Kia Optima Problems

Most Asian car companies tune the suspension of their cars to our local road conditions, and they typically end up firmer than the settings they would use at home. You could lower the tyre pressures a little and see if that improves the situation. Other than that you could take it a suspension specialist, like Pedders, and see if they can help.

Kia told us that the recommended change timing is 120,000 km or five years, but it is also recommended that an inspection be done every 60,000 km. As you car is six years old I would suggest you have the belt changed.

Changing the transmission oil regularly is a good thing to do, it will keep the transmission alive and well for many thousands of kilometres to come.

The transmission is designed to adapt its shifting pattern to your driving style, which I assume is slow and steady given that you have only done 34,000 km in six years of owning the car, and that's probably what you're feeling, as Kia has suggested. Having the gearbox serviced and the fluid changed would be a good idea, but I suspect it wouldn't fix your problem.

Kia informed us that you often drive on unmade roads, which perhaps explains why you have broken the windscreens in your cars. A company spokesman told us that they have only sold one Optima windscreen in the time it has been on sale, and that they have windscreens in stock.

As for the Sorento, they say there are two windscreens used in that model, they have one in stock, the other they don't, but they can get one very quickly if it were needed. Further, they say they have had their customer assistance people contact you to invite you to take your car to your dealer and have it checked for any possible quality issues it might have.