[Sentential]

I know this will come off as suspect given this is my first post so ill try and include as much info as possible.I bought a CPO in late August of this year at roughly 18,900 miles vehicle currently has around 22,300 miles ie same oil.

On 12/4 while driving with cruise enabled at 65mph I felt the car squirm like traction control engaged. I had only enough time to cancel it before the engine konked out and threw a flashing check engine light. While it was physically running it felt as if it were in neutral and without power. It also felt like a strong misfire vibration in the cabin when throttle was applied. Coasted off the freeway and called roadside assistance to have the vehicle towed to Parkside KIA.

All of this occured almost immediately after getting gas which made me suspicious but both corporate for the gas station and state inspectors said the gas was fine.

Monday 12/6 initial diagnostic comes back as bad ignition coil cylinder #1. I escalated to the service manager and GM at the dealership insisting all plugs and coils be replaced but they insisted that #1 was "very bad" and wpuld fix the issue. Since then radio silence. Ive escalated with KIA Corp and the dealer is refusing contact requiring the district manager to get involved and ive filed my paperwork for Autoline to start the repurchase process.

Not sure if mine threw a rod as mine didnt show water intrusion on the dipstick and no visible damage was detected when I looked as it was towed.

Year: 2019
Trim: Base Exclaim
VIN: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Mileage: 22,300?

 

[Sentential]

Update:
Went to the dealer this morning, service manager wasn't in (shocking) and they've pushed my car out of the service bay and to the back lot. They couldn't tell me whether or not they contacted techline or what diagnostics they've done. Left a VM with the service manager but my guess is that the engine is toast. Last time I was there they claimed the issue was the ignition coil on #1 but when I went to get my car seat out the tech in the bay had #3 disassembled.

Anyone else have experience with this? Already started a lemon law claim.

 

[XxHaimBondxX]

Not sure what you mean by "started a lemon law claim", but even a 5 second search online could tell you that this is not a lemon law case. Regardless what the issue is, I doubt Kia dealer is capable enough to properly diagnose the issue. I'm sure they will push for an engine replacement, since they get paid more. You have the warranty, get a nice loaner and enjoy the show.

 

[Sentential]

Not sure what you mean by "started a lemon law claim", but even a 5 second search online could tell you that this is not a lemon law case. Regardless what the issue is, I doubt Kia dealer is capable enough to properly diagnose the issue. I'm sure they will push for an engine replacement, since they get paid more. You have the warranty, get a nice loaner and enjoy the show.

What I mean by that is starting the officially sanctioned process under lemon law to repurchase the vehicle per the manufacturer warranty. There are two factors here:

#1 replacement engine will likely be a junker as practice and will have more driven miles than the one in it already and
#2 30 days out of service without alternative transportation meets criteria for my state just like it did in Texas.

As of today I am at day #8/30 and there are no rentals or loaners available as they're neck deep in other bad Gammas. Hence the Autoline claim request to go to arbitration for repurchase as the likelihood that I'll get any kind of replacement engine within the 30 days between Christmas and COVID is nill.

 

[bwdz75]

Wow, your post says blown engine which you have no proof of, just heard misfire and low power, pretty far stretch to make claim of a blown engine. Number 2 incorrect assumption would be that if it is blown that they would install a used engine, engines under warranty have parts replaced by new parts or Kia remanufactured parts not from any other source. Number 3 incorrect assumption is that if misfire was on cylinder 1 that they wouldn't try swapping the coil from number 3 with number 1 to see if misfire followed.
I agree that your dealer is not communicating well and that is a huge problem. That part I have no answer for and can only hope they improve their customer service and remedy this for you quickly. I would be curious to find out what turns out in the end so I hope you update this post and perhaps find another dealer that is more committed to providing better service and communication. If your dealer is giving you no answers you can contact Kia and they will call the dealer and get back with you.

 

[jdmartin]

Are you asking if anyone has had experience with a lemon law case, or has anyone had a bad engine? I don't think lemon law applies on used vehicles in all states. In my state I don't think you can even begin the lemon law process until 30 days have passed. Monday was 12/7 not 12/6. Personally, I don't see you getting anywhere on the lemon law unless you get it back and have the same problems.

