How to Replace Battery 2016-2020 Kia Sorento, by TRQ on YouTube. 3 min 44 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 44 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 10
What you need
Steps
Park on a flat, level surface and turn the engine off. Put on gloves and safety glasses before you touch anything under the hood.
Open the hood and locate the battery on the driver side of the engine bay. Use a trim tool to pop off any plastic covers around it.
Loosen the 10mm nut on the negative terminal with your ratchet and lift the black cable off the post. Tuck it aside so it cannot touch metal.
Loosen the 10mm nut on the positive terminal and remove the red cable. Keep the two cables apart.
Use a 12mm socket to remove the bolt on the battery hold-down bracket. Lift the bracket out of the way.
Grip the battery with both hands and lift it straight up and out of the tray. It is heavy, so keep your back straight.
Set the new battery in the tray with the terminals in the same positions as the old one. Refit the hold-down bracket and tighten the 12mm bolt.
Connect the positive cable first and tighten the 10mm nut. Then connect the negative cable and tighten it.
Coat both terminals with a thin layer of terminal protectant or petroleum jelly. Refit any plastic covers you removed.
Start the engine and check that the battery light is off. Let it idle for a minute, then switch off and confirm both cables are tight.
Tips and common mistakes
Always disconnect the negative cable first and reconnect it last to avoid shorting the wrench against the body.
A loose terminal clamp causes hard starting and dim lights, so wiggle each cable after tightening to check it is snug.
Some Sorento trims need the radio code or window settings reset after a battery swap, so note them before you start.
Never lean over a battery while it is connected, and keep sparks and open flames away from it.
Questions
Do I need to keep power to the car while changing the battery?
Not usually. A memory saver plugged into the OBD port keeps radio and window settings, but the Sorento relearns idle and shift points on its own after a few drives.
How do I know which battery fits my Sorento?
Check the group size and cold cranking amps on the label of your old battery, or look up your engine size in the parts book. The 2.4L and 3.3L models can use different sizes.
What should I do with the old battery?
Take it to an auto parts store or recycling centre. Most accept old batteries for free, and batteries should never go in household rubbish.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
