2018-2022 Kia Stinger Brake Job Guide: Symptoms, Costs and the Right Parts

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

A brake job on a 2018-2022 Kia Stinger means replacing pads and, usually, rotors on four-wheel vented disc brakes, and the parts you need depend on which engine your car has. The 3.3L twin-turbo cars use Brembo brakes with larger rotors than the 2.0L turbo cars, so pads and rotors are not interchangeable between the two. The rear axle also carries an electronic parking brake, which changes how the rear pads go in.

How the Stinger brake system is built

Every 2018-2022 Stinger uses vented disc brakes at all four corners. What differs is the size of the hardware, and that difference follows the engine, not the model year.

The quickest way to confirm which system you have is to look through the wheel: the Brembo cars have the Brembo name on the caliper. Because the rotor diameters differ by 5 mm front and 10 mm rear, a rotor or pad ordered for the wrong system will not fit, so match by engine and caliper before you buy.

The rear brakes also serve as the parking brake. The Stinger has an electronic parking brake (EPB) switch instead of a lever or pedal, and the rear calipers apply the pads electrically when you pull the switch.

Symptoms that your Stinger is due for a brake job

• High-pitched squeal while driving that goes away when you brake. That is the acoustic wear indicator, a small metal tab on the pad that touches the rotor when the friction material is nearly gone. Brembo lists this type of indicator on its replacement front pad for the 2.0T.
• Grinding or scraping. The pad is down to the backing plate and cutting into the rotor. At that point the rotor needs to be replaced along with the pads.
• Pulsation in the pedal or shake in the steering wheel under braking. This usually points to uneven rotor thickness, often from heat on a car that is driven hard.
• Car pulls to one side under braking. Suspect a sticking caliper slide or piston, or a collapsed hose, on one side.
• Brake warning light or a hard pedal on a cold start. On some early 2018 cars this is a known issue with the supplemental brake vacuum pump, not the pads (see below).

On a Stinger, the fronts normally wear out before the rears because the front axle does most of the stopping. The rears are not light-duty on this car, though: the rotors are nearly as large as the fronts, and hard driving wears them faster than on a typical sedan. Measure both axles every time the wheels are off.

What to replace together

Pads always go in as an axle set, both sides at once. Whether the rotors get replaced is a measurement question, not a guess. Each rotor has a published minimum thickness; on the 2.0T that is 28 mm front and 20 mm rear. Measure each rotor with a micrometer at several points. If it is at or below the minimum, or it is scored, heat-checked or warped, replace it. Resurfacing a rotor that is close to minimum leaves it too thin to handle heat well, and on a car with this much power that is the wrong place to save.

• Pads and rotors: the common job on high-mileage or hard-driven cars. Shop replacement brake rotors and ceramic brake pads, matched to your engine and caliper system.
• Hardware: new abutment clips, shims and slide-pin boots if the old ones are rusty or torn. See our brake hardware kits.
• Brake fluid: worth flushing during a full brake job, especially if the fluid is dark. Use only the fluid spec printed on the reservoir cap and in the owner's manual, and never mix fluid types.
• Calipers: only when a piston is seized, a boot is torn or a caliper leaks. Most Stinger brake jobs do not need them.

How hard is the job

The front brakes are a straightforward pad-and-rotor job for anyone who has done brakes before: remove the caliper, hang it so the hose is not stretched, pull the caliper bracket if the rotor is coming off, clean the hub face, install the new rotor, clean and lubricate the pad contact points, and reinstall. Torque every fastener to the values in the factory service manual; the caliper and bracket bolts on a car this heavy are not a place to guess.

The rear brakes take more care because of the electronic parking brake. The parking brake mechanism holds the rear pistons, so you cannot simply force them back with a clamp without risking damage to the actuator. The EPB has to be put in its service (release) mode first, which is normally done with a scan tool that supports Kia EPB functions. After the new pads are in, the system is taken back out of service mode so it can re-learn the pad position. The owner's manual notes that some clicking or motor noise when the EPB applies or releases is normal, but an EPB malfunction indicator that stays on after startup means the system needs to be checked.

