[Westcountryman]

I was under the impression that this defect was only applicable to the 1.6 48v petrol hybrid ? Could someone possibly enlighten me please as I would look at changing vehicle if it does apply include my 67 plate 1.7 diesel, which up to press has run without a fault!

I think you are safe with a '67 plate 1.7 diesel, the problem arises from 2019 and the 1.6 engine. I had a 2016 plate 1.7 diesel, lovely vehicle to drive a
nd only £30 a year road fund to pay!! Those were the days

 

[Andrew Halifax]

My 2020 Sportage had a screech noise from the engine last year. Issue with the tensioner belt. Was without the car for 3 months due to waiting for a part, but was given a courtesy car.
7 months later, same screeching noise again. Back to dealer, confirmed same fault again. This time they have tensioner belts in stock so it will be quicker.
The receptionist at the dealership told me they had another 7 cars waiting tensioner repairs!
I'm now feeling very disillusioned with the car, I don't have confidence in its reliability or safety, so will probably sell it once I get it back. Such a shame as apart from this I love it!

 

[AndrewG]

My 69 plate, GT S-Line 48v auto diesel has suffered a similar fate. EM light has come on and the ISG light is flashing. There is a fluctuation in the revs over 2k. I took it to the local dealer today who confirmed it was a tensioner problem and several other were there with the same problem. They won't let me take the car as it would get progressively worse, and that due to a problem with parts it may be weeks or months before it is fixed.
They may be able to get me a manual Sportage as a replacement but this isn't ideal as I wanted an auto. Has anyone else got experience with hire/replacement cars and how I can get a like for like spec etc? And how long was it before your car was fixed.

I suspect you will struggle to get more than they have offered and that you are getting a Sportage is a bonus! My dealer told me last week he had been called by three different Enterprise offices to ask if he had any cars as they have run out! I am in a 19 plate bottom of the range Kuga. I asked Kia Customer Service for a different car and was told in a roundabout way there was no chance of that being approved so we are taking my Mrs's manual Mokka to France for 2 weeks instead of my cooled auto GT-Line S it is precisely the conditions that would have made it perfect.

 

[AndrewG]

Update from my dealer is they expect the parts on 24th August and have been told they can say that date but they have four ahead of mine (and at least a further six after it) so depending on how many they actually have delivered I may get it back 1st week of September so just over 3 months. However I am not holding my breath........

 

[Luciana Campos]

My 2020 Sportage had a screech noise from the engine last year. Issue with the tensioner belt. Was without the car for 3 months due to waiting for a part, but was given a courtesy car.
7 months later, same screeching noise again. Back to dealer, confirmed same fault again. This time they have tensioner belts in stock so it will be quicker.
The receptionist at the dealership told me they had another 7 cars waiting tensioner repairs!
I'm now feeling very disillusioned with the car, I don't have confidence in its reliability or safety, so will probably sell it once I get it back. Such a shame as apart from this I love it!

Andrew, I have got exactly the same issue. Same timeline as yours. My car is now at the Kia dealership for over 2 months and they have no idea when they will get the part to be replaced. They said Kia in Korea are still working to fix this issue. And they will only replace the parts once they get the tensioner right. So they have no idea when that will actually happen. God knows it might take months. They dont want to replace the tensioner for something which they think "it might work" and then me (and you and many other customers) having to go back once again for a recall for the third time or maybe fourth to get the same part replaced. It's ridiculous! They should have given us a brand new car. They have giving myself and my husband a s*courtesy car. While I am paying for a car that I am not driving for in total 6 months so far since I bought this Sportage. If you check Kia twitter page, lots of other customers complaining about the same issue.

