How to lower spare tire on kia sorento


Kia Sorento Spare Tire Lowering & Removal Guide - 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020

Kia Sorento Spare Tire Lowering Guide
How to access, lower and remove the spare tire under a 3rd generation 2016 to 2020 Kia Sorento.


2019 Sorento Cargo Area

Open Storage Drawer

This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the third generation (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020) Kia Sorento SUV in accessing, lowering, removing and installing the spare tire and wheel.

Owners of other Kia, Hyundai and Genesis vehicles such as the Soul, Seltos, Sportage, Niro, Telluride, Forte, Rio, Optima, Stinger, Cadenza, K900, Sedona, Kona, Venue, Santa Fe, Elantra, Sonata, Accent, Veloster, Ioniq, Nexo, G70, G80 and G90 may also find these instructions to be helpful.

The first two steps are to open the tailgate to access the cargo area and then raise the cover for the storage compartment.

You should see a foam organizer block with all of the spare tire tools including the floor jack, a lug nut wrench (tire iron), a large socket and a screwdriver.

For the future, I recommend always keeping a can of emergency tire sealant such as Fix-A-Flat, a Tire Patch Kit and a 12V Tire Compressor in the storage compartment.

If you have an AWD (all wheel drive) Kia Sorento and you plan on driving off-road, I would also highly recommend having a Tire Sidewall Patch Kit.



 


Hoist / Winch - Cover

Turn Counterclockwise

Use the flat head screwdriver to remove the black plastic cover on the spare tire hoist mechanism.

Rotate the cover 1/4 turn in the counterclockwise direction before pulling it off. Set the cover aside in a safe place.


Plastic Cover Removed

Black Metal Hoist Tool
Locate the large black metal socket in the Styrofoam organizer tray.

Hoist / Winch Nut

Place Socket Over Nut
Place the socket over the nut (bolt?) for the spare tire hoist / winch.

Rotate Counterclockwise

Lowering Spare Tire
Place the lug nut wrench over the top of the socket and rotate the winch in the counterclockwise direction to begin lowering the spare tire down from underneath the cargo area.

Spare Tire On Ground

Remove Metal Retainer
Continue lowering the spare tire until it rests evenly on the ground.

Loosen the metal cable at least a few extra turns so that there is some slack.

Pull the metal retaining bar attached to the end of the cable out of the hole in the center of the spare wheel.


Spare Tire Removed

Replace Tools
To remove the flat tire, loosen the five lug nuts about 1/4 turn in the counterclockwise direction with the tire iron.

Carefully raise the corner of the vehicle with the floor jack situated on a secure surface.

Spin off the five lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull off the flat tire and push on the spare tire.

Spin on the five lug nuts a few turns in the clockwise direction to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

Slightly tighten the lug nuts in a criss-cross or star pattern.

Carefully lower the car from the floor jack.

Continue tightening the lug nuts in a criss-cross or a star pattern until they are snug.

If you happen to have a torque wrench, the lug nuts should be tightened to a range of 65 to 79 lb-ft or 79 to 94 lb-ft of torque depending on your Sorento's model year.

Please check your owner's manual for the correct torque specification.

When you need to replace the spare tire under the SUV, lower the cable, place the retaining bar through the hole in the wheel and then raise the spare tire by turning the hoist mechanism in the clockwise direction.

Please take a look at all of my 2016-2020 Kia Sorento DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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Where Is The Spare Tire On A Kia Sorento?

It is common knowledge that a spare tire is a standard feature of every vehicle. You have your new Kia Sorento and you are wondering where to locate the spare tire. Well, we have reached out to Kia experts to give you the correct answer.

Just like any SUV, the spare tire on a Kia Sorento is positioned underneath the rear side, directly below the baggage compartment. However, not all Kia Sorento of recent models have a spare tire. It is because Kia has replaced the spare tire feature with a Tire Mobility Kit.

Stay on this page as we uncover the reasons behind this major move. We'll also delve into how to make use of the replacement kit, and all other pertinent details.

