These instructions apply to the Porsche 718 Boxster / Cayman 982 2016-Present. For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
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The Porsche 718 Boxster & Cayman (982, 2016–Present) use the same brake layout as Porsche’s other sports cars: fixed, opposed-piston rear calipers for service braking, plus a separate drum-in-hat electronic parking brake with shoes inside the rotor hat. Because the EPB acts on those shoes and not on the caliper pistons, a rear-pad change on the 718 is more straightforward than owners often fear — and reaching for service mode by default can actually cause trouble.
What service mode is and why the 718 is different
The 718’s EPB clamps internal shoes inside the rear rotor hat; it does not hold the service-caliper pistons. So a pad-only change needs no service mode — you simply spread the fixed caliper’s opposed pistons apart far enough for the new, thicker pads. You only command the EPB into installation position when the rear rotor has to come off (a disc renewal or to renew the parking-brake shoes). There is no owner button sequence; that is a PIWIS / scan-tool function on the parking-brake module.
Retracting the rear brakes on the 718
Park level, chock the fronts and connect a battery charger — the EPB module aborts on low voltage.
- Pad-only change. Release the EPB, raise the car, remove the rear wheels. Spread the fixed caliper’s opposed pistons apart with a flat spreader — straight, no rotation — until the new pads drop in.
- Rotor or shoe change (needs service mode). Connect PIWIS (or iCarsoft POR, Foxwell NT530/NT809, Autel), open the parking-brake system and select Move to installation / service position so the shoes wind in and the rotor pulls off.
Never force the EPB actuator or shoes back by hand
Never lever, hammer or clamp the parking-brake shoes to free a stuck rotor, and never back-drive the actuator while it is powered. Retract the EPB electronically in installation position only. If the rotor will not release, the parking brake is still applied — stop and run the routine. The fixed-caliper service pistons are the only thing you push by hand, and only straight in. Don’t engage service mode for a pad-only job: owners who do then need a tool to get the EPB back out of service position.
Exit, calibration and bed-in
After rotor or shoe work, command the EPB out of installation position and run the parking-brake adjustment / grind-in and calibration to set the shoe air gap, brakes below 50 °C. A 718 with PCCB ceramic brakes (GT4 / option cars) needs no grind-in of the service pads, but the ceramic discs chip easily and the calipers are expensive, so handle with care. Bed the pads in with several firm slowdowns from about 50 mph, cooling between, and confirm the parking brake holds on a slope.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a scan tool to change rear pads on a 718? No — the fixed-caliper pistons just spread apart, so a pad-only swap needs no service mode. The tool is only for pulling rotors or servicing the parking-brake shoes.
Why won’t the pistons screw in? They aren’t meant to. The 718 uses opposed fixed calipers; the pistons press straight in and never rotate.
I put it in service mode by mistake — how do I exit? Reconnect PIWIS or a capable scanner and command it out of installation position. The ignition cycle alone will not clear it.
Anything different on a GT4 with PCCB? The ceramic service pads skip the grind-in, and the discs need careful handling, but the EPB shoe procedure is the same.
Why did the routine abort? Low 12 V supply, almost always. Keep a charger connected and retry.
If a brake or EPB fault code appears during the job, decode it on our sister site autodtcs.com.
Disclaimer: The information on this page is provided for general guidance only. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions when working on your vehicle. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or any damage resulting from the use of this information.
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