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Kia Sorento Front Brake Pads Replacement Guide
How to change the front disc brake pads on a 2nd generation 2010 to 2015 Kia Sorento with photo illustrated steps.

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2014 Kia Sorento Front Wheel
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Slightly Loosen 5 Lug Nuts
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Raise Front of Vehicle
This automotive maintenance tutorial was specifically written to assist owners of the second generation (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 & 2015) Kia Sorento SUV in changing the front disc brake pads and lubricating the caliper slider pins.

Owners of other Kia and Hyundai vehicles such as the Optima, Forte, Cadenza, K900, Rio, Sportage, Sedona, Soul, Elantra, Veloster, Sonata, Azera, Tucson, Santa Fe, Genesis and Equus may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a lug nut wrench, a floor jack, two jack stands, a 14mm socket with a 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench, a "C" or "F" clamp and a packet of synthetic brake parts lubricant grease.

A few compatible sets of new front brake pads with their part numbers include the following:  Raybestos PGD1432C, ACDelco 17D1432CH, Power Stop 16-1432, Bendix D1432, TRW TPC1432, Centric 103.14320 and Wagner QC1432.



 

Please verify the correct replacement part number for your Sorento by consulting your dealership's parts counter, calling an automotive parts store or by using the Amazon Part Finder before purchasing new brake pads.

The correct part numbers might vary depending on your vehicle's model year and whether it has 2WD (two wheel drive) or AWD (all wheel drive).

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Spin Off 5 Lug Nuts
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Five Lug Nuts Removed
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Caliper, Bracket, Rotor
The first few steps are to park the SUV on a level surface, engage the emergency / parking brake and chock both sides of the rear wheels to prevent them from moving.

Then slightly loosen the 5 lug nuts on the front wheel by turning them counterclockwise with the tire iron.

Raise the front of the car with the floor jack and securely support it with the two jack stands.

I prefer to work on one side of the car at a time to keep three wheels on the ground for extra safety.

Spin off the 5 lug nuts and set them aside in a safe place.

Remove the front wheel to reveal the caliper, bracket, rotor and suspension.

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Loosen Upper Caliper Bolt
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Loosen Lower 14mm Bolt
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Spin Out Lower Bolt
Loosen the upper caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) with the 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench.

Then loosen the lower 14mm caliper bolt by turning it clockwise (as seen from the outside of the vehicle).

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Remove Top 14mm Bolt
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Two 14mm Bolts Removed
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Lift Off Front Brake Caliper
Spin out the two caliper bolts and set them aside in a safe place.

Pull the brake caliper out of the bracket and off the old pads.

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Rest Caliper On Suspension
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Remove Old Outer Pad
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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
Carefully rest the caliper on the suspension or suspend it from the spring with a short bungee cord.

Pull the old inner and outer brake pads out of the bracket.

Make a note of where the wear indicator bar or "squeal" bar is located on the old brake pads.

On this 2014 Sorento model, the wear bar was situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

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Replace Anti-Rattle Clips
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Pull Out Caliper Slider Pins
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Lubricate & Replace Pins
I recommend buying the Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1432 brake pads since they have great reviews on Amazon.

If your new set of front brake pads include replacement brake hardware, pull the old metal pad abutment or "anti-rattle" clips out of the top and bottom of the bracket and install the new ones in their place.

In order for the caliper to operate smoothly, the two caliper slider pins or "guide pins" installed inside the bracket need to be well lubricated.

Gently pull the caliper slider pins out of their rubber dust boots and apply a thin layer of brake parts grease to each before pushing them back in to their dust boots.

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Attach "C" Clamp To Piston
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Twist Off Brake Fluid Cap
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Slowly Compress Caliper Piston
In order for the caliper to fit over the thicker new brake pads, the caliper piston needs to be compressed back.

Attach the "C" or "F" clamp to the caliper using the back of an old brake pad to evenly distribute the pressure across the piston.

Move to the right rear area of the engine bay (behind the engine air filter box) and twist off the brake fluid reservoir cap in the counterclockwise direction. Set the cap aside in a safe place.

Slowly turn the "F" clamp's handle in the clockwise direction to push back the piston while repeatedly checking the level in the brake fluid reservoir to make sure it doesn't overflow.

Clean up any spilled brake fluid immediately with a towel and flush the area with water since brake fluid can easily damage painted surfaces.

