Kia Problems

The Kia EV5 arrived in Australia in October, 2024.

Frankly, about a thousand different things. Poor idling and performance can be down to the ignition system, fuel system or mechanical wear or problems anywhere within the engine. And within those three things can lurk potentially thousands more reasons for poor running.

A mechanic familiar with this make and model is your best bet. They will probably start with the basics such as fuel supply and quality, spark strength and timing and a compression test to make sure all is well within the engine itself. This is a case where it’s important to go back to first principles of fuel, spark, compression and then start to look at the more intricate systems that control the engine.

Honestly, though, it could be anything from a dud sensor in the intake system, the same problem with the cooling system (not allowing the engine to reach full operating temperature) or even something mechanically fundamental like a blocked catalytic converter, dirty filter or slipped camshaft timing. Or a multitude of things in between. A good workshop will be able to sort it, however, without simply swapping parts that may or may not be the problem.

That’s a crazy set of circumstances, but it wouldn’t be the first time an apparently unrelated component has thrown another into disarray. On the surface, there’s no way the climate control or headlights could affect the way a transmission works, but here we are…

The most likely explanation is that the electrical gear that’s locking the transmission into third gear is somehow affecting the transmission’s speed sensor that tells the computer the vehicle is travelling fast enough to select fourth (top) gear. The body computer could be the culprit, but there could also be a problem with the car’s wiring loom that is creating this havoc. A poor earth could also be causing the problem and is a more common cause of transmission problems than many people imagine.

While not a common problem, this could be caused by a faulty oil pressure sensor. But it’s important to have this checked out by a mechanic because you could be dealing with an engine that really is suffering from low oil pressure. If the latter is the case, you risk doing permanent and catastrophic damage to the engine because the oil pressure is insufficient to fully protect the internal parts of the engine.

The reason you’re seeing the light come on when the engine is idling (and presumably at operating temperature) is because this is when the engine’s oil pressure is at its lowest. When you rev the engine, the oil pump turns faster, creating more oil pressure. When the engine speed drops again, the pump slows, the oil pressure falls and the warning light switches on.

By having the actual oil pressure checked at a workshop with an independent gauge (separate to the one in the car) you’ll know if the light is coming on because of a duff sensor or because the oil pressure really is too low.

The Kia Tasman was named after Dutch explorer Abel Tasman, the man credited as the first European to 'discover' Tasmania, after who it is named.

The Kia EV6's charging port is located at the rear of the vehicle, at the small panel located just below the right tail-light. There are three ways of charging the Hyundai Ioniq 6 – two at home methods, and one in public. It is recommended that owners of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 purchase a three-phase 11kW at-home wall charger box. These retail for anywhere from $800 to $2000, depending on the manufacturer and the power supply, with additional charges of 21 to 36 cents per kW, depending on your energy provider. Additional costs can be zero if you’re hooked up to a renewable source such as solar. All up, it will deliver a charge time of seven hours. Alternatively, owners can charge their Kia EV6 at home using a conventional 240V powerpoint which takes about 33 hours. A public charging station of 50kW will deliver a zero to 80 per cent charge in 1.6 hours, while a 350kW charger will see the time it takes drop to 18 minutes. Cost is dependent on location, whether it is a peak period or not, and what the charger’s capacity is, though as a general rule you should never pay more than $40 for a full charge.

You could certainly have the vehicle’s battery packs tested for efficiency by an independent test centre. But why not keep that option up your sleeve and let the dealership test it initially? I would imagine the battery’s performance and efficiency test would involve a written report which is much more difficult to fudge than a verbal report. If the dealership can’t provide this written proof on the battery’s condition and you still believe you have a problem, that’s when you play the independent-test card.

While Kia continues to make a model called the Soul, it’s not sold officially in Australia. Which means to get a 2024 model in this country, you’d be looking at a private (or`grey’) import. At which point, there’d be no factory warranty from Kia and you may have trouble finding service and replacement parts when you need them.

Kia Australia sold the Soul here from 2009 to 2020. It was a good concept, but never really seemed to resonate with Aussie buyers. It was practical and functional and probably deserved to do better. Unfortunately, it went head to head with trendier SUVs which were much more popular and, therefore, sold in bigger numbers.

The most commonly reported problems with the Kia Stonic are loud engine noises and rattling.