bro perror, hows your oil leak issue going? the oil leak is from the engine?

in the FB page i see there are someone posted a Bulletin from Kia stating some batch of cerato having brake fluid leak

Well here's the story so far. I've taken it to the SC to have it checked by the Naza technicians. I mentioned to them these are my complaints:

1) Oil leak (highest priority)
2) Loss of engine power/ Engine struggling and unable to accelerate the car without kicking down the gear
3) Air cond smell
4) Rattling under the steering collumn

For the oil leak, they cleaned up the entire engine of dirt and grime. Checked, can't find the leak. Took it for a high speed spin, still cannot find the leak. Long story short, they could not find the problem and ask me to help them to try and see if it re-occurs.

For problem 2, I test drove with them, and they mentioned they will escalate this issue internally and with KIA Korea.

Items 3 and 4, I didn't really highlight since I was tired and they're clearly baffled and exhausted.

I've spoken to Naza KIA, and I told them, I am fine if they want me to retest again, but not for more than 1 to 2 weeks because it's a real pain driving the car now. It takes forever to overtake. Hence I told them at the end of 2 weeks, even if they can find the problem, I don't want them to fix it. I gave them 2 options:

1) Replace my entire power train (engine and gearbox since this was also having problems)
2) Buy back the car at the current market price plus pay me the extras I put in (leather seat, PPF, tinting)
If not, I will highlight this case to the consumer court for selling substandard/defective products to the consumer.
On another note. I was the guy who posted that TSB photo. It affects some cars, but basically they will drain the brake fluid and put in new one. They have done it on my car and the brake feels crisp/better now. Suggest if your VIN falls under it, best to get it done.

From this experience, the only good thing is that I can see Naza has some really good, experienced and kind people in there having dealt with the 2 technicians. Their willingness to help look into my matter is the only reason why I told the care line I am willing to test the car for a while more because I want to help them find the problem and maybe it will benefit others as well.

ya i read that too...

not to be bias but she did a lot of after market upgrade in her car... like chassis foaming and orsen shield... im kinda skeptical for chassis foaming since its playing with the rigidity of the car...

correct me if im wrong, her issues are minor issues like alignment out and rattling noises... her frustration is more on the SC in batu caves i think... i think bro Perror issue more serious...
i cant find the post in the FB page anymore... her original post and the screenshots... not sure if someone is deleting it and hiding something 

maybe you can hold on your purchase until you get some news/closure from her... wait for Raya discount or something 

my car is 7 months and 19k mileage now... no issues except some rattling noise on my steering and centre console, which some of the owners solved by some SC... so im just hoping to find out which SC can do the job well... i've been to the Sri Kembangan SC twice they checked but still not resolved...

Hi , ok , So Please let me know if i drive not over 3000RPM or 80-100 , so around RM100 can go how many KM in City ?
Because i try slow drive RM100 just can go 3-400KM , is this normal ??
Thank you.

Hi , you mean 540KM in RM92 is in city or HWay ? KIA is i first try buy in, last time i drive my toyota artis is ok (mean KM), so please suggest me if need get more KM in drive KIA.
Thank you.

good to hear that Naza service has come a long way... which SC you went to? will give their service a try..
keep us posted about the issues and fixes...

but your issue 1 and 2 seems like a major issue, no one else experiencing the same?

Hi , need to know who can tell me the item Potent Booster, it really can control fuel, make more power or less power for save fuel ?
Maybe this saturday will go JB install.
Thank you.
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Complaint

Hi, I'm here to report my significant dissatisfaction with a Cerato (K3) that I recently purchased. There are 3 MAJOR problems that it has encountered thus far:

1) At 800 KM mileage, the car experienced some sort of transmission fault, causing it not to engage. After moving the shifter to N/D/N/D a few times and a slight tap to the accelerator, the gearbox engaged with a bang and the car jumped forward and nearly hit the car in front of me. I reported it to a Kia service center and they attributed it to a communications failure between the engine and gearbox. I highlighted that the car has had really rough shifts after that especially into 1st gear but this has always been dismissed.

2) At 6000 KM mileage, on a chance alignment and balancing, a mechanic spotted an oil leak coming from the engine! The oil leak was so significant that the dipstick level had dropped to below 1/4 from the full level. (Note that I check my engine oil level at least once a week). I sent it to a KIA service center where they cleaned the area, topped up the oil and try to look for the leak. It could not be found and subsequently someone from the technical department was sent to inspect the car. The leak still could not be found and I was asked to drive the car for a week or two in the hopes that the leak occurs again so that it can be traced.

3) The even BIGGER problem is after issue no.2 occurred the car has started to lose power. Prior to this the car was quite peppy and never felt underpowered. Now driving the car feels like I am driving a tractor. It barely accelerates without me kicking down the gearbox. Prior to this on most roads, I can accelerate perfectly fine. Going up hills is a real pain and fuel consumption has increased significantly since issue no.2 occurred. My avg fuel consumption has gone up from 7.2L/100KM to 9.0L/100KM.


I'd accept if the car has an oil leak at 60000KM or maybe 600,000 KM. But at 6000 KM, to have an oil leak is a very serious issue! How can a 3 month old car have a serious oil leak causing it to lose 3/4 of it's oil. And worst, it could not be found. And now, I don't even know what other parts of the engine have been affected as oil leaks can easily wear out seals. Also I believe the loss of engine power (no.3) is indicative of a major problem with the engine due to the loss of lubrication.

And to have the transmission shock in this manner and not do any remedy action and no idea of the root cause other than a communications error is very troubling. Also no ATF change was done. I'm sure there would have been significant debris left from the shock in the ATF as it was a really major jolt, as though I got hit from the back by another car.

