How to Change the Oil Filter on a 2008 Kia Sorento

by Justin Cupler

The midsized Sorento joined the compact Sportage in Kia's lineup of SUVs in the 2003 model year -- eight years after Kia released the Sportage. The Sorento underwent a slight redesign in the 2007 model year; the most notable change being a significant horsepower increase. The 2008 Sorento came standard with a 242-horsepower, 3.3-liter V-6 and had a 262-horsepower, 3.2-liter V-6 available. Kia recommended changing the oil in the 2008 Sorento every 3,000 miles, and both engines have the same oil change process.

Step 1

Open the Kia's hood, and unscrew the oil filler cap from the top of the engine. Remove the bolt on the front passenger's side of the engine cover, using a ratchet and socket. Pull the cover up firmly to disengage its retaining clips. Set the cover in a secure location.

Step 2

Find the oil filter housing cap on the driver's side of the engine. Loosen the oil filter housing cap, using a ratchet and Kia special tool No. 09263-3C100 -- this allows the oil to drain from the housing into the oil pan.

Step 3

Raise the front of the Kia, using a floor jack, and slide jack stands under the Sorento's subframe. Lower the SUV onto the jack stands.

Step 4

Crawl beneath the front of the vehicle and find the oil pan -- the large, metal pan -- on the bottom of the engine. Position a drain pan under the oil pan drain plug, and loosen the drain plug with a combination wrench. Remove the drain plug by hand, and allow all of the oil to drain into the drain pan.

Step 5

Wipe the drain plug's threads with a clean, lint-free cloth, and hand-tighten the drain plug into the oil pan. Tighten the drain plug to 25 to 32 foot-pounds, using a torque wrench and six-point socket. Raise the Sorento off the jack stands, using a floor jack, and pull the jack stands from under the SUV. Lower the Kia to the ground.

Step 6

Pull the oil filter housing cap upward and off the oil filter housing -- notice the cap has a long tube attached to it. Pull the old oil filter out of the oil filter housing, and insert a new filter in the same position the old one was in.

Step 7

Find the two rubber O-rings on the oil filter -- one on the top of the cap, just above the threads, and the other on the bottom of the cap's tube. Insert the blade of a flat-head screwdriver under each O-ring, pry each O-ring upward to unseat it from its groove and pull each O-ring off the oil filter housing cap. Roll new O-rings -- included with a new oil filter -- on the top of the cap and the tube until the O-rings seat in their respective grooves.

Step 8

Place a small amount of new engine oil onto your fingers, and rub fresh oil on the two O-rings on the oil filter housing cap. Set the oil filter housing cap back onto the oil filter housing, guiding the tube attached to the cap through the hole in the center of the oil filter. Hand-tighten the oil filter housing cap, then tighten it to 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench and Kia special tool No. 09263-3C100.

Step 9

Insert a funnel into the oil filler hole, and pour 5.6 qts. of new 5W-20 engine oil into the engine. Wait about 2 minutes. Pull the engine oil dipstick from the engine compartment, and wipe the oil off it with a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the oil dipstick and remove it again. Verify the engine oil level is near or slightly above the "Max" mark on the dipstick -- add more oil as needed. Reinsert the oil dipstick.

Step 10

Start the Kia's engine, and allow it to idle for about 3 minutes. Check for oil leaks as the engine idles. Turn the engine off, and allow the oil to settle for roughly 2 minutes. Pull the dipstick from the engine and wipe the oil off it with a clean, lint-free cloth. Reinsert the dipstick and remove it again. Verify the engine oil level is between the "Min" and "Max" lines on the dipstick. Add more oil as needed.

Step 11

Remove the funnel from the oil filler hole. Line up the retaining clips on the underside of the engine cover with the slots in the cover's bracket. Lightly strike the cover with the palm of your hand to seat it into place. Tighten the engine cover-retaining bolts with a ratchet and socket. Screw the oil filler cap into the oil filler hole.