Here is a simple guide to replacing the rear pads on my >07 Volvo with electric parking brake. This is based on solely my own experience having just done it but I take no responsibility for the contents!
I used an Autel MaxiEST EST201 with V1.08 software for the release and reactivation of the Electric Parking Brake.

Volvo Part Number for Brake Pads
– Brake Pads for cars with Vented Rear Discs: Part Number 31445796, 30794554, 30671574
– Brake Pads for cars with Solid Rear Discs: Part Number 30794555

Tutorial

Start by chocking the front wheels and jacking up the rear and making sure the car is properly supported. Remove the rear road wheels.

Plug the EST201 into the diagnostic socket (located just below the handbrake switch) and turn on the ignition (no pedals so you don’t start the engine)

The EST 201 screen then looks like this:

You then select Volvo from the list of manufacturers (item 4):

If you want to you can check for any stored codes etc and you can also read the car’s software versions. The next step is to scroll down to advanced:

Selecting advanced brings up the service menu:

From here you can have fun activating and deactivating the parking brake without using the normal switch but to carry in with the job select “Activate Service” When you select this you will hear the parking brake unwinding, just like when you normally release it but for longer. You can then get on with the dirty end.

Undo the bolts that hold the piston carrier. This needs a 13mm spanner and also a 15mm open ender to hold the inner part still. Once removed the piston and carrier can swing clear to expose the pads.

The old pads are held in place by the clips so don’t fall out, simply wiggle them a bit and they come free of the clips:

Put the new pads into the clips in the reverse of taking the old ones out:

Here is a comparison of old and new pads. This is the worst of the old pads after 60k miles of use. The offside had about 2mm left, the near side had about 3.5mm.

The next step is to push the piston back in. I thought at first it would be one of those you have to rotate but in fact it simply pushes (I used a bit of timber batten and a tyre lever)
Then position the piston carrier back in place and bolt it on using the new bolts. The new bolts are supplied with the pads and come pre-coated with some thread locking agent:

Once both sides have been replaced and bolted up you go back to the EST201 and scroll up to Installation Check. This runs through a series of application and releases of the parking brake to make sure it all works. When you first go into service mode it stores an error code which gets cleared at this stage if everything is in order.

Assuming there are no error messages all you have to do is put the wheels back on and jack it back down again and remove the EST201 from the port and the job is done.

Here is what you get in the kit:

Hope this helps someone.

Original posted in Volvo Owners Club Forum

The instructions in this tutorial will work in the following models / years:

– 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Volvo S80
– 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Volvo V70
– 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Volvo XC70
– 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Volvo XC60
– 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Volvo S60
– 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Volvo V60