One month left on KIA warranty, CEL

Joined
Jun 30, 2018
Messages
509
Location
TX
So, bought a 2016 Optima from Hertz with the 2.4 Theta in 2017 thinking the problem with the engines had been solved. Turns out that was not so, and had the software update for the rod knock done. 37K when I bought it, 70500 now. Motor seems ok but got the CEL yesterday, had it scanned at Advance AP and threw a P200A, intake manifold flap problem. A vid on YT showed good info and a TCB to look for, #158, rev 2. However it does not cover our production date by a few months. We did get the Gold ext warranty from Hertz and have one month left. We want to unload this time bomb (driving in Houston, it is unimaginable for a car to suddenly go to limp home mode) and get something else. We paid 13 and have a firm offer of 10200 at Carmax even with the CEL on.
Here is my question-what are the odds that Hertz just unplugs the battery and resets the CEL hoping for another month before it comes on, and what might I do to prevent that, if anything, wasting my time...or just get it to Carmax and sell it? We did like shopping at Hertz and might buy another there so kinda want to trade it in there on something, and I gotta say the Kia has been a great car. And that is from a Toyota fanboy.
 
If I was in your shoes, I would have started working on getting the car in the shop first if its still under warranty.

Unloading for 10,200 when you bought for 13,000 and put 33k miles on the car is a really good deal. Those miles were very low cost assuming you didn't have to shell out for repairs beyond normal maintenance. You could probably sell it privately for 13,000.
 
What;s a good way to mark bolts? I have a good idea where they might check, but on the TSB it says if my

OEM 28323-2GGA1 MOTOR ASSY-VCM is not making a loud noise it (which it is not)​

it still needs a ecm update. Can Hertz do that or is that a Dealer only repair?
 
What;s a good way to mark bolts? I have a good idea where they might check, but on the TSB it says if my

OEM 28323-2GGA1 MOTOR ASSY-VCM is not making a loud noise it (which it is not)​

it still needs a ecm update. Can Hertz do that or is that a Dealer only repair?
Mark with a paint marker over the top so that if they're hit with a socket or bit, the paint will chip off and it'll be annoying to try to realign the mark perfectly
 
The car is a ticking time bomb because of an intake runner code? Even if someone cleared codes, if something is failed on the vehicle, the code is going to come back on instantly and a pending code should pop up w/in the first 3 months or 3K miles.

In regards to your buying experience with Hertz, mine was the same through Enterprise. I would buy from them again.
 
On the YT vid the car did go into limp mode from the P200A code, but not mine yet. But yea, the rod knock is the main bomb.
 
The car is a ticking time bomb because of an intake runner code? Even if someone cleared codes, if something is failed on the vehicle, the code is going to come back on instantly and a pending code should pop up w/in the first 3 months or 3K miles.

In regards to your buying experience with Hertz, mine was the same through Enterprise. I would buy from them again.
I think OP's talking about connecting rod bearing issue that plagued theta 2 gdi engine
 
On the YT vid the car did go into limp mode from the P200A code, but not mine yet. But yea, the rod knock is the main bomb.
That engine has a lifetime warranty on it, since it sounds like it had the knock sensor TSB performed. The rest of the car is pretty solid. I'd have Hertz (or whoever the warranty is through) pull stored codes and figure out what's wrong. If it can be repaired under warranty, then great. If not due to the code not being active, then you were wanting to sell the car anyways, so I don't see what you lose there.
 
Problem is my wife has trouble changing lanes with a good running engine. You know what I mean....??
 
Would there be the KIA manufacturer warranty still or does that go down the toilet since HERTZ owned it?
 
I bought my 2012 for $7500 with 48,000 miles, drove it for 3 years and put another 45,000 miles on it, sold it for $3700 after hitting a deer with (unrepaired) minor damage to the front bumper, a shaky clutch due to all my enthusiastic driving, brakes that needed to be replaced, and a cracked windshield. I ran 5w30 in mine and 10w30 in the summertime, and got the software update for the warranty.

My wife would only rarely drive mine because it was a manual, even though she knows how to drive manual owing to being from a different country, she just has gotten spolied since moving to the US. She wanted me to get something that was big and had an automatic. So I bought this Navigator, which has another trouble prone engine, the Ford 5.4 3 valve. Haha. I have a timing set and new brakes waiting for it, I'd just prefer the weather cooled off first.
 
Sounds like you're counting the days, expecting this car to bottom out. If you don't trust it and especially if you don't while having your wife drive it, just let CarMax take it off your hands for the $10+K. Peace of mind is priceless.
 
Thanks all for the replies. Well, the light went off on it's own and stayed off, never seen that before. Got 10500 on trade in at Suburu dealer on a Crosstrek. Seems like a nice car 2020 8300 miles. Never had a Subie before, and knowing of the oil and ac and headgasket problems we paid for a full bumper to bumper warranty 100000/7 year and windshield replacements, as it has the cameras there. Tried a 2018 Rav4, felt very cramped and cheap. At least I wont have to work on the Subie!
 
The Crosstrek is a great car. Wishing you many years and miles of reliable, enjoyable ownership.
 
Cap says 0-20 oil. Scary to someone that is used to 10-30 oil. I need to do some reading and see what is deemed severe use. Houston was that with the Kia. The filter is right on top and right side up, and there looks to be a small drain hole for when you loosen it. Where does that drain to? I guess I will be prefilling the filter as best I can. Might try some Magnetec for it's magic clinging properties?
 
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