[Stafford]

Between poor fuel economy, hesitant starting, random seatbelt beeps, an outrageously noisy rear wiper and failed turbo valves I've given my 2020 GT-Line the benefit of the doubt, but no more. Yesterday I turned the key and it took 20 seconds to catch, then every light on the dashboard came on at once. Driving back home was touch and go, with next to no power meaning I had to take hills in first gear, and to top it off my revometer didn't even work!

The RAC bloke came out today and said it was the crankshaft sensor. So leaving aside the gross unreliability of a well maintained, new car with 2k miles on the clock having two 'engine' failures in 12 months, why on earth couldn't it just show the message 'Crankshaft sensor failure', instead of displaying literally every light and error possible (apart from one for the crankshaft) and making it nigh-impossible to drive? Who thought that might be a good idea?

So after it's been repaired at the dealership (which is now an hour away since the local one shut up shop without warning) I'm selling it and getting something pre-2010, preferably pre 2000. Prior to this Kia I covered about 800,000 miles over 35 years without a single breakdown or issue that wasn't wear and tear, yet in 2000 miles with a brand new Kia it's like there's something every other month.

Rant over. Not impressed.

 

[iooi]

Hi & Welcome.

Sorry you have had such a bad time. But it is not the norm for Kia's.

But as you have RAC membership. Why did you drive it when all the warning lights came on?

Not sure there are any cars out there that tell you what the problem is in plain english.

 

[kiabarmy]

We had a Picanto "pool" car at the company I used to work for. It was used and abused by most of the "temporary" drivers but always worked well and never let us down over several years. Maybe you just got a "Friday afternoon special" ? I have had three Kia cars and they have all been great (as have other members of my family). I have to say, that all the electronics on the newer ones worry me. My Kia Mentor was so simple and reliable as it didn't have much to go wrong! Progress?

 

[Cold Sausage]

I wonder if we will see a decline in the quality of cars produced in the years 2020 - 2022 due quite literally to factories not producing their usual numbers of cars, workers not necessarily kept in their normal routine (which might adversely affect proficiency) or possibly overworked. Add supply problems with parts and workarounds or modifications required to suit, etc. It would not surprise me.

 

[Stafford]

Hi & Welcome.

Sorry you have had such a bad time. But it is not the norm for Kia's.

But as you have RAC membership. Why did you drive it when all the warning lights came on?

I didn't have it when it broke down. I rang up when I got back home and the guy allowed me to do a continuation of the first free year Kia Assist, which had expired, and that was much cheaper than signing up for the standard package. In any event, the call out time was a projected 5 - 9 hours, and I eventually rescheduled it for the next day as I didn't want to wait up until the early hours.

The engine light actually shows steady amber, which means it's safe to drive, as confirmed by the RAC guy. Safe maybe, but it's 10mph up the hills.

We had a Picanto "pool" car at the company I used to work for. It was used and abused by most of the "temporary" drivers but always worked well and never let us down over several years. Maybe you just got a "Friday afternoon special" ? I have had three Kia cars and they have all been great (as have other members of my family). I have to say, that all the electronics on the newer ones worry me. My Kia Mentor was so simple and reliable as it didn't have much to go wrong! Progress?

That's the problem, everything is made ridiculously complex in the name of progress. I researched a number of models to try and find something with minimal gadgets, but such a thing no longer exists. My previous two cars were mechanically speaking road going track cars, very basic in terms of gadgets and gismos, and they covered a combined 260,000 miles over a 20 year period without fault aside from wear and tear (unless you count the normal 'exhaust emissions' light, which didn't impact anything and was simply ignored). I only got rid of my last one because it was a 12mpg wonder, and with prices now at £2 per litre for Super it was probably a good move.

In fact, in 35 years I've only had two 'breakdowns' (in so much as the car's performance is affected and it needs to be fixed ASAP), and those have been in the last 1,000 miles with this Kia.

I wonder if we will see a decline in the quality of cars produced in the years 2020 - 2022 due quite literally to factories not producing their usual numbers of cars, workers not necessarily kept in their normal routine (which might adversely affect proficiency) or possibly overworked. Add supply problems with parts and workarounds or modifications required to suit, etc. It would not surprise me.

Maybe. My neighbour has a 2004 Kia and it's never put a foot wrong.

 

[Kismet]

I'm really very sorry to hear this, it's just awful to get a new car & it be junk. Unfortunately all manufacturers produce the odd lemon & sadly you've got one.
Does anyone know, are Picanto's still built in Korea (our 2017 JA was) ? I just wondered if they'd maybe changed factory/location & perhaps a new build at a new factory might be a cause ??

