I have a three month old S (1.4 manual) that is making a metallic type rattle on up shifts. Right at the point you come off the clutch and apply power. Most noticeable on 2-3 change but is also on 1-2. Only for a brief time – sort of a cchhhkkkk sound. Sort of a vibration noise (not actual) when force is applied through the drive train
The sound is barely noticeable when cold starting but much louder when the engine is hot. Dealer could not replicate sound. Picked car up after they test drove and first up shift the sound was there so took it straight back and took service manager out. They have at least heard the sound. They hace tightened all suspension etc but the noise persists. I notice there is less steering free play now...
My thoughts are a loose exhaust mount, loose heat shield or chain rattle. Anyone have any other ideas or suggestions or discounts for my suggestions?
Maybe you have a clutch on its way out. Ozsls has similar issue with his one, clutch was stuffed from day 1.
When you lock into gear is acceleration slowish on take up or sudden surge?
Apart from that, these things have a featherlight clutch and takes a little bit to get the foot work figured out especially if previous manuals all had heavier clutches.
Thanks for your reply. I don't believe it is the clutch. The car drives smoothly. No hesitation or surging. No shudder. Just this very brief noise as you apply power. As I hear it more it is not muffled but quite loud and distinct which leads me to think that maybe it is coming from the wheel area rather than under the bonnet.
This is the exact same problem I have! I thought it was just me. I have taken my vehicle in three times for this to be sorted out but each time they can't hear it or replicate the noise. It hasn't even had its 15 000 service yet.
The one occasion I went out with one of the quality assurance guys who also heard the noise and he said it's not normal so I thought this time they will sort it out. Later that day I hear he left for the day and the guy who took his shift can't hear the noise and doesn't know what I am talking about.
I am wondering if Kia know about the problem but don't want to fix it as it will cost them too much money and/or effort.
So lets see if it is the same problem. If you drive gently (granny driving!) the noise doesn't happen. Drive with a bit of 'passion' and the noise appears? I find taking each gear to 3500 RPM then doing a quick up change causes the rattle/noise to occur. Thing is you have to do a quick change and apply power as the clutch is engaging. If you let the clutch fully engage and then apply power no noise. Does your noise get louder as the engine gets hotter?
I have the same issue that the mechs can't hear it. I take them out and they hear when I am driving but when they drive they can't get it to happen. I think because they aren't as 'in tune' with the car as we are as they don't drive it everyday so they take it a bit too careful with the gear changes. They tried to imply I was driving it too hard.... I don't think revving a small four to 3500 RPM is thrashing it....
I have it booked in again next week so they can have another go...
That is exactly the same issue I am having. I won't hear it when driving really gently, but will hear it all the time on a normal gear change. It happens when changing up into 2nd, 3rd, 4th sometimes I'll hear it changing it 5th and on occasion into 6th.
The cchhhkkkk noise you mentioned is the perfect way to describe it. Also the warmer the day the louder the noise.
I don't think we are driving the car too hard. For me a simple gear change at low RPM will make the noise.
I actually took it to the dealer the 1st time and one of the sales agents drove it and he could hear it as well. Said it is not right and I should book it in.
It has bothered me to no end, I just thought I was the only one.
Let me know what they say when you take yours in. Mine is going in for its 15k service next month so I will try and get them to atleast tell me what it is.
I feel like I have this same sound, however, I have an automatic. I have noticed it the last several days with the temperature over 90F. It makes this sound during shifts when I am hard on the gas but not going into 2nd. It sounds like it's coming more from the right side/middle of vehicle. It hasn't happened before. Kinda hard to explain the sound but very similar to what I think you described.
Was booked in today for the dealer to have another go at finding this problem but they have cancelled the appointment and deferred to next week.
Another thing I have noticed is the exhaust, when hot, is constantly making expansion/contraction noises. It is clicking like every second. Does anyone's Rio do that?
I am currently running 98 Octane fuel to see if that makes any difference but so far no improvement.
OK well the dealer had the car today and advised they have checked everything. They obtained a new car from their holding yard to compare it to and nothing seems amiss. I drove the new car and was able to reproduce the same noise at the same point in gear change. They have submitted a report to KIA Australia - now a wait to see if there are any advisories or directions from KIA on how to proceed.
Of course everything looking alright does not mean there isn't a design issue and it may only affect RHD models. Who knows. Whether KIA will do anything about it is another matter.
It has certainly soured my new car purchase. Once you hear a noise that you think shouldn't be there you hear it all the time. It is very hard to tune out and ignore it.