 

[Sentential]

Wow, your post says blown engine which you have no proof of, just heard misfire and low power, pretty far stretch to make claim of a blown engine. Number 2 incorrect assumption would be that if it is blown that they would install a used engine, engines under warranty have parts replaced by new parts or Kia remanufactured parts not from any other source. Number 3 incorrect assumption is that if misfire was on cylinder 1 that they wouldn't try swapping the coil from number 3 with number 1 to see if misfire followed.
I agree that your dealer is not communicating well and that is a huge problem. That part I have no answer for and can only hope they improve their customer service and remedy this for you quickly. I would be curious to find out what turns out in the end so I hope you update this post and perhaps find another dealer that is more committed to providing better service and communication. If your dealer is giving you no answers you can contact Kia and they will call the dealer and get back with you.

As far as the engine being blown they've had it since Friday 12/4 and are working with tech-line as of yesterday as they cant fix the engine, their words not mine. My previous assumption was based on the driving behavior and the fact it instantly failed at speed without warning. Given the news reports I thought either the crank snapped or it threw a rod given the heavy vibration. Sorry there was a 48hr delay before the post was made public since I just joined.

Its been my experience that engine replacements come from junkyards from totalled vehicles with similar mileage but perhaps KIA is different.

As far as the ignition coil goes that is how you troubleshoot it assuming that is root cause or you check it with a volt meter and check for a short. Its no different than any other IC and as suspected that was not the problem.

I'll definitely keep this post updated as i get information. Ive reached out to KIA corporate and theyve been unable to get an answer from the dealership until yesterday when they escalated to the tech line several days after the vehicle was towed there Friday morning.

Evidently they are just as frustrated as I am as they were supposedly escalating the case to the district manager because of the dealerships behavior. Id tow it to another dealership but the engine is partially disassembled and KIA would have to authorize it. I doubt that will happen since Parkside KIA sold me the car not the other dealership

Are you asking if anyone has had experience with a lemon law case, or has anyone had a bad engine? I don't think lemon law applies on used vehicles in all states. In my state I don't think you can even begin the lemon law process until 30 days have passed. Monday was 12/7 not 12/6. Personally, I don't see you getting anywhere on the lemon law unless you get it back and have the same problems.

Applogies this was more a general question as to whether the Gamma II Turbos throw rods like the recalled 1.6s do. From what ive read CPOs are covered as new cars but we'll see soon enough. My instincts say between covid and the fact were on week two of December the likelyhood that they could but source and engine and install it within the 30 day timeframe seems unlikely.

 

[bwdz75]

If the engine threw a rod that would be quite obvious for a tech to see and diagnose which is why I assume and only assume it is something else.
You don't check coils with a voltmeter, that would show you next to nothing, you can check it by looking at the primary or secondary with an oscilloscope but the under 1 minute way is to move the suspect coil over 2 spots and see if misfire moves. Unfortunately too few of the techs even know how to properly use one or what the pattern should look like or what the bad pattern is showing you. It's even sadder because the Kia factory scan tool has an oscilloscope built into it, well it plugs into it anyway, and Kia gives us correct ignition patterns, injector patterns, cam crank correlation patterns etc.. it even has outputs to simulate a sensor or pulse width modulated outputs.
This will be up to how good the tech or techs are at diagnostic and if they can even relay correct information to techline.
I just hope it turns out well and you don't need to escalate this and go back to enjoying your car.

 

[Sentential]

If the engine threw a rod that would be quite obvious for a tech to see and diagnose which is why I assume and only assume it is something else.
You don't check coils with a voltmeter, that would show you next to nothing, you can check it by looking at the primary or secondary with an oscilloscope but the under 1 minute way is to move the suspect coil over 2 spots and see if misfire moves. Unfortunately too few of the techs even know how to properly use one or what the pattern should look like or what the bad pattern is showing you. It's even sadder because the Kia factory scan tool has an oscilloscope built into it, well it plugs into it anyway, and Kia gives us correct ignition patterns, injector patterns, cam crank correlation patterns etc.. it even has outputs to simulate a sensor or pulse width modulated outputs.
This will be up to how good the tech or techs are at diagnostic and if they can even relay correct information to techline.
I just hope it turns out well and you don't need to escalate this and go back to enjoying your car.

Thanks! Learned something, also it's been almost another week and the car is still dead and still in the back lot however my Autoline case was accepted and awaiting an arbitration hearing date from KIA

 

[bwdz75]

So did they fix your car yet?

 

[Sentential]

So did they fix your car yet?