Before you continue reading, let us say we hope you find the links here useful. If you purchase something through a link on this page, we may get a commission, so thank you!

Does Kia Sorento Come With A Spare Tire?

The Kia Sorento, or any Kia vehicle for that matter, used to have a spare tire that goes with the standard package. However, Kia decided to phase out the spare tire feature in 2008. Instead, they got it replaced with the Kia Tire Mobility Kit (TMK).

What is a Tire Mobility Kit?

The TMK contains the tools and equipment needed to help you in case you experience a flat tire while on the road. Specifically, the kit contains the following:

  • tire sealant
  • filling hose
  • compressor
  • tire gauge
  • cables and hoses

The Tire Mobility Kit affords you to patch or repair the damaged tire right at the roadside. This immediate resolve should supposedly let you drive safely to the nearest Kia dealer to avail your full repair or replacement for a new tire, as the case may be.

It should be emphasized that the kit provides only a temporary fix to the flat tire. Once driveable, a full repair or replacement should still be done, which entails additional costs.

Having a repair kit, instead of a spare tire, offers you many benefits. On top of this, you are still assured of protection should a flat tire occur.

What are the Benefits of A Tire Mobility Kit?

The rationale behind the significant change is that the Kia company has focused its priority on fuel economy and trunk space. Specifically, the benefits of the tire repair kit are as follows:

  • The fuel economy saves gas, thus saving you money.
  • It protects the environment due to lower gas emissions.
  • It cuts down on the overall car weight, thus slightly adding to fuel economy.
  • The kit frees and increases the space in the car's trunk.
  • You have a better option than getting your car towed to a garage.

From the perspective of the car manufacturer, there are cost implications. A tire repair kit costs much less than a spare tire kit, thus boosting up profits.

And much more! By providing the tire repair kit as the standard, they can charge extra for a spare wheel in case the customer opts to have one. In this practice, the company enjoys another revenue stream.

How to Use the Tire Mobility Kit

When you encounter a tire leak or any tire damage, do the following steps using the Tire Mobility Kit:

  1. Attach the inflator hose to the valve stem of the tire.
  2. Turn on your unit to inject sealant into your tire.
  3. Inflate your tire using the compressor.
  4. The tire should be driveable to make your way to the nearest Kia dealer.

As previously stated, the remedy is a temporary fix and good enough for a limited distance only after losing air from a tread puncture.

One major drawback though, which has drawn a lot of criticisms among car owners and technicians, is that a tire sealant is not enough to be a remedy if the tire's sidewall gets slashed or the flat tire has incurred extensive damage rather than just a tread puncture.

Also, the tire sealant that comes with the package may not be enough if the flat tire incurs substantial damage. Thus, it is recommended to buy a separate tire sealant that you don't need to heavily rely on what is included in the standard kit. This would translate to added cost though.

For an added note, if you intend to drive offroad, most especially for AWD Kia Sorrento, it is recommended to have a tire sidewall patch kit also ready at the rear compartment.

For this reason, many car owners still assert the practicality of the spare tire kit. And besides, a spare tire has been a deeply-rooted practice for roadside emergencies that its proven benefits could hardly be replaced, even with new product offerings and developments in the automotive industry. 

Check out this tire sealant on Amazon.

Check out this tire sidewall patch kit on Amazon.

Can You Get A Spare Tire?

Despite the benefits and the marketing of the tire repair kit, many car owners assert their views that a spare tire should still come in handy. In fact, many new car owners get surprisingly caught in the dilemma upon learning that there’s no spare tire at the time they are already experiencing a flat tire. 

Well, you could still avail of the spare tire kit even if you have the tire repair kit. The spare tire kit includes a tire jack and lug wrench. Since the spare tire is not included in the standard package, adding a spare tire would entail additional charges.

How to Access the Spare Tire of A Kia Sorento

The untoward incident of a flat tire may happen anytime while you are on the road. You might as well watch the video above for a guide that applies to the 2016 to 2020 models of the Kia Sorrento.

