Hi,
My dad just got a MY 2022 Kia Picanto 2 Automatic. It's a lovely little car and he's very happy with it, bar one issue - reversing onto the driveway.
The car is fine on the road and in car parks etc. However, our driveway is at a right-angle to the road - which is single track - is steep for the first three metres, before flattening out. It's also a dirt and gravel slope so traction can be an issue. To get on the driveway, you drive past it a little ways, then reverse to the right to get in, it is quite tight, literally 90 degrees. The road is only a little wider than the car.
All other cars my dad has had - all front wheel drive, like the Picanto - have reversed up here with no issues at all. My Mercedes, rear wheel drive, does slip a bit due to the weight shift, but makes it up there just fine.
However, my dad's Picanto seems to "bog down" requiring FAR more rpm than seems appropriate. It grips just fine - no slipping I can detect - but needs lots of revs before it will even move. Once it's past the three metres of gravel on to the flat, paved area it then wants to shoot backwards due to the high rpm needed to get up the slope. My Mercedes is the same, it needs more revs as the car "thinks" it's going to slip - it does a bit - and being a bit more firm on the throttle, or changing the gearbox mode to Sport, sees it get up there just fine.
I thought at first that this might simply be the car's traction control being a little over-intrusive, like my Mercedes. I.e. "I think you're going to slip, so I'll reign in the power" as that's exactly what it seems to be doing. Requiring a firmer throttle press before it'll even try to move backwards. However, we just did a test turning Traction control OFF and repeating the manoeuvre. Same issue.
It's odd really as, at all times, the car has excellent grip on this surface, there was no trace of any slipping. Sure, my Merc slips a bit, but then it's rear wheel drive so the weight balance is off due to the steep slope. No, the Picanto grips great, but the car simply will not move unless excessive revs are given, it then wants to suddenly shoot back fast once it's mostly up the slope, needing to be caught on the brake. It's not elegant at all, plus there's a distinct clutch smell after the manoeuvre.
I was wondering if any other owners experience this? It's a bit worrying for my dad that the car rev's A LOT but barely moves, then shoot backwards like it does. The dealer seems to be listening and has actually agreed to come to the house to check it out. They could of course not re-create the issue testing reversing up their smooth, internal dry concrete car park ramps.
In summary, the car certainly seems to have issue with this specific manoeuvre. I really thought turning Traction / Stability Control off - the button by the driver's right knee - would sort it. However, it has not. Here's the sequence of events when parking, for clarity.
- Road is narrow, single track and a very slight incline.
- Approach Driveway (on right) and go a little past it.
- Stop, and engage reverse, quite a lot of right lock required.
- Rear of car starts going up the slope just fine, front wheels still on road.
- Front wheels start going up the drive, power drops off, car stops moving despite consistent throttle input.
- Additional rpm given, as reasonable amount, car does not move.
- Even more rpm given and car starts to move again, albeit slowly.
- Rear wheels are now on the flat and the front wheels are nearing it.
- Car wants to suddenly shoot backwards and needs to be caught on the brake.
It appears that once the car is past a certain threshold, whatever was holding it back - despite the high rpm - is suddenly removed. I fully suspect that some software system is looking at the steering angle, the steepness of the slope and, perhaps, able to detect it's gravel to reign in the power. However, it's getting it wrong / is overly sensitive / does not appear to be part of what the Traction Control button can turn off.
Sorry for the long first post, I wanted to be as clear as possible regarding this likely obscure issue. Any advice welcome.
My dad just got a MY 2022 Kia Picanto 2 Automatic. It's a lovely little car and he's very happy with it, bar one issue - reversing onto the driveway.
The car is fine on the road and in car parks etc. However, our driveway is at a right-angle to the road - which is single track - is steep for the first three metres, before flattening out. It's also a dirt and gravel slope so traction can be an issue. To get on the driveway, you drive past it a little ways, then reverse to the right to get in, it is quite tight, literally 90 degrees. The road is only a little wider than the car.
All other cars my dad has had - all front wheel drive, like the Picanto - have reversed up here with no issues at all. My Mercedes, rear wheel drive, does slip a bit due to the weight shift, but makes it up there just fine.
However, my dad's Picanto seems to "bog down" requiring FAR more rpm than seems appropriate. It grips just fine - no slipping I can detect - but needs lots of revs before it will even move. Once it's past the three metres of gravel on to the flat, paved area it then wants to shoot backwards due to the high rpm needed to get up the slope. My Mercedes is the same, it needs more revs as the car "thinks" it's going to slip - it does a bit - and being a bit more firm on the throttle, or changing the gearbox mode to Sport, sees it get up there just fine.
I thought at first that this might simply be the car's traction control being a little over-intrusive, like my Mercedes. I.e. "I think you're going to slip, so I'll reign in the power" as that's exactly what it seems to be doing. Requiring a firmer throttle press before it'll even try to move backwards. However, we just did a test turning Traction control OFF and repeating the manoeuvre. Same issue.
It's odd really as, at all times, the car has excellent grip on this surface, there was no trace of any slipping. Sure, my Merc slips a bit, but then it's rear wheel drive so the weight balance is off due to the steep slope. No, the Picanto grips great, but the car simply will not move unless excessive revs are given, it then wants to suddenly shoot back fast once it's mostly up the slope, needing to be caught on the brake. It's not elegant at all, plus there's a distinct clutch smell after the manoeuvre.
I was wondering if any other owners experience this? It's a bit worrying for my dad that the car rev's A LOT but barely moves, then shoot backwards like it does. The dealer seems to be listening and has actually agreed to come to the house to check it out. They could of course not re-create the issue testing reversing up their smooth, internal dry concrete car park ramps.
In summary, the car certainly seems to have issue with this specific manoeuvre. I really thought turning Traction / Stability Control off - the button by the driver's right knee - would sort it. However, it has not. Here's the sequence of events when parking, for clarity.
- Road is narrow, single track and a very slight incline.
- Approach Driveway (on right) and go a little past it.
- Stop, and engage reverse, quite a lot of right lock required.
- Rear of car starts going up the slope just fine, front wheels still on road.
- Front wheels start going up the drive, power drops off, car stops moving despite consistent throttle input.
- Additional rpm given, as reasonable amount, car does not move.
- Even more rpm given and car starts to move again, albeit slowly.
- Rear wheels are now on the flat and the front wheels are nearing it.
- Car wants to suddenly shoot backwards and needs to be caught on the brake.
It appears that once the car is past a certain threshold, whatever was holding it back - despite the high rpm - is suddenly removed. I fully suspect that some software system is looking at the steering angle, the steepness of the slope and, perhaps, able to detect it's gravel to reign in the power. However, it's getting it wrong / is overly sensitive / does not appear to be part of what the Traction Control button can turn off.
Sorry for the long first post, I wanted to be as clear as possible regarding this likely obscure issue. Any advice welcome.