 

[LMS70]

I think you are safe with a '67 plate 1.7 diesel, the problem arises from 2019 and the 1.6 engine. I had a 2016 plate 1.7 diesel, lovely vehicle to drive a
nd only £30 a year road fund to pay!! Those were the days

Mine has just been taken into the garage with the tensioner probelm, looking at up to 5 months to get it back, 1 week without a courtesy car still and my sportage is a 2019 1.6 diesel automatic gt line
I bought in March with 19,000 miles on it and only has just over 20,000 on now
Dealer told me Kia have left it too late and are fixing the problem ones before putting out a recall. The garage i got it from has 15 in front of me so i had to go to another local garage to be 4th in line - i would like to know where we stand legally or whether we just have to live with it

 

[Luciana Campos]

Mine has just been taken into the garage with the tensioner probelm, looking at up to 5 months to get it back, 1 week without a courtesy car still and my sportage is a 2019 1.6 diesel automatic gt line
I bought in March with 19,000 miles on it and only has just over 20,000 on now
Dealer told me Kia have left it too late and are fixing the problem ones before putting out a recall. The garage i got it from has 15 in front of me so i had to go to another local garage to be 4th in line - i would like to know where we stand legally or whether we just have to live with it

If you find out whether we have rights for compensation, etc, please let me know? this is the second time my car is on the garage for over 3 months with the same problem. And Kia have done nothing else a part to provide me with a courtesy car 'lesser' than mine.

 

[Westcountryman]

Westcountryman said:
I think you are safe with a '67 plate 1.7 diesel, the problem arises from 2019 and the 1.6 engine. I had a 2016 plate 1.7 diesel, lovely vehicle to drive a
nd only £30 a year road fund to pay!! Those were the days

Mine has just been taken into the garage with the tensioner probelm, looking at up to 5 months to get it back, 1 week without a courtesy car still and my sportage is a 2019 1.6 diesel automatic gt line
I bought in March with 19,000 miles on it and only has just over 20,000 on now
Dealer told me Kia have left it too late and are fixing the problem ones before putting out a recall. The garage i got it from has 15 in front of me so i had to go to another local garage to be 4th in line - i would like to know where we stand legally or whether we just have to live with it

thats the engines with the problem, the 1.6 diesel, my post you quoted was in reference to a older 1.7 diesel engine, relatively safe IMO

 

[ReubenG]

Unfortunately the exact same issue for me. 69 plate 1.6 mhev diesel sportage. Back in 2020 It needed an engine rebuild and crankshaft and on the weekend just gone, 4 weeks after apparently having the tensioner sorted on recall so I was told, it's started screeching like a banshee.

Now its going to be several months off the road waiting for the part which takes me beyond the end of the vehicle lease. I can't terminate the lease as its not running and god knows when I will get a replacement vehicle from kia. Last time it took weeks for a joke picanto! Shocking how many are impacted and having the same poor experience from kia. This needs legal collective action against kia as the scale seems huge.

 

[SFTphotography]

Mine has just been taken into the garage with the tensioner probelm, looking at up to 5 months to get it back, 1 week without a courtesy car still and my sportage is a 2019 1.6 diesel automatic gt line
I bought in March with 19,000 miles on it and only has just over 20,000 on now
Dealer told me Kia have left it too late and are fixing the problem ones before putting out a recall. The garage i got it from has 15 in front of me so i had to go to another local garage to be 4th in line - i would like to know where we stand legally or whether we just have to live with it

Is yours a mild hybrid or non hybrid car.

Looking at autotrader the mild hybrids are badged "eco dynamics". All 20 1.6 diesels plates are mild hyrbid as are some 69 plates. 19 plates aren't mild hybrid and are probably safe. 2020 looks the danger year.

Here's an auto express article pointing as to when they came on stream.

New Kia Sportage 1.6 diesel MHEV 2020 review | Auto Express

The smallest diesel in the Kia Sportage's range now comes with 48-volt mild-hybrid tech

www.autoexpress.co.uk

Mild Hybrid

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

Non hybrid

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

69 plate non mild hybrid

Auto Trader UK - New and Used Cars For Sale

Find your next car with Auto Trader UK, the official #1 site to buy and sell new and used cars. Over 400,000 cars online. Simple, easy, quick!

www.autotrader.co.uk

 

[ReubenG]

Is yours a mild hybrid or non hybrid car/

It's the mild hybrid unfortunately.

 

[SFTphotography]

It's the mild hybrid unfortunately.

I figured. I am extremely concerned about this problem - I have a non mild hybrid ceed - but worry in case my car has the weakness. It really does though appear to afflict the hybrids though and I should worry less.

Nevertheless - I am sorry to hear about your car.