Here are the steps to do to remove the spare tire from its latch at the rear of your vehicle:

  1. Open the rear hatch to access the baggage compartment. Then raise the floor cover of the storage compartment to expose the tool kit.
  2. Pull out the tools needed, that is, lug nut wrench, extension bar or winch, socket, and screwdriver.
  3. Locate the crank hole, which is covered with a dark-colored plastic cap, at the spare tire hoist mechanism.
  4. With the flat head screwdriver, rotate counterclockwise by 1/4 turn to remove the plastic cap and set it aside.
  5. Position the black metal socket over the nut for the spare tire hoist.
  6. Position the lug nut wrench atop the socket hole while attaching the winch.
  7. Hold the extension bar while rotating it counterclockwise.
  8. The rear tire at the bottom should be slowly lowered down to the ground.
  9. Continue lowering the spare tire until it rests evenly on the ground.
  10. Tilt the tire at one side to loosen the metal cable until there is some slack.
  11. Pull the retaining bar attached at the end of the cable out of the hole at the spare wheel center.
  12. Turn the cable sideways and it should slide through the hole of the rim.
  13. The spare tire is released and ready for use.
  14. It's time to check the tire pressure.

How to Check Tire Pressure

For your safety and protection, it is highly essential to check the tire pressure of the spare tire before installing it for use on your car. Its prolonged storage, which could be months and even years, can significantly alter the interior pressure. Follow these steps below:

  1. Remove the cap of the tire stem.
  2. Position the pressure gauge at the mouth of the tire stem.
  3. Press and hold the pressure gauge until it displays a reading.
  4. The pressure reading should be within the range.
  5. The ideal reading value can be found printed along the sidewall of the tire.

For a more comfortable ride, you should adjust the target psi to match the temperature outside. For every 10 degrees drop in temperature, there should be additional 1 psi to the pressure reading. The recommended minimum tire pressure for Kia Sorento is 34 psi. This corresponds to 235 kPa and 2.4 bar.

How to Store the Spare Tire

Once you have your spare tire repaired or you have just bought a new spare tire, be sure to have it installed back to its position at the rear underneath your Kia Sorrento. For your peace of mind while driving, be sure to have a spare tire in place. Here are the steps to store the spare tire:

  1. Place the tire on the ground below the vehicle with the valve stem facing upward.
  2. Position the retainer bar through the center hole of the wheel.
  3. Turn the wrench in a clockwise direction until you hear a clicking sound.
  4. Ensure the retainer bar is properly aligned with the center hole of the wheel to prevent it from "rattling" or else it may further loosen and cause the spare tire to fall off, which may lead to accidents. 

Final Thoughts

Just like any SUV, the spare tire of the Kia Sorento is tucked at the bottom rear of the vehicle with a crank system.

Since 2008, Kia has started to phase out its spare tire feature and replaced it with the Kia Tire Mobility Kit. Hence, the Kia Sorento models released in recent years may or may not have the spare tire feature. Don't get surprised and worried if you discover that your new Kia Sorrento doesn't have a spare tire. It should have the tire repair kit then.

You may, however, still have an option to request a spare tire even if you have the tire repair kit with an additional charge.

Check out these posts for related topics:

What Should the Tire Pressure Be On a GMC Acadia?

Does the Ford Ecosport have a Spare Tire?

Sorento Spare Tire - KIA Sorento Community on TheDreamBag

Contents

  1. Spare wheel guard.
  2. Video instruction: how to remove the spare tire on a Kia Sorento 2003
  3. Popular videos

    Spare wheel guard.

    A new topic: how to remove the spare wheel of a Kia Sorento remains popular and I decided to post a video on how ...

    Hose for connecting compressor and sealing liquid container or compressor and wheel. Yes, there is such a clause in the contract, I just discovered it today!

    Related question:

    In connection with this question: I doubt that it is only with a cable that is pulled from the trunk with a screw. Otherwise, all 5 wheels would have been pulled ... The car was parked, as always, in the courtyard of the house, in full view ... but this did not help, as it turned out. At this point, I would like to understand - did my wheel just get neatly slammed, or was something else damaged under the bottom along the way? Sorry, there are no pictures of the bottom - rain and darkness; But only the “shpuntik” neatly sticks out of the place for the spare tire, which is in the picture from Exist.

