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2016 Sorento SX electronic parking brake won't release

42K views 26 replies 13 participants last post by  2018 Sorento owner 
#1 ·
Good day everyone. looking for some help. I have a 2016 Sorento SX V6 AWD. I was changing the rear disks and pads so I had the whole back end jacked in the air. I took off the back left tire, calipers and disk exposing the electronic parking brake shoes. I asked my son to start taking the tire off on the other side but since it was in the air he decided to engage the electronic parking brake so he could break the torque on the lug nuts. needless to say, the shoes expanded on my side as well. I didn't think much of it until I asked him to disengage the EPB so I could put the new disk on my side. The EPB will not release (followed directions in manual). So I thought I would try the auto release but it meant putting the tires back on and trying to drive it forward or in reverse. In order to get the rotor and tire back on my side I had to remove the emergency brake shoes. So now I took the car off the jacks and attempted the auto release function. The EPB still will not disengage. the back right is locked up solid. On the dash I have an amber light "EPB" and that is all, it never goes out. anyone know how to disengage the EPB??
 
#3 ·
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Reactions: Greg Kervin
#9 ·
#10 ·
Ok folks, I got it to release. As I said earlier, I read another post about removing the ABS 1 & 2 fuses (20A & 40A) then starting the car wait for all the warnings to subside then turn off the car, put back the two fuses then start the car again and presto, all warning lights went out including the EPB. Brakes released and fully functional again.


Thanks to everyone who had an idea, I think I tried everyone before the fuses.

Cheers
 
#12 ·
Ok folks, I got it to release. As I said earlier, I read another post about removing the ABS 1 & 2 fuses (20A & 40A) then starting the car wait for all the warnings to subside then turn off the car, put back the two fuses then start the car again and presto, all warning lights went out including the EPB. Brakes released and fully functional again.


Thanks to everyone who had an idea, I think I tried everyone before the fuses.

Cheers
Thanks all!. I read through this thread and tried a lot of what was suggested. In the end it was Greg's last post on removing fuses, starting, stopping, replacing fuses, and starting that worked (for me). You all are brilliant.
 
#13 ·
Good to hear. The EPB is one of my annoyances in the sorento. If you use auto hold it will apply the parking brake when you go into park. Ok no biggie but when you start the engine and shift to drive the brake is still applied. You have to shift back into reverse and wait until it disengages the P brake.

Why couldn't they just use the button.... Pull up to engage the brake and then make it so when you pull up on it again it releases the brake. Why would they not do it in this logical way....
 
#14 ·
I'm hoping someone here has run across another fix for the EPB lock up when the 'fuse remove process' does not work! (yes, doing all steps correctly)

The remove two ABS (20 & 40) fuses process has not worked for me after many, many tries over multiple days and two separate episodes of locked up EPB. I ALWAYS see the orange EPB light and red Brake light (note: w/both the ! and (P) showing above 'red Brake Lt'. Both episodes occurred when my '17 Sorento was backed into my sloped driveway (rear higher). Even though all doors & the hood are always closed & seat belt connected, I still always get the message to close doors/hood & connect seat belt. :eek:/
Episode 1: Many 'ABS fuse process' attempts tried. I finally pressed the gas pedal enough to force the car to overpower the EPB, and slowly pulled it out to the curb just to get it out of the way. The street was level. A day or two later I tried to start it and go (w/o the 'pull fuse process'). It started and moved forward as normal. I drove it several times w/o issue.
Episode 2: But the next time I parked it (rear end higher) in the driveway, the EPB was locked again. I had seen an obscure reference to 'check brake fluid' in my manual, so I did. at that angle, it showed well below Max. I could not really see the min mark to see if it was below that. I added fluid to Max. No change.
- When I'd push down on the Park brake switch in center console, I'd here a pulsating solonoid sound at the rear of the vehicle. I had my wife press/hold the switch many times as I traced the sound to a device abobe the rear differential that both EPB brake lines/(cables?) come from. Maybe I introduced air into the line and I somehow need to bleed the EPB lines??? I see no reference on Google about this process or this 'device'.

- This time when I force drove it to the street, the left rear tire literally skidded the entire way. On the level surface, 'forcing forward, it seemed 'only the left EPB was locked because the left rear would lower when I tried to force drive slightly.

Finding nothing else via Google than this 'pull fuse process', I'm going to pull the left rear wheel and see if there is anything I am able to 'release' mechanically. I doubt the drum will come off with the brake shoes pressing out. Maybe there is a manual adjustment to back the shoes off like old brake drum hubs have. (fingers crossed).
 
#15 ·
I'm hoping someone here has run across another fix for the EPB lock up when the 'fuse remove process' does not work! (yes, doing all steps correctly)
...
Finding nothing else via Google than this 'pull fuse process', I'm going to pull the left rear wheel and see if there is anything I am able to 'release' mechanically. I doubt the drum will come off with the brake shoes pressing out. Maybe there is a manual adjustment to back the shoes off like old brake drum hubs have. (fingers crossed).
I just found a Youtube video on how to adjust the EPB brake shoes. But it requires I am able to rotate the rotor so the access hole is moved to the bottom rear where the adjuster is located. We'll see if I can force rotate before I pull the wheel.
 