Now, if these problems occurred at a later age of the car, maybe somewhere near 100,000KM, it would be considered normal. But for these problems to occur within the first 3 months of ownership is totally unacceptable. Even locally manufactured cars like Proton don't have these issues and I've spent more annual leave troubleshooting my K3 than I did with my 13 year old Proton.

The technical team has asked me to drive my car and have it rechecked again after a week or two, but so far no follow up has been arranged despite me contacting the technician who offered to assist me in troubleshooting the problem.

I have to check my engine oil level everyday before i go anywhere to see if the level has dropped. And I have had to cancel travel plans because of the potential unreliability of the vehicle and that the leak could re-occur anytime and I'd be stuck somewhere. I can't be carrying spare engine oil wherever I go right?

I initially agreed to work with the technician to sort it out thinking that KIA is really serious about finding out the problem. But after 2 weeks, and just being left high and dry and not knowing what's wrong with the car, spending so many days of annual leave  to take it to the service center, wasting time everyday checking for oil leaks, I have had enough.

I have had many cars over the years but I have never had this kind of poor product quality showing, unreliability, poor service and lack of initiative to really close a MAJOR problem, especially when a car is at this age (only 3 months old when this occurred). Even local manufacturers like Proton with poor image and reputation offered better service and at least their cars didn't leak engine oil at 6000 KM. Clearly my faith in KIA has been misplaced and I hope you guys take a look at my below request seriously.

Request

I'm reiterating my demands sent initially to Naza KIA, that they either:

1) Replace the engine and the dodgy transmission unit (which has experience some other issues as well i.e very hard engagements at times) with a brand new unit as I am no longer confident that this engine and transmission is actually in proper working order or even fit to be on the road. And even if the leak can be found, the engine has clearly suffered some damage evident from the loss of power. I have serious concerns on the long term reliability of the engine after this episode, not knowing what other parts would have been damaged due to the leak, and oil has also spilled to other components in the engine bay

2) Buy back the car at the current market price, compensating me for the tinting, paint protection film and additional dealer installed leather seats, plus compensation on time wasted due to the 5 days of annual leave that I had expanded on the car for the various episodes above. Alternatively, replace the car with a new one as I am no longer confident of this particular vehicle.

As mentioned, I initially agreed to help troubleshoot the problem with the technician by monitoring and driving the car. But there does not seem to be any serious initiative to resolve the issue, and for 2 weeks I'm left high and dry. This is no longer acceptable and I will not spend anymore time entertaining this issue. I expect my next visit will be to execute either one of the above options and I hope you guys can escalate and see that it be done.

I understand KIA has a reputation to protect and you guys are trying to grow your name. However, this type of poor quality followed by poor service is UNACCEPTABLE. And I will not hesitate to raise this issue to consumer affairs and courts.

Thanks and I appreciate your understanding and efforts and hope to hear from you soon.

Pitty perro. Keep us updated with ur case ok.

Hi, here to share my friend experience, sometime the problem is not technical problem, so if the technician just test drive or plug in the computer to test the car is can't is find any problem.
Maybe Engine before install to car got Accident Collision or Accident drop, the technician can't see any crash or broken and just install the engine to car.
The problem is inside the engine already crack, and outside is like normal, now car shop already compensation a new car to my friend, but don't know kia will do like same, or just change the new engine ?
Thank you.

Wow suddenly so many problem occur to Cerato. Im interested to buy one soon, but after reading all the issues and dissatisfaction from you guys really scares me a bit. Guys, should i proceed with cerato or better buy other car?

I just sent my proud new Cerato 1.6 for 1st service at KIA SC today. After the service, I noticed the pick up respond is better now.  The idling RPM now is 1100.  I did not notice what it was before the service.  I reset the L/100 km meter, noticed it went up pretty fast from 8.4 while driving to 10.3 when idling at traffic light.  Is this normal ?

hi, thx so much for the info, perror, u have a nice weekend. I think ur request will be acknowledge & completed soon, it doesnt cost them too much to replace that 2 big parts in ur car, rather than going to the court.

Hmmm, am wondering if your gearbox issue and mysterious missing of oil is related?Not sure if there is anyway for the engine oil to leak into the gearbox, thus contaminating the gearbox oil and also giving you the gearbox issue?

Hmmm, your car is an enigma.... looks like you will have to monitor your oil level. Cases like that are a pain. One of my previous cars had mysterious missing water and oil issues. Took weeks to find the cause (and a lot of trial and error).

Gearbox? Gud luck. Had a T brand previously. At 20,000 km had gearbox issues. Changes not smooth between 2nd - 3rd gears. It slams into gear, either up or down. Got worse as mileage increases but T SC always says nothing wrong with it. Had to live with it until I sold the car 150,000km, yes, it managed to tahan for so long. Seems SC do not like to claim warranty for gb and they will try to delay until warranty expires.

The oil leak was my ex-B car. Hell of a lot of problems. Was losing engine oil. Found mixing with radiator water... could not figure it out  engine oil getting into the cooling system but not other way. No wonder I felt my water hoses were a bit kembang and got oily residue in the cooling system. Changed head gasket and all is well again, for a short time....

2nd time asking, no one can help?

' Since the suspension is rather soft, how to resolve it? Can change with a firm suspension? '

Hmmm, your car is an enigma.... looks like you will have to monitor your oil level. Cases like that are a pain. One of my previous cars had mysterious missing water and oil issues. Took weeks to find the cause (and a lot of trial and error).

Gearbox? Gud luck. Had a T brand previously. At 20,000 km had gearbox issues. Changes not smooth between 2nd - 3rd gears. It slams into gear, either up or down. Got worse as mileage increases but T SC always says nothing wrong with it. Had to live with it until I sold the car 150,000km, yes, it managed to tahan for so long. Seems SC do not like to claim warranty for gb and they will try to delay until warranty expires.