    How does the wheel itself cling to it? I didn’t take a picture, but there’s not much to take a picture of: And now I called the insurance company and found out that ... they were going to refuse me! Yes, there is such a clause in the contract, I just discovered it today!

    But the car has damage! Never carry out vehicle repairs on a lane or highway. Always pull off the road to the side of the road to change a tire. The jack can be used on a flat hard surface. If there is no firm, level ground on the side of the road, contact the towing service for assistance. Use the places specially designed for the jack in front and behind the car; never rest the jack against bumpers or any other parts of the vehicle.

    The vehicle can easily roll off the jack and cause serious injury or death. Do not put any part of the body under the car raised by the jack, it is necessary to use support stands.

    Do not turn on the ignition or start the engine while the vehicle is on the jack. No one should remain in a vehicle that is jacked up.

    Make sure all children are in a safe place away from the road and away from the vehicle being jacked up.

    Video instruction: how to remove the spare tire on a Kia Sorento 2003

    Monolith Publishing To remove the spare wheel, perform the following operations: Locate the plastic cap of the hex bolt and remove it. To lower the spare wheel, loosen the bolt with the wheel wrench. Turn the key counterclockwise until the spare wheel touches the ground. After the spare wheel is in contact with the ground, continue to turn the wrench counterclockwise and pull the spare wheel out.

    Do not turn the key too fast as this could damage the spare wheel container. Remove lock 1 from the center of the wheel.

    To store the spare wheel, proceed as follows: Place the wheel on the ground with the nipple up. Place the wheel under the car and insert the retainer through the center of the wheel. Turn the key clockwise until it clicks. Otherwise, the spare wheel may fall out of the container and cause an accident.

    Park on level ground and set the parking brake firmly.

    Move the shift lever to R Reverse for manual transmission or P Park for automatic transmission.

    Turn on the hazard warning lights.

    Remove the wheel wrench, jack, jack handle and spare wheel from the vehicle. Block the front and rear wheel diagonally opposite the jacking position.

    Featured videos

    To prevent the vehicle from moving while changing a wheel, always apply the handbrake fully and block the wheel diagonally opposite the wheel being changed. It is recommended to support the wheels of the car with brake pads and do not leave anyone in the car when lifting it with a jack.

    Loosen each wheel nut one turn counter-clockwise, but do not unscrew them all the way until the wheel is off the ground. Place the jack in the front or rear jack position closest to the wheel being changed. Place the jack in the designated areas under the frame.

    Extraction of the Sorento

    The jacking points are plates welded to the frame with two lugs and a raised edge to contact the jack.

    To reduce the risk of injury, do not use anything other than the car's jack in its designated location; never place the jack under any other part of the vehicle. After inserting the jack handle and turning it clockwise, raise the vehicle until the wheel is off the ground. This distance is approximately 30 mm. Before loosening the wheel nuts, make sure the vehicle is stable and cannot move or slip.

    Loosen the wheel nuts and unscrew them by hand. Slowly remove the wheel from the studs and lay it flat so that it does not roll away. To install the wheel on the hub, take the spare wheel, align the holes with the studs and slide the wheel over them. If you experience difficulty, tilt the wheel slightly and align the top hole in the wheel with the top stud.

    Then rock the wheel from side to side and slide it over the other studs. Handle them with care to avoid serious injury.

    Before installing, check that there are no foreign bodies such as dirt, tar, gravel, etc. If the mounting surfaces of the wheel and hub are not in good contact, the wheel nuts may loosen, which will lead to loss of the wheel and, as a result, loss of vehicle control. This can cause severe injury or death.

    To reinstall the wheel, hold it on the studs, thread the wheel nuts onto them and tighten them by hand. To be sure of a tight fit, tug on the wheels, then hand-tighten the nuts again as far as possible.

