Guides  /  2010 Lexus RX350

2010 Lexus RX350 Brake Pads & Rotors Replacement (Front and Rear)

These were the original brakes at 120,000 miles on a 2010 Lexus RX350 — pretty remarkable, and a sign the car was due. A shop will quote you several hundred dollars per axle for pads and rotors. Doing all four corners yourself costs you the parts plus an afternoon. The creator rates the job 3 out of 5 — not hard, but a few bolts fight back. Here’s how to do it cleanly.

Setup

1. Crack the brake reservoir. Pop the cap loose and rest it on top (don’t fully remove it) so nothing falls into the system and fluid can move as you compress pistons. Watch the level so it doesn’t overflow.
2. Work furthest-to-nearest from the master cylinder: right rear → left rear → right front → left front.
3. Find the jack points. There are paired dimples front and rear — set the jack between them. Lower onto a jack stand so the weight sits on both jack and stand.

Pro tip: never run an air ratchet on a locking lug nut — strip it and you’ll never get the wheel off. Break the lock loose by hand.

Rear brakes (the lighter system)

1. Lay down paper towels or newspaper under the hub to catch the brake dust and debris that falls out.
2. Remove the caliper. There’s a 14mm at the top and bottom holding the caliper, and 18mm (a 17mm also fits) bolts behind it for the bracket. Pull the caliper and slide it aside.
3. Remove the rotor. It slides off. If it’s fused on, hit it with WD-40 and use a bolt threaded into the rotor’s jacking hole to push it off.
4. Service the slide pins. Pull the slide pins out — on this car one was nearly seized and bone dry. Clean them and apply a thin film of brake grease (you don’t need much — it’s not a bearing). Make sure they slide freely, then reseat the boots.
5. Fit the new clips and rotor. The new clips snap into the indentation on the bracket. Hang the new rotor.
6. Push the piston back in. Smear a little grease on the piston, then press it back into the caliper by hand. Note the pad contact points are on the sides, so grease the sides where the pad backing touches, not just the center.
7. Reassemble and torque. Rear bracket bolts to about 80 lb-ft, slide bolts to about 25 lb-ft.

Front brakes (the heavy-duty system)

The fronts are noticeably beefier — heavier rotors, likely two pistons per caliper, so the fluid level rises faster when you compress them.

1. Support the caliper. Don’t let it hang on the rubber hose — don’t pinch or stretch it. Rest the caliper so the hose stays relaxed.
2. Remove caliper and rotor. Same idea as the rear. For a stubborn rotor, thread a matching bolt into the jacking hole to break it loose (the creator used one with a 13mm head). There’s a visible wear ridge on the old rotor.
3. Clean the new rotor’s friction surface with brake parts cleaner — new rotors come with a protective oil film that must come off where the pads contact.
4. Compress the front pistons. They’re stiffer than the rear. A large C-clamp works — it takes real pressure, but it goes in slowly. Tip: thread one lug nut in to hold the rotor in place while you refit the bracket.
5. Fit new springs/clips and pads. The front kit includes new springs. Dab a little grease on each pad contact point and on the rings.
6. Reinstall and torque. Front lug nuts to 75–80 lb-ft. A long bar makes the ~80 lb-ft bracket bolts manageable in the tight space.

Bed in the new brakes (don’t skip this)

1. Start the car, then pump the brakes a few times to push the pistons back out and confirm a firm pedal. Top the reservoir back to MAX if it’s high.
2. Confirm the emergency brake works.
3. Turn the A/C to manual/off — revving with the A/C on can blow the compressor clutch.
4. Bed the pads: accelerate to speed, brake hard, turn around, repeat about five times to heat the brakes and seat the pads. You’ll smell the bed-in and may see the rotors go blue — that’s normal. Then let them cool with some light driving.

That’s all four corners. Take your time on the seized bolts, bed the pads in properly, and you’ve done a full brake job on your RX350 for the price of parts.