kia engine issues...really serious or overinflated?

Guy I know had to have his wife's Kia towed into the dealer because it went into limp mode. The service manager could see the concern on her face when he told her the motor was toast and would be replaced under warranty. He told her "don't worry we've replaced hundreds of them." :p
The mention of 'limp mode' is **** hilarious... With a comment like that at a dealership I think if any way possible I'd trade that thing in after the engine is swapped.
 
I just bought a 2022 Kia Soul for my eldest ingrate. It is a REALLy compelling package of interesting esthetics, GREAT room inside (I'm 6'5" and have about 3" of headroom), great MPGs, I think the engine/transmission is sporty, and it has very communicative steering. There just isn't anything out there that offers the value of the Soul with the interior size for the money.

Here's what I found:

1. There is no doubt Hyundai/Kia has had major engine issues in the past. Anyone who denies this just has their head in the sand. Is it still a bit of a gamble? I don't know every make/model has something. Even my beloved Tundra can develop a cam tower leak at 20K miles and this has been a problem since 2007 that Toyota has chosen to not address even though it's a PITA to fix.

2. Most recently there were issues with the piston rings not being manufactured correctly which would lead to severe scoring of the cylinder after some period of time. It seemed hit or miss whether it happened at all and it could happen to one or more different cylinders depending on the engine. They also had carbon deposit issues on their DI engines.

3. I believe the issue with piston rings has been resolved and the 2.0 in the Soul went back to MPI.

4. Unless you drive an insane number of miles the engine should remain under warranty for a long time and most of your ownership. I don't expect a $22K vehicle to go 400k miles and be flawless and I'm not asking the Soul to be that vehicle. It's for the kids, it will probably hit 10 years before it hits 100k miles and I don't expect it will have much value at that point even if it runs and is in perfect condition.

All that said, I want to hedge my bets understanding no oil is going to prevent engine damage/failure that is due to bad design or manufacturing defects:

1. 5K mile OCI with OEM oil filter
2. I'm going with a 0W-40 or 5W-40 synthetic oil because why not? What about the warranty? Yeah, I have a bunch of 0W-20 receipts sitting around and if they ask 0W-20 is what she gets. I keep great records in an app including receipts and dates that can all be printed as a report.
3. If the engine or transmission grenades then Kia can replace it.
 
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11 hyundais in the family, from a 1987 excel, to the two 2021’s I have now. No problems with any of them except minor recall stuff, a broken trunk latch, and one that used a quart on it 5k OCI. Two were killed in a tornado, and one got killed by a truck. All included 1.5, 1.6, 2.0, 2.4, 2.7, and 3.3L engines.
 
2. I'm going with a 0W-40 or 5W-40 synthetic oil because why not? What about the warranty? Yeah, I have a bunch of 0W-20 receipts sitting around and if they ask 0W-20 is what she gets. I keep great records in an app including receipts and dates that can all be printed as a report.
What app? I use Carfax but open to something better if it's out there.


OP: We traded my wife's 2015 Acura MDX in for a 2021 Palisade. Never considered Hyundai before but it's a solid package. 20k miles in about 18 months and it's been a great vehicle with no issues. I've seen other Palisade owners complain of oil consumption but ours is always right where I filled it on the dipstick after 5k miles.
 
I do like 25k/year. Not hearing a compelling case for me to try and see if they are now good. All makers have problems, I know that.
 
The teens have figured out how to steal them with a screwdriver and a USB cable. The groups that do this are nicknamed "Hamster Boys".

As mentioned above, Toyotas seem rather overhyped as a whole. This is my personal opinion but the appeal just isn't there for me and I'm not a fan of their new models including the Crown, yes bring back the Model A and Model T, Ford. There isn't a single model that I would spend money on and buy today. Maybe 25 years ago that may have been a different story.

Back to Kia. As someone that is thinking of recommending a Kia Soul to a friend, presumably something 2014 or newer as per this criterion.. I appreciate this thread.

Apparently, that model has had almost every engine and drivetrain, or at least quite a few.

Yeah, the Hamster car lol. I'll always remember that. Maybe dated at this point, but, yep, Kia Soul is the hamster car.

I was involved in a matchup of comparing a Hyundai Accent to a Chevy Cruze.. verdict was, at about 100k miles, Chevy Cruzes just start falling apart. This offset by those that have Cruze and NO issues, it is a zippy little car . In the end, neither was chosen due to poor overpriced examples in car market, no joke, but as the Kia Soul seems superior to a Scion xB or xD if they even still have a Toyota version of that.. which I do not think they do.. Again, Interested in this thread.

Only engine I think for sure is perhaps notorious for being bad is a 2.0T. And I saw a gorgeous black Sonata for sale. When I realized it was a 2.0T, I said, oh, that is probably why they are selling it, and kept scrolling.

Now, another question... outside of a Palisade and Telluride, how linked are Kia and Hyundai?
 