#16 ·
I w2as lucky that the brake shoe adjuster hole just happened to be next to the brake adjuster wheel. Bad news was that the wheel would not budge (in either direction). I could see on the top of the drum that the Emergency brake cable lever was pulled forward (engaged) fully. Probably why the shoe adjuster would not budge. I did see a wiring harness connector at the driver side wheel well that could completely disconnect the (unknown) device that both emerg. brake cable go to. I had hoped that being disconnected would release the cables... no such luck. Now with harness disconnected, the EPB light is still always lit, red Brake light is off, but now 'Brake Hold' light stays lit (pressing button does nothing).

The last resort I can think to do is to remove the two bolts holding the cable at the top of each rear brake hub. But since I don't know if that will lead to a place of no getting back, I don't want to do that unless I hear what will happen if I do. Argh... frustrating
 
#17 ·
I w2as lucky that the brake shoe adjuster hole just happened to be next to the brake adjuster wheel. Bad news was that the wheel would not budge (in either direction). I could see on the top of the drum that the Emergency brake cable lever was pulled forward (engaged) fully. Probably why the shoe adjuster would not budge.

Correct. Something has the brake applied, hope you can find out what it is. To verify; you have made sure that no mechanical application of the brake is occuring, correct?

I did see a wiring harness connector at the driver side wheel well that could completely disconnect the (unknown) device that both emerg. brake cable go to. I had hoped that being disconnected would release the cables... no such luck. Now with harness disconnected, the EPB light is still always lit, red Brake light is off, but now 'Brake Hold' light stays lit (pressing button does nothing).

this may be time to see a shop, because if nothing other than the electronic box has it applied, either a sensor or the box itself is failing/failed

The last resort I can think to do is to remove the two bolts holding the cable at the top of each rear brake hub. But since I don't know if that will lead to a place of no getting back, I don't want to do that unless I hear what will happen if I do. Argh... frustrating

unhooking the cables will only release the park brake, no damage should happen. You will be without park brake but you should be able to move rhe vehicle. I'm thinking a shoe adjustment isn't a fix for this
good luck
 
#19 ·
I saw several Youtubes of BMW X5's with a very similar EPB actuator, but the Kia it turns out has different ways to connect the Bowden cables to the actuator, so I was not able to disconnect them at the actuator. What I was able to do was rempve the other ends of the Bowden cable from the backing plate at the wheels. I removed a small philips screw from the EPB arm coming through the backing plate, then force/ slip the metal eye end of the Bowden cable off the arm. The arm snapped backward to it's resting position. I thought, cool, I can drive w/o the parking brake. I'll look into getting a shop to delete the error code later, to see if I can use the EPB again w/o it locking up.

One small issue. Now when I drive (or reverse), there is a fast continual beeping with the familiar message: "To disengage the EPB, close all doors, hood, tailgate and fasten seat belt." Oye vey... I can certainly find the beeper and disable it. But I guess this issue will get to a shop to get the EPB error erased sooner rather than later.

"IF" I can get the EPB error erased -and- it stays gone, I'll try 'actuating' the parking brake for a few weeks, but leave the Bowden cables disconnected at the rear backing plates. If the system seems to ework over time, THEN I'll reconnect the cables to actually engage the EPB brake shoes.

So still a work in progress, but I will report back with any new info.
 
#20 ·
Here are some pictures of the brake cable fully applying/engaging the E brake shoes at the drum/rotor backing plate, cable end removed (brake shoes released), the driver and passenger sides of the EPB Actuator's (mtd. above differential) Bowden cable attachments. I thought the info I'd found on the 'very similar looking' BMW X5 actuator, that the cable mounts would be similar, but not so. I tried to slightly unscrew the cables at the actuator. They did not seem to start unscrewing, so I left them alone and decided to just remove the cables at the backing plates.

115116
115118
Auto part Automotive engine part Automotive ignition part
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#21 ·
UPDATE: I was able to find a local independent shop that had the Code Reader to work on my Kia, but multiple attempts to delete the error code did not work. Since August 2019, I have been driving with both the Bowden cables (from EPB actuator over differential) disconnected at each wheel's backing plate.

I ask, plead, beg that anyone who has had their EPB brake lock up and have had the 'Fuse Removal process'* NOT WORK, then had a dealer, shop or yourself fix the problem, WHAT PART(s) did they/ you REPLACE!
1) (electronic) Electronic Parking Brake Module (located somewhere under the body)
2) (mechanical) Electronic Parking Brake Actuator (located over the rear differential that 'pulls' the Bowden cables connected to the rear wheel backing plates).

* I have tried the 'Fuse Removal process' many, many times (an even more overtime ;o). And yes, I followed all the correct steps (and required criteria in the manual).
 
#23 ·
I have a 2018 Sorento AWD - the EPB light comes on periodically and I can't move forward or back. I turn off the ignition, open the hood, close the hood, get back in, put on my seatbelt and start the car and drive off with no issues. The first time it happened, I scoured the manual. When I saw it said to close the hood, which I knew was already closed, I tried releasing it and then closing it again. Did the trick. Works every time (which has been around 4 times now).
 
#24 · (Edited)
#25 ·
LOL - I had a 1965 Mustang with a bad shimmy in the engine. It caused the rotor to snap in half on a fairly regular basis. The rotors cost $.50 (in 1974 dollars). I had a glove compartment full of 'em. Every time it happened, I pulled off the distributor cap and plopped a new rotor in. Got me through until I had the money to get the actual problem fixed. Couldn't begin to do that nowadays.

Sometimes, there's something to be said for utilizing simple mechanical / analog applications and actuators! ;)

Just because something can be changed to electromechanical, doesn't mean it SHOULD be, IMHO.

-SM2016
 
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