Nope still gathering dust in the back lot, the only updates I've heard are from the BBB saying that my case has been accepted and KIA on 12/16who is reviewing my case for a repurchase request under the Autoline program. KIA's review was said to take approximately two weeks starting 12/16 before they would make a determination on their end and if they decline we move onto arbitration.

 

[Sentential]

EDIT:
Spoke with KIA, my case number has been escalated and qualifies for repurchase per the regional support rep I spoke with. Should be getting the details January 4th when their office returns from holiday break.

 

[mjhammer]

EDIT:
Spoke with KIA, my case number has been escalated and qualifies or repurchase. Should be getting the details January 4th

Good grief man, What a huge pain this must have been for you. You buy a car expecting to get some use out of it, not a bunch of grief, then the runaround. Wow, not a great purchase experience for you, was it? Dang.

H

 

[bwdz75]

Without knowing all the details it sounds like the dealer is not a particularly good one. Sorry to hear that and hope they get you a satisfying resolution.

 

[Sentential]

Good grief man, What a huge pain this must have been for you. You buy a car expecting to get some use out of it, not a bunch of grief, then the runaround. Wow, not a great purchase experience for you, was it? Dang.

H

It was OK, dealing with Nissan was worse. Still don't have check in hand yet so we'll see how that goes

Without knowing all the details it sounds like the dealer is not a particularly good one. Sorry to hear that and hope they get you a satisfying resolution.

They've got a bunch of awards and allegedly are one of the top dealers in the country so who knows. Tried to be as transparent as possible, brought the car to Parkside KIA on 12/4 for a misfire and they tried for a week diagnosing it, referred it to techline and it's sat in their back lot since then still not fixed as of 12/29. Never got a loaner and was told all their loaners were called for until January. Reminded the service manager of the 30 day out of service associated with lemon law and tried to work with them and was met with hostility. Their argument was that I was speculating about what was wrong with the car and in no way would it be out of service that long even if an engine needed to be swapped. That was 25 days ago.

We own a Sedona that has been trouble free and aside from this they've been pleasant to work with albeit very busy. Given how hostile things have gotten after I called him out on being wrong about the ignition coil I doubt we'll own the Sedona much longer or at bare minimum begin servicing it at the other KIA dealer in town.

 

[bwdz75]

I have seen techline ask us to hold a car if it wasn't fixed and if they deemed it needed a deeper look. That is an extremely rare scenario so I wouldn't want to speculate. Did Kia go over the techline notes and updates on the case with you?

 

[Realalex]

"August of this year at roughly 18,900 miles vehicle currently has around 22,300 miles ie same oil."

It is not good. Do you know when the last change of oil was?

I do not no how in US, in Russia you should change oil for turbo twice a year or every 7500 km instead of once a year or 15000 km for atmo.

 

[Sentential]

I have seen techline ask us to hold a car if it wasn't fixed and if they deemed it needed a deeper look. That is an extremely rare scenario so I wouldn't want to speculate. Did Kia go over the techline notes and updates on the case with you?

What I was told was that they replaced the ignition coil and the misfire continued and was referred to techline sometime around 12/10. What the details were they didn't share. Service manage was rude and abrupt the entire time and our communication ceased when I called him out that changing the coil wouldn't work and that something more serious was wrong. This was based on my assumption that the misfire was so bad that it felt like a blowout or that the cylinder was not firing at all. Car was visibly shaking at idle to the point where the interior was rattling.

"August of this year at roughly 18,900 miles vehicle currently has around 22,300 miles ie same oil."

It is not good. Do you know when the last change of oil was?

I do not no how in US, in Russia you should change oil for turbo twice a year or every 7500 km instead of once a year or 15000 km for atmo.

I don't off hand, placard suggested it was changed just before the sale, it was due 12/8 or 24,000 something miles. Service intervals from the dealer were 5k miles or every quarter, it was due by date around the time the engine failed. I was mistaken I bought it at 19,600 miles so it failed within 3k miles.

 

[Realalex]

It is ok if it as you say. I heard in US you change oil too seldom.

 

[Sentential]

Final update. Car is fixed; was offered 20% of sales price for cash and keep (aprox $4k). Final diagnostic (Multi-Cylinder Misfire): High resistance Coil #1, bad gas despite TN inspector showing results were OK from service station. Tank drained and evap canister recall replaced along with all 4 spark plugs under good will. Car runs well no other complaints other than the lead time. Total days out of service = 40.

Looks like I'll be joining everyone ins more positive posts from here on our lol. Thanks everyone