Kia Sorento Forums

After several long days of scouring the net, Google AI finally started to understand what I was looking for... Yay!!! Btw, the exhaust VVT solenoids on the V6 engines are called Exhaust Camshaft Position Solenoid Valves! Finding the correct name, allowed AI to gather the answer which I have left below for anyone else who needs this info.

You do not need to worry about the cam phaser moving, and it will automatically be in its correct, safe position upon installation.
Here is exactly why the phaser will not move out of place and why it is safe to remove the solenoid:

The Internal Mechanical Lock
Inside the Bank 2 exhaust cam phaser, there is a spring-loaded mechanical component called a locking pin.

• When the engine is off, there is zero oil pressure in the system.
• The internal spring automatically forces this locking pin into a matching slot, mechanically pinning the phaser's inner rotor to its outer housing.
• The phaser is completely locked at its base "parking" timing position right now. Releasing the residual oil from the solenoid will not unlock it.

The External Chain Tension
The phaser's outer housing is physically wrapped by the engine's timing chain.

• The hydraulic chain tensioner maintains tight mechanical pressure on the chain even when the engine is sitting cold.
• The chain physically stops the camshaft and phaser from spinning or skipping teeth while you work.

What Happens on First Start?
When you install the new solenoid and start the car for the first time:

1. Oil pressure builds up through the new solenoid.
2. The oil pressure releases the mechanical locking pin only after the engine is running and the computer commands it.
3. The phaser functions normally, advancing or retarding the timing exactly as the engine control module demands.

You can safely pull the solenoid out of its bore without any fear of the phaser spinning, changing your engine's timing, or requiring alignment tools.
Are you planning to change the valve cover gasket while you have the cover off? If so, I can give you the tips for prepping that surface.

R W said:

Our new 2026 Sorento jerks violently at low speeds while coming to a stop. At times, to stop the brake pedal needs to be pushed fully to the floor. Our dealer said they have not been able to replicate the problem.
Additionally our brakes make a high pitched squeal when backing up.

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The most alarming part of your post is the brake pedal needing to be pushed fully to the floor. That's a massive safety hazard and is absolutely not a normal quirk of any new vehicle. When a brake pedal sinks to the floor intermittently, it almost always points to a failing brake master cylinder. The internal seals inside the cylinder can sometimes bypass or leak pressure when you press the pedal slowly, causing it to fall completely to the floor without actually squeezing the brake rotors. If your Sorento is a Hybrid or PHEV, it uses a complex electronic brake actuator to blend regenerative braking with the physical brakes, and a glitch in that system can also cause a sudden loss of pedal pressure. Even if the dealer couldn't replicate it on a quick test drive, you need to firmly insist they keep the car and thoroughly test the master cylinder and hydraulic system.

As for the violent jerking when coming to a stop, this is unfortunately a very common complaint depending on which engine your Sorento has. If you have the 2.5L turbo gas engine, it's paired with an 8 speed dual clutch transmission (DCT). Unlike a traditional automatic, a DCT uses automated manual clutches. When you brake to a stop, the computer has to suddenly disengage those clutches so the engine doesn't stall, which often results in a harsh jerk, clunk, or a feeling like the car just dropped into neutral. If you have the hybrid model, that low speed jerk is often the computer struggling to smoothly hand off the braking force from the electric regenerative system to the physical brake pads.

The high pitched squeal when backing up is actually the least worrisome issue here. Because you spend 99% of your time driving forward, your brake pads "bed in" and wear specific to that forward rotation. When you put the car in reverse, the brake pads are pushed in the opposite direction against their metal retaining clips. This slight shift changes the contact angle with the rotor and causes a high frequency vibration, which you hear as a squeal. It's generally harmless, and a mechanic can usually silence it by simply taking the rear brakes apart and applying a special high temp brake grease to the metal backing plates of the pads.

Don't let the dealer brush off that sinking brake pedal. Document every time it happens and push them to dig deeper into the hydraulics.

rootsnose said:

Just bought a 2021 Sorento, used the wipers for the first time today and noticed that the rear wiper runs when front wipers are turned on regardless of rear wiper switch setting until vehicle is put in drive then it stops. Rear wiper resumes when put in park. When in any other gear rear wiper responds to rear wiper switch setting. Is the normal?

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No, that's definitely not normal behavior. What you're experiencing sounds like a glitch related to a specific convenience feature Kia builds into their software called Auto Rear Wiper (in R). Normally, this feature is designed where if your front wipers are running and you shift into reverse, the rear wiper automatically activates to clear your back window and improve visibility while backing up. Once you shift out of reverse and into drive, the automatic rear wiping is supposed to stop, and control goes back to the manual rear wiper switch.

In your Sorento, it sounds like the body control module (BCM) or the gear selector sensor is getting confused. It's inappropriately applying that "Reverse" wiping logic when the shifter is resting in the "park" position.

Here's a quick test you can do. Go into your infotainment screen and navigate to Setup > Vehicle > Convenience and look for the Auto Rear Wiper (in R) setting. Uncheck the box to completely turn the feature off. If turning that setting off makes the rear wiper stop acting crazy in park, you pinpointed the exact software logic loop that is glitching out.

Regardless of whether that temporary fix works, since your Sorento is a 2021, this electrical/module issue should still be fully covered under Kia's 5 year/60,000 mile basic warranty. You should take it to the dealership, demonstrate the issue (or show them a video of it happening), and have them re-flash the BCM or replace the wiper control stalk.

Have you checked the transmission fluid level?

Have you ever changed the transmission fluid? If not drain and fill

Why do you think you need a catch can on a brand new vehicle?

The GDI engine begins depositing oil vapors through the intake as soon a you crank the engine. Since no fuel passes over the intake valves they start to carbon up almost immediately and then after 50-60k miles you’ll have to have them cleaned.

The issue ended up being the back up camera. I took the rear door panel off to get to the wiring for the camera. unplugged it and all the blinking lights went away. It was like magic! put all the trim and plastic back on the door and shut the hatch to find out that the wiring harness I unplugged for the camera ALSO powers tag lights AND power for the rear door release. I had to dig deeper and take off that other panel on the rear door to get to JUST the camera connection. I was able to just unplug the camera - now everything works minus the camera that didnt work in the first place. I would get a new one but dont want to spend the $300 for it. all fixed.