 

[Jamie Grice]

Hi all,
I have just experienced a similar issue to some here. I have driven the 25 miles to work only to notice a squeel coming from the engine. Parked the car to investigate and found the timing belt to be the issue and is visibly damaged. Further inspection shows the alternator is loose and practically hanging off!!
Contacted Kia Dealer who advised me to call my breakdown provider and under no circumstances drive the car. Dealer said they currently have 12 cars waiting for repairs around the timing belt/tension pulley with an estimate of September-October before mine could be sorted!

I have a new Niro EV on order, but who knows when that will eventually appear!

 

[Kingarthur]

I previously had a head unit problem (touch screen replacement but affected the cooled/heated seats seats etc), the part was on back order and took a number of months to get fixed. I received a £150 voucher in compensation for the delay in getting the problem fixed.

I've been given a 2020 petrol Sportage as a replacement while my gts line diesel is getting fixed. I know i shouldn't complain as it is a decent car compared to what some are getting but it is still a less spec than mine and costs much more in fuel than my diesel.

Has anyone been told about compensation for being without their vehicle? I lease my vehicle through Kia and am paying a premium for a top spec vehicle which I can't use.

 

[AndrewG]

I received a £150 voucher in compensation for the delay in getting the problem fixed.

Has anyone been told about compensation for being without their vehicle? I lease my vehicle through Kia and am paying a premium for a top spec vehicle which I can't use.

I'd also be really interested to hear if anyone else has received any compensation as I suspect it will cost them an awful lot if we all get it!

 

[Kia1234]

Hi all,

70 plate 1.6 mild hybrid purchased in July 21, currently on 17k miles. Yesterday I was driving the car and a swooshing and screeching noise occurred. It sounded as though it was coming from the right side (drivers) front tyre. Pulled over and couldn't see any damage or anything stuck in the tyre but thought it was best to drive home as the noise was horrendous! The screeching had stopped when I continued but then intermittently the car would jerk when I took my foot off the accelerator, but the car was still driveable. I called Kia this morning and they advised me not to drive it and to get it recovered to them asap. It has now been recovered to a Kia dealership and I've been told its the tensioner - around 20 cars in front of me with exactly the same issue. The other dealership close-by (ish) aren't even accepting the Sportage's with this issue as they have too many already!!

The car was serviced mid-July at Kia and the recall work for the tensioner was complete - so less than 3 weeks ago and now this has happened... surely this either can't have been completed or a proper repair wasn't done?

I have been told to expect to be without a car for 3 months and they can't even source me a hire car for 7 days due to the demand! Has anyone received any compensation from Kia?

After reading all these posts, I have really lost faith in Kia and am very concerned the car is going to be sat in the dealership for months on end. Also reading slightly older posts, people report issues with dealerships not being able to obtain stock for the replacement tensioners - is this shortage still an issue?

Sorry - one last question - as the car was still driving/engine working when it was recovered (just an intermittent jerk when taking foot off accelerator) could the works required for repair be less extensive?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Jamie Grice]

Chatted to the guy at my Dealership yesterday whilst dropping my car off. He mentione there is a shipment of a few thousand parts for these repairs currently enroute to the UK, which should give an indication of the scale of this issue.
He also said if no engine management lights pop up and no loss of power etc, then the fix could be quicker than some..... But I am working under the assumption that I won't be driving my Sportage again.

It seems to me that the Recall hasn't actually solved anything and they have potentially been replacing bad parts for bad parts, which is frustrating to say the least!!
I am now pootling around in a Rio GT Line until a new rental fleet arrives for a more long term loaner car.

 

[iooi]

Pretty sure that the "Recall" was just to tighten the nuts up.
Clearly the issue is more than this.
But like all things like this you start simple. If that does not work then it is back to drawing board & redesign the parts. Of course with parts supplies issues all manufactures are facing this is taking longer than would have been expected.
Designing, testing the new parts & then producing parts in the required numbers is a massive task.
Given these sound like they are coming from Korea & they had a massive Covid spike around March this year, that totally threw out the best laid plans of all manufactures.

 

[starlitz]

Just had mine fail on a MY21 1.6 mhev, bottom sprocket and tensioner on order due NOVEMBER. Only serviced 3 weeks ago no recall for this just a clutch master cylinder.

 

[Stusledge]

Had mine fail on my 21 plate Ceed GT line, Totalled the engine, been in dealers 5 weeks with no end in sight, apparently mine is number 7 with the same problem at the dealers.