Continue compressing back the caliper piston until it is flush with the rubber dust boot around it. Try to avoid pinching or otherwise damaging the rubber dust boot that surrounds the piston.



 

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Replace Brake Fluid Cap
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Install New Outer Brake Pad
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Wear Bar - Bottom Inner Pad
Replace the brake fluid reservoir cap as soon as possible since brake fluid is hygroscopic (readily absorbs moisture from the air).

Thoroughly clean off the brake rotor, caliper bracket, brake caliper assembly and the lug nut studs with brake parts cleaner spray. Do not use compressed air or blow with your mouth to clean off the brake parts since breathing in brake dust can be harmful to your health. Brake dust can be carcinogenic (causes cancer) if inhaled.

 If your Sorento previously exhibited shuddering, pulsating, or vibrations in the front end during braking, you may need to have your rotors "turned" (resurfaced) or it may be easier and less expensive to just replace them with new rotors. If this is the SUV's first front brake job and the rotors appear to be in good condition, you should be able to just change the pads with excellent results.

To remove the existing rotors and install new ones, remove the two bolts on the rear of the caliper bracket that attach it to the steering knuckle. Then remove the two Phillips head set screws before loosening the old rotor with a rubber mallet. Pull it off, and slide the new one in its place.

Apply a thin layer of brake caliper grease to any area where there is metal to metal contact such as the outer lip of the caliper piston. Do not apply brake parts lubricant to the friction surface of the new pads or to the rotor.

Install the new brake pads in to the caliper bracket with the wear indicator bar situated at the bottom of the inner brake pad.

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Push Pads Against Rotor
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Lower Caliper Over Pads
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Spin In Bottom Caliper Bolt
Push the two pads together until they are flush with the rotor.

Carefully lower the caliper down over the new brake pads and in to the bracket.

If the caliper won't fit over the new pads, you may need to compress the piston back a bit further.

Line up the bolt holes in the caliper with their corresponding bolt holes in the slider pins within the bracket.

Re-insert the two caliper bolts and spin them in a few turns by hand in the counterclockwise direction (as seen from the outside of the vehicle) to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Replace Top Caliper Bolt
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Tighten 14mm Counterclockwise
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Tighten Upper Caliper Bolt
Tighten the upper and lower caliper bolts by turning them counterclockwise with the 14mm socket and 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to just past hand tight or about 20-25 ft-lbs of torque.

Double check that the two caliper bolts are tight before moving on to the next steps.

If you haven't already done so, twist on the brake fluid reservoir cap in the clockwise direction.

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Rubber Valve Cap
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Brake Fluid Bleeder Valve
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Push On Front Wheel

If your brake pedal previously felt soft or spongy, the brake fluid may be contaminated with water or the brake lines may contain some air bubbles.

It would be best to bleed the brake lines at this time in order to flush out the old fluid and replace it with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid. For more on this topic, check out my Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With An Assistant DIY Guide or alternatively the Brake Line Fluid Bleeding With A Power Bleeder Guide.

The brake fluid bleeder valve is located underneath a rubber cap on the back side of the caliper just below the upper caliper bolt.

Replace the front wheel and spin on the five lug nuts in the clockwise direction by hand to prevent them from becoming cross threaded.

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Slightly Tighten Lug Nuts
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Lower Car From Stands
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Torque To 65-80 lb-ft
Slightly tighten the lug nuts in a "criss cross" or "star" pattern with the tire iron.

Carefully lower the SUV from the jack stands using the floor jack.

Continue progressively tightening the five lug nuts in a "criss cross" or "star" pattern to about 1/8 to 1/4 turn past hand tight or about 65.1 to 79.5 ft-lbs of torque.

It would be best to use a torque wrench or an impact wrench with a torque stick to properly tighten the lug nuts.

Sit in the driver's seat of the vehicle and firmly press the brake pedal a few times to restore the brake line pressure. Check the brake fluid in the reservoir and verify that it is at the proper level. If it is low, pour in some fresh DOT 3 fluid.

To break in your new front brake pads, just drive normally for the first few hundred miles while trying to avoid any hard or "panic" stops which may glaze over the new pads and cause them to be noisy and not perform as well.

It's also a good idea to regularly check your driveway for drops of brake fluid which may indicate a leak, check the brake fluid level in the reservoir, and also verify that the lug nuts are still tight.

For more, check out my other Kia Sorento DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.
 

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