After any brake job, pump the pedal until it is firm before driving, then bed in the new pads with a series of moderate stops from medium speed so the pad material transfers evenly to the rotors.

What drives the cost of a Stinger brake job

The price of a Stinger brake job comes down to four things. First, pads only versus pads and rotors: rotors are the larger part of the parts bill, and at this size they are not small. Second, one axle versus both. Third, which system you have: the Brembo parts for the 3.3T are larger and generally cost more than the 2.0T parts. Fourth, labor: the rear axle takes longer than the front because of the EPB service-mode step. Doing the fronts yourself and having the rears done by a shop with the right scan tool is a common way to split the difference.

Known Stinger brake-related campaigns

Two factory actions touch the brake system on these cars, and both are worth checking before you spend money:

• ABS module fuse recall (NHTSA 20V518000). NHTSA's recall record states an engine compartment fire may occur in the area of the anti-lock brake hydraulic electronic control unit (HECU). The remedy is a new fuse kit installed in the electrical junction box by a dealer, free of charge.
• Supplemental brake vacuum pump campaign (Kia SC204). This covers certain 2018 model year Stingers built from September 21, 2017 through April 24, 2018. Repeated quick brake applications before the engine is warm can damage the pump's rotor, which may turn on the brake warning light and make the pedal feel hard. Kia's remedy is to inspect and replace the pump's rotor and vane.

Run your VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup or ask a Kia dealer. If a warning light or hard pedal matches the SC204 description, have that done before replacing pads.

Choosing pads for how you drive

For daily driving, a quality ceramic pad keeps dust down on the wheels and stays quiet. Brembo's own replacement pads for the 3.3T are a ceramic compound. If you track the car or drive mountain roads hard, a more aggressive performance pad handles heat better but usually makes more dust and noise. Whatever you pick, buy pads and rotors for the correct caliper system; you can browse brake pads and our full range of brake parts by fitment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the 2.0T and 3.3T Stinger use the same brake pads?

No. The 3.3L twin-turbo cars use Brembo calipers and larger rotors (350 mm front, 340 mm rear), while the 2.0L turbo cars use 345 mm front and 330 mm rear rotors with a different caliper system. Pads and rotors must be ordered for your specific setup.

Can I push the rear caliper pistons back with a C-clamp?

Not with the electronic parking brake in its normal state. The EPB needs to be retracted first, usually with a scan tool that supports Kia EPB service mode. Forcing the piston can damage the parking brake actuator.

How do I know if my Stinger rotors need replacing?

Measure them. If the thickness is at or below the minimum listed for your rotor (28 mm front and 20 mm rear on the 2.0T), or the rotor is scored, cracked or causing pedal pulsation, replace it rather than resurfacing it.

Why does my Stinger brake pedal feel hard when the engine is cold?

On certain early 2018 cars, Kia service campaign SC204 addresses damage to the supplemental brake vacuum pump that can cause a hard pedal and brake warning light. Have a dealer check whether your VIN is included.

Should I replace front and rear brakes at the same time?

Only if both are worn. The fronts usually wear first, but measure the rears whenever the wheels are off. Always replace pads in pairs on the same axle.

Sources

1. Brembo Parts catalogue - Kia Stinger CK 3.3 T-GDi - 3.3T rotor sizes (350 x 30 front, 340 x 22 rear, vented), Brembo system, ceramic pads
2. Brembo Parts catalogue - Kia Stinger CK 2.0 T-GDi - 2.0T rotor sizes and minimum thickness, Mando rear system, acoustic wear indicator
3. NHTSA recall data - Kia Stinger - recall 20V518000, ABS HECU fire risk and fuse kit remedy
4. Kia service campaign SC204 (NHTSA) - 2018 Stinger supplemental brake vacuum pump campaign
5. Kia Stinger CK owner's manual - Electronic parking brake - EPB operation, normal noises, malfunction indicator