Kia Sorento: Hood

The hood serves as the primary protective engine cover for the motor compartment of your vehicle.

Open the hood whenever you need to inspect fluid levels, perform routine maintenance, or carry out mechanical service inside the engine bay of your Kia Sorento.

Opening the hood

1. Pull the primary hood release lever located under the lower left side of the instrument panel to unlatch the hood. The hood latch will release with an audible click and the hood will pop open slightly.
2. Walk to the front of the vehicle, lift the hood edge slightly, reach underneath to push the secondary hood release latch lever (1) to the left, and lift the hood panel upward.
3. Unclip and pull out the hood support prop rod from its mounting clip inside the engine bay.
4. Insert the free end of the support rod securely into the designated slot on the underside of the hood to prop it safely open.

   WARNING

   Support rod safety

   • After operating the vehicle, the engine compartment and support rod will be extremely hot. Always grasp the support rod firmly by the insulated rubber grip area to prevent severe skin burns.

   • You must insert the support rod fully and securely into the designated retaining hole whenever you inspect or service the engine bay. This prevents the heavy hood panel from dropping unexpectedly and causing physical injury.

Hood open warning

A visual hood open warning graphic and notification message will illuminate on the instrument cluster LCD display whenever the hood latch is disengaged.

An audible warning chime will sound inside the cabin if you drive the Kia Sorento at speeds equal to or exceeding 2 mph (3 km/h) while the engine hood remains unlatched.

Closing the hood

1. Before closing the hood over the engine bay, carefully inspect the compartment to confirm the following:

   • All oil, washer fluid, and coolant filler caps in the engine compartment must be tightly and correctly reinstalled.

   • Gloves, shop rags, tools, or any other combustible materials must be fully removed from all areas of the engine compartment.

2. Unprop the hood rod, secure it back into its retaining clip, then lower the hood until it hangs roughly 12 inches (30 cm) above the closed position. Release the hood and let it drop freely so the primary and secondary latches snap securely into place.
3. Gently lift up on the front edge of the hood to verify that it has latched completely.

   If the hood lifts or moves upward at all, it is not fully engaged. Reopen the hood completely and drop it again with slightly more downward momentum.

   CAUTION

   Hood obstruction hazard

   Prior to closing the hood, make sure all hands, tools, and objects are completely clear of the hood opening rim. Dropping the hood with an obstruction present can cause severe personal injury or expensive damage to the front-end bodywork.

   WARNING

   Engine fire risk

   Never leave cleaning rags, work gloves, or flammable shop materials inside the motor compartment. High operating temperatures from the engine and exhaust manifold can ignite these items, creating a dangerous fire hazard.

   WARNING

   Unsecured hood hazard

   Always double check and physically verify that your Kia Sorento hood is locked securely by its primary and safety latches before driving. If the hood is not latched, wind force can blow the hood open while driving, completely blocking windshield visibility and causing a severe collision.