 

[Stafford]

I'm really very sorry to hear this, it's just awful to get a new car & it be junk. Unfortunately all manufacturers produce the odd lemon & sadly you've got one.
Does anyone know, are Picanto's still built in Korea (our 2017 JA was) ? I just wondered if they'd maybe changed factory/location & perhaps a new build at a new factory might be a cause ??

Cheers. Not sure if mine was made in Korea. Maybe North Korea by its performance. Still, with any luck it'll be someone else's problem in a few weeks.

 

[2012vengaman]

Sounds like it went into limp home mode.
If you aren't after new as replacement, the most basic mainstream car I can think of is a Dacia Sandero "Access" (before the more recent update which has now got electrical "features" as standard ).
The original versions don't even have a radio!!
Its mechanically based on the Renault Clio but as you are probably aware, is stripped down of gizmos to meet a price point.
Apparently the really early ones have rust issues due to not being winter proofed for Northern Europe but mechanically they are supposed to be bullet proof and if they do break down, are allegedly really simple to fix.

This reminds me of my first works van, a little Bedford HA, didn't even have a heater......now that was simple motoring! But no matter how much I thrashed it, it kept going.

 

[Stafford]

Sounds like it went into limp home mode.
If you aren't after new as replacement, the most basic mainstream car I can think of is a Dacia Sandero "Access" (before the more recent update which has now got electrical "features" as standard ).
The original versions don't even have a radio!!
Its mechanically based on the Renault Clio but as you are probably aware, is stripped down of gizmos to meet a price point.
Apparently the really early ones have rust issues due to not being winter proofed for Northern Europe but mechanically they are supposed to be bullet proof and if they do break down, are allegedly really simple to fix.

This reminds me of my first works van, a little Bedford HA, didn't even have a heater......now that was simple motoring! But no matter how much I thrashed it, it kept going.

Sounds interesting, I'll check it out. All I want now is the reliability and low running costs; gone are the days I had to reach 60 in 5.5 seconds or rock a unique paint job. The Kia was due to be my first 'sensible' car, but alas it didn't work out.

 

[Cold Sausage]

I'm really very sorry to hear this, it's just awful to get a new car & it be junk. Unfortunately all manufacturers produce the odd lemon & sadly you've got one.
Does anyone know, are Picanto's still built in Korea (our 2017 JA was) ? I just wondered if they'd maybe changed factory/location & perhaps a new build at a new factory might be a cause ??

I know the Australian ones all still come from the same North Korean factory they have always come from. It is ironic that these days I look to North Korea for good build quality and getting a car that feels just as brand new after four years hard grind on terrible roads in bad conditions as it did the day I drove it out of the showroom. And I have verified this not just with the Kias I and my family own, but when I have rented them (ther ultimate in testing resilience to abuse).

In my long experience, the Kia of today is similar in a way to around 1990 - 2007 when - if you bought a Toyota - you were getting something fantastically engineered - like a stripped down Lexus. Except they were all mostly boring to drive unfortunately. But Kia today is basically what Toyota used to be like but with the driving fun and dynamics I used to associate only with German cars like BMW.

As much as it is is a nightmare for the OP, I really hope it is an exception, however one really has to wonder how modern manufacturing can lead to such things. So much is automated these days...and automated incredibly well. It usually comes down to a sub standard part supplied to an auto maker these days rather than the car itself being badly put together. If you look at the way modern car factories operate, the chances for the inevitable variability of direct human intervention to create a sub standard product is negligible - but obviously it still exists.

 

[Back again]

I know the Australian ones all still come from the same North Korean factory they have always come from.

Really?

I thought Kia was from South Korea.

 

[BIRDMAN]

North Korea build the vertical take off model called the Rocket.

 

[Cold Sausage]

Really?

I thought Kia was from South Korea.

Ooops.

 

[Gloomy Bear]

That's the problem, everything is made ridiculously complex in the name of progress. I researched a number of models to try and find something with minimal gadgets, but such a thing no longer exists. My previous two cars were mechanically speaking road going track cars, very basic in terms of gadgets and gismos, and they covered a combined 260,000 miles over a 20 year period without fault aside from wear and tear (unless you count the normal 'exhaust emissions' light, which didn't impact anything and was simply ignored). I only got rid of my last one because it was a 12mpg wonder, and with prices now at £2 per litre for Super it was probably a good move.