    Lower the vehicle to the ground by turning the wheel wrench counterclockwise. Then install the wrench as shown in the figure and tighten the wheel nuts.

    Make sure that the end cap fits snugly around the nut. Do not stand on the wrench handle or extend it with a pipe. Go around the wheel, tightening each nut until all are tight. Then double check the tightness of each nut. After changing wheels, have an authorized KIA dealer tighten the wheel nuts as soon as possible. Wheel nut tightening torque: Steel and aluminum alloy wheel: If equipped with a pressure gauge, remove the cap from the nipple and check the tire pressure.

    If the pressure is too low, drive slowly to the nearest workshop and inflate the tire to the correct pressure. If it is too high, bring it up to normal. After checking and adjusting the tire pressure, remember to put on the valve cap.

    Without a cap, the tire may leak air. If you lose the nipple cap, buy a new one and put it on as soon as possible.

    After changing a tire, secure the flat tire in its proper place and put back the jack and tools. When removing a wheel, take care to then install the same nuts, and when replacing them, nuts with a metric thread and a similar type of chamfer.

    Fitting a non-metric nut to a metric stud, or vice versa, will not securely connect the wheel to the hub and will damage the stud so that it needs to be replaced. Be aware that most wheel nuts have non-metric threads. Be very careful when checking the thread type before installing subsequently purchased wheel nuts or wheels. If in doubt, consult an authorized KIA dealer.

    Damage to the studs can cause them to lose their ability to hold the wheel. This could result in wheel loss, collision and serious injury. Check the tire pressure as soon as possible after installing the spare tire. If necessary, adjust it to the specified value. The compact spare tire takes up less space than a regular size tire.

    How to remove a rim from a Kia Sorento?

    In this article we will try to help you solve all the problems that you may encounter with the wheels of your car. And, basically, how to remove a car rim? If you want to change your flat wheel or tires, you will find all the information you need on this page. To do this, we will first see how to remove the tire from the car rim, and then, in the second step, how to remove the stuck rim of the car , then how to remove the flat rim from place to put the spare tire, and finally, how to unlock the jammed rim nuts .

    How do I remove a tire from a rim from my car?

    So we start our article by explaining how to change a car tire. You may have made a good deal by buying your tires online, but it's quite difficult to find mechanics who will agree to install tires bought elsewhere than at home on your car's rims. Therefore, the question of the desire to install them yourself is more than legitimate.

    It is technically possible with a lot of force and a crowbar to change the tires of your car yourself, however, even if you manage to remove both sidewalls of the tire, loosen it and reinstall a new tire, you will not be able to balance the tire without a special machine, and without it your tires will wear out prematurely . Keep in mind that very often installation and balancing costs only about twenty euros. If you want to buy tires online at a discounted price, please note that many sellers offer free installation at a partner car center.

    How do I remove a rim stuck to the hub on my car?

    Now we move on to the part that you are certainly most interested in, namely, how to remove the car rim stuck to the hub, or rather, a rather classic case of a rim that has not been removed for a long time and which, due to rust stuck to your wheel hub. Indeed, many motorists find themselves in this situation and do not know what to do. This can be especially frustrating if you have a flat tire and need to change the rim on your car. Here are the various solutions available to you:

    • If you have something on hand, after jacking up the car and, if possible, on the spark plugs, and then removing the nuts from the rim, use an anti-seize agent that you inject into the holes of the nuts and let it work for about ten minutes . . After that, try removing the rim from your car again.
    • Use force: although this is rarely the best solution, in this case you are facing hard objects that are not much of a risk, and with a hammer and a wooden wedge you can hit the edge of your car's rim and this should unlock it and allow you to remove .
    • Baste the joint between the rim of the anti-corrosion sleeve and wait a few hours before trying to unlock it again.

    How do I remove the rim from my car to replace a punctured tire with a spare?

    Now we are going to explain to you the most classic procedure, but which no one knows about, how to remove the rim from a place if you have a punctured wheel and want to replace it with a spare tire? This procedure is simple, here are a few steps to follow: