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.
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:
- Attach the inflator hose to the valve stem of the tire.
- Turn on your unit to inject sealant into your tire.
- Inflate your tire using the compressor.
- 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:
- Open the rear hatch to access the baggage compartment. Then raise the floor cover of the storage compartment to expose the tool kit.
- Pull out the tools needed, that is, lug nut wrench, extension bar or winch, socket, and screwdriver.
- Locate the crank hole, which is covered with a dark-colored plastic cap, at the spare tire hoist mechanism.
- With the flat head screwdriver, rotate counterclockwise by 1/4 turn to remove the plastic cap and set it aside.
- Position the black metal socket over the nut for the spare tire hoist.
- Position the lug nut wrench atop the socket hole while attaching the winch.
- Hold the extension bar while rotating it counterclockwise.
- The rear tire at the bottom should be slowly lowered down to the ground.
- Continue lowering the spare tire until it rests evenly on the ground.
- Tilt the tire at one side to loosen the metal cable until there is some slack.
- Pull the retaining bar attached at the end of the cable out of the hole at the spare wheel center.
- Turn the cable sideways and it should slide through the hole of the rim.
- The spare tire is released and ready for use.
- 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:
- Remove the cap of the tire stem.
- Position the pressure gauge at the mouth of the tire stem.
- Press and hold the pressure gauge until it displays a reading.
- The pressure reading should be within the range.
- 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:
- Place the tire on the ground below the vehicle with the valve stem facing upward.
- Position the retainer bar through the center hole of the wheel.
- Turn the wrench in a clockwise direction until you hear a clicking sound.
- 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.
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