This has been my argument for years, especially so with EV's, every manufacturer wants to throw the kitchen sink at them in terms off tech, and as such prices them so far outside that of what "normal folk" can afford

Saying that, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, though not exactly what you would call cheap

Brand new MKI/II Ford* Escort anyone???

MST Cars

Race ready cars for track or road Newly built and Road registered Mk1 and Mk2 Rally Cars

mst-cars.com

*Techincally an MST, but close enough

 

[iooi]

What you have to remember is much of this tech is required to get a good NCAP safety rating as

The range of tests has recently been expanded to accommodate some of the more sophisticated safety technology now being offered on cars, such as automatic braking and speed assistance.

So no tech = possible ZERO rating. As per Fiat Punto in recent history.

Euro NCAP: how safe is my car? | Carbuyer

Car safety is rapidly evolving, but what is a Euro NCAP score?

www.carbuyer.co.uk

 

[Back again]

This has been my argument for years, especially so with EV's, every manufacturer wants to throw the kitchen sink at them in terms off tech, and as such prices them so far outside that of what "normal folk" can afford

Saying that, there is some light at the end of the tunnel, though not exactly what you would call cheap

Brand new MKI/II Ford* Escort anyone???

MST Cars

Race ready cars for track or road Newly built and Road registered Mk1 and Mk2 Rally Cars

mst-cars.com

*Techincally an MST, but close enough

A brand new Mk 1 Escort might appear a nice idea but have you seen the price. Seems to start at £95,000.

But gone are the carbs of the 60's and a simple x-flow and now on full injection together with a modern 16 valve engine.

 

[Gloomy Bear]

What you have to remember is much of this tech is required to get a good NCAP safety rating as

So no tech = possible ZERO rating. As per Fiat Punto in recent history.

Euro NCAP: how safe is my car? | Carbuyer

Car safety is rapidly evolving, but what is a Euro NCAP score?

www.carbuyer.co.uk

My "top of the range" ProCeed GT gets away without needng any of it, though the GT-Line and some lower spec models do have the following

• Lane Departure
• Bind Spot Detection
• Rear Cross Traffic Alert (what ever the hell that is)
• Parking assist
• Speed Limit Information

Don't know if the GT has a lower NCAP rating though, will have to have a look see if i can find out

EDIT: Looks like the 2012 model Ceed in general gets 5 stars, no matter what the trim level

Official Kia Cee'd 2012 safety rating results

Discover the Euro NCAP Kia Cee'd 2012 safety assessment: detailed results, crash test picture, videos & comments

www.euroncap.com

 

[Back again]

What you have to remember is much of this tech is required to get a good NCAP safety rating

Personally I do not wish to buy a new car with zero safety tech. I embrace progress, without it we would still be living in caves rubbing 2 sticks together.

Having said that my "modernised" semi-classic has little safety kit but would meet modern emissions (if it had a CAT fitted -does not need one since not fitted when new) and cost a tiny fraction of the Escort.

 

[Gloomy Bear]

A brand new Mk 1 Escort might appear a nice idea but have you seen the price. Seems to start at £95,000.

But gone are the carbs of the 60's and a simple x-flow and now on full injection together with a modern 16 valve engine.

I did say they were not cheap

Bloody lovely though, and if i had the money, i'd take one of these over a Tesla any day of the week

 

[al_kaholik]

EDIT: Looks like the 2012 model Ceed in general gets 5 stars, no matter what the trim level

Official Kia Cee'd 2012 safety rating results

Discover the Euro NCAP Kia Cee'd 2012 safety assessment: detailed results, crash test picture, videos & comments

www.euroncap.com

Presumably against the 2012 test? Against new testing I'd expect it to fare worse

Personally I do not wish to buy a new car with zero safety tech. I embrace progress, without it we would still be living in caves rubbing 2 sticks together.

Agree, but is the NCAP test worth the metaphoric paper it is written on now? Zero safety tech still comes with seatbelts, air bags, crumple zones and occupant protection structure. If the physical safety devices could be separated them risk could be judged more effectively. If a car has lane departure warning and speed sign recognition but you ignore them/turn off the LDW then the car essentially would score less. Plenty of people turn off safety features.

Parking assist I would argue isn't a safety feature, but more of an insurance liability reducer.

But gone are the carbs of the 60's and a simple x-flow and now on full injection together with a modern 16 valve engine.

Simple vs reliable and useable here. Fuel injection is superior for people who do not want to constantly tinker and maintain - probably better for those that do too in reality.