OP here...thanks for feedback; might not be doing this after all; haven't heard back from dealer yet about credit application...silence is deafening! guess I haven't fixed my credit score enough to get a loan & they won't give me the bad news over the phone...
 
Kia / Hyundai 1.6L Gamma engines are good for 100K, then will drink every drop of oil you put in. No maintenance schedule will prevent this. Engine design flaws. Our 2014 Kia Rio is over 130K, and runs fine, but needs a new CAT (because of all the oil usage) and drinks oil like crazy.

Our 2012 Santa Fe 2.4L had 160K or so when it got totaled. Car was great. Oil was always at the full mark throughout the whole OCI. Only issues I had were the crankshaft position sensor failed at 65K (known issue with that model for some reason,) ABS sensor failed and the MCV motor needed to be replaced as the plastic (mind boggling engineering decision) shaft broke.

2019 Hyundai Tucson, 35K on the 2.0L Nu engine. Only had it a couple months. Seems good so far. Changed oil with Mobil 1 5W-30 and an OEM filter. Replaced the PCV valve. Oil stays where it's supposed to in the 2,000 miles we have put on it.

Those are our experiences so far in 3 Hyundai / KIA vehicles.
 
OP here...thanks for feedback; might not be doing this after all; haven't heard back from dealer yet about credit application...silence is deafening! guess I haven't fixed my credit score enough to get a loan & they won't give me the bad news over the phone...
I don’t know your situation, so take my advice with a grain of salt. However, I always recommend folks who have some uncertainty around their financing to work with their bank, personally. Secure your financing first, then go look for your car. Best of luck!
 
I have a friend that lost the engine in his KIA sedan. I don't know the model or year of the vehicle but KIA replaced it.
 
I don’t know your situation, so take my advice with a grain of salt. However, I always recommend folks who have some uncertainty around their financing to work with their bank, personally. Secure your financing first, then go look for your car. Best of luck!
Good advice here. I remember when I had no credit which is just like having bad credit. A guy told me to go to a locally owned small bank and ask them to help. They started out by opening a checking account, then a savings account and eventually a credit/debit card. They also had what they called a revolving credit account which started at $500 to where I could make small purchases with out contacting them first and they would cover it as long as it didn't exceed the limit and then I could make monthly payments. Before you know it I had good credit.
 
I've had a gaggle of different Hyundai and Kias and never had a problem but that doesn't mean there aren't issues. How much is history, nobody really knows for sure but you would have to put it in some sort of statistical context for it to have meaning and you probably won't find that here.
I have to say I love my 2020 Elantra with the simple 2.0L engine (no direct injection, no turbo) and the CVT. This drivetrain feels great, delivers fantastic MPG and it is really smooth and non-CVT-like. I've put 34,000 miles on it in 18 months so the jury is out on longevity but I'm doubtful that oil is the issue that Hyundai has had with engines. It is more likely a manufacturing issue because it was hit or miss with the 2.4L that was so problematic. They certainly paid the price for their mistake so hopefully, financial pain causes a course correction. Even if they solve those problems the reputation for the problem will carry forward. It isn't unique to Hyundai/Kia. Every manufacturer has produced a stinker, with some more than others. It is a complex mechanical device made by humans. There is no way to completely eliminate sources of error so you do your due diligence, cross your fingers, hope for the best, and plan for the worst.
 
I have an '08 Sorento with the 3.8L Lambda V6 engine (no DI, no turbo and no plastic intake or valve covers...except the cartridge filter housing and cover)...it has about 199,000 miles. Just speaking of the engine...it has been flawless. In my opinion, the first gen Lambda V6 engines are stout.

Just speaking of the engine...no issues (just regular maintenance and plugs, belts, etc.)...transmission...from Nissan has been good as well, but has started to show some shutter around 45mph. Transfer case, no issues...drive shaft, no issues...rear end...it looks like a Toyota rear end, but it definitely not built like one. I grenaded one about 1.5 years ago...had to replace with a junkyard unit (that still has issues). They must have made the pinion and ring gear out of powdered metal...
 
A relative had to get the engine replaced under warranty not long after it was purchased new, maybe 3-4 years ago, no other problems with the engine since then AFAIK.
 
My neighborhood is so full of Kia and Hyundai automobiles I should be hearing wailing and gnashing of teeth, but I don’t. It seems they all run. I haven’t heard of any engine failures.
 
Guy I know had to have his wife's Kia towed into the dealer because it went into limp mode. The service manager could see the concern on her face when he told her the motor was toast and would be replaced under warranty. He told her "don't worry we've replaced hundreds of them." :p
My sister in law, who is a Hospital lab supervisor, had a similar issue with a Tucson AWD a couple years ago. Same thing, KIA service dept. apologised, lent her a Sante Fe to drive in the meanwhile. Then three months(!) later she got her little SUV back. I don't know if they traded it; they would strive to get as much service out of this appliance as is possible.
 
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