Clicking noise

Reno · 08-02-2006, 03:26 PM

I have a 02 Optima 2.4L. I purchased the car used with 31K miles. It now has 72K. I really like the car and think it was the best vehicle purchase I have ever made. This is the first problem I have encountered with it. There is a clicking type noise coming from under the hood. I believe it is coming from the Power Steering pump, but I can't be sure. There hasn't been any performance changes and the engine still runs smooth. If it is the PS Pump is the any special procedure to replace it? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Reno · 08-03-2006, 03:05 PM

Update 3 August: Car just died as I was pulling into my work parking lot. Just shut off. Plenty of gas, battery is good. The car will turn over, but wont start. I suspect now that the noise was actually the timing belt or something related to that. I haven't replaced the timing belt. I found out about replacing after I joined this forum. Wish I had joined it sooner.

Reno · 08-04-2006, 08:46 AM

I had my car towed to the dealer yesterday. The clicking noise was the timing belt missing some teeth. Here are the results... (Drum roll).... Timing belt, Balancer, Crank shaft position sensor and the crank shaft position sensor blade... Total out the door bill is $681.41...

Service deptartment says they can have it fixed by this afternoon.

Kia has to really make a better effort about letting there customers know about this. The service mananger told me that he's seen this ruin a couple engines completely within the last couple of years. I very happy that that didn't happen to me.

Reno · 08-04-2006, 11:39 AM

I would think if something can DESTROY your engine or cost hundreds of dollar to fix if it fails. And it is pretty much guarauteed to fail, there would be something besides just some fine print in the "Routine Maintance" section of the Owner's Manual. A warning or something pointing out the fact that if you don't get this changed at or before 60K (40K miles depending on who you are talking to) you run the chance of DESTROYING your engine. I'm pretty mechanical and I just didn't think about it until I read the posts here. By then it was too late and my warranty had already expired too. Like I said before... Live and learn... I guarantee I'll get the timing belt changed in all my cars in the future....

Reno · 08-07-2006, 10:36 AM

Just got done with a 800 mile trip this weekend... cars purring like a kitten. Runs great... even a little smoother then before...

ahfrederick · 08-08-2006, 06:06 PM

Good to hear that!