
• Air suspension self-levels normally and ride height matches front-to-rear when Jack Mode is fully exited.
• Service interval reminder: Tesla recommends brake fluid replacement every 2 years regardless of mileage. If you noticed dark or contaminated fluid in the reservoir during piston retraction, plan a full brake fluid flush as a separate job.
• Service interval reminder: Tesla recommends tire rotation every 6,250 miles on Model X due to its weight and instant torque — a good time to do it is at every brake service.

More procedures for this vehicle