Well KIA Australia have wiped their hands on this issue. Based on the dealer report they are agreeing that it is a characteristic of the car and a normal noise. I questioned them on what component was making the noise if it is normal - can't identify where it is coming from. I asked if it was possible to flash the ECU and they would not agree to even try that. For two days the dealer agreed the noise was not normal and tried to locate it to fix it. Now that another car makes the same noise suddenly it is normal.
I believe it is something to do with either the clutch or CV joint,
So next step I guess is to take to an independent mechanic to see if he can identify the problem.
I am so disappointed. Won't be a KIA next time.......
I will never understand that about dealers: "It's a normal issue". It is making a noise that no car should make, I really don't see how it is normal.
I heard a Rio the other day make the same noise that ours makes and then on the other hand I asked a fellow South African on this forum about theirs and they said it does not make that noise.
It seems to be a certain batch of certain 1.4 Rios.
Mine should be going in for its service next week, I will try and make them tell me what's wrong with it at least, if they won't want to fix it.
I wish you well and hope that you have more luck than me.
On a side note I called KIA Customer Care to enquire whether there were any techs from KIA here that could come out and at least listen to the noise. No all contact must be through the dealer network - there are NO techs that visit dealers. KIA relies on the dealer network to diagnose all faults and repairs. It is very frustrating dealing with these bozos....
Good luck in getting anything to do with the clutch. Ozsls has had trouble with them trying to get his clutch replaced but dealer say no problems its fine.
Unless you tell the staff what is wrong they will hardly ever pick it up. They just use the diagnostic tool on them and unless our problems are fouling up a sensor somewhere they will come back with 'its all good'. Staff are trained to do the basics.
Try different dealers. You will find a good one at some stage.
Yes the customer care line basically said unless error codes or something is obviously broken they won't deal with it. If the car is running OK but has strange noises - it's a characteristic of the car. Very convenient out for not actually repairing difficult problems.
I don't know if it is the clutch. I am not a mechanic. I am only guessing going on the exact point when driving the car where the noise occurs. I have just added Nulon Octane boost and Cleaner to see if that makes any difference.
They did suggest another dealer but I don 't see the point. They will see the service history and just repeat what I have already been told.
I either live with noise, pay someone else to try and fix it or dump the car.
Can you get a video of it? If you can I will pass it on to our mechanic we have at the shop and see what he thinks. Apart from clutch wear the only other thing I can think of is clutch mis-alignment which would give you the vibrations and a chatter/chhk sound.
When it makes the noise, can you feel it through the gear knob?
Thanks for your assistance. I will try and get a video in the next few days. There is no vibration at all - nothing in the car or through the gear stick. The car drives smooth. No clutch shudder, slippage or grabbing.
I have had a local mechanic (who serviced my last car) listen to the noise and he swears it is pinging. I don't! I have tried 91/95/98 fuel with no change to the noise. It only happens on gear change at friction point and acceleration. The car does not make this noise under any other conditions.
If you come off the clutch completely then hit the throttle no noise. Only when you combine engaging the clutch and accelerate in one movement then the cchhkk or clack sound happens. It is not a sustained/long noise but can be loud once the engine warms up. You do have drive with a bit of passion to get the noise to happen. Nanna driving it doesn't do it. The dealership and CCL suggested I was being too aggressive or rough with my driving...I am 54 and have driven manuals all my life. I think I know how to do it.
It almost sounds like a CV clack but it doesn't exhibit normal failing CV joint noises - nothing on full lock in either direction. The dealer claims they inspected the lubrication on the CV joints but they certainly didn't pull it apart as they didn't remove the wheels.
I will hear the noise during a normal smooth gear change, I don't need to drive it aggressively for it to be heard.
I will get a video/sound of it up soon as well, then we can compare the noise that it makes. It's freezing cold here though so will wait for a warmer day so that the noise is properly audible.
I have attempted to video the noise without success. The clack is not audible at all on the video. I don't think the mic in my phone is sensitive enough. I do not have access to any other video recorder.
I am trying to modify my driving style to minimise the noise. I have had some success but the noise is still there. It takes a real conscious effort to drive that way.
I am not certain but I think the Nulon Octane Boost and Clean has made the noise a little quieter but not a lot - have done 200 km. I did it as a test and will not be using it regularly if at all. Next fill will be Shell VPower (98 Octane with additives).
I have considered another dealer but am not sure that will achieve anything. I assume they have access to the service history and notes on KIA's system, will read the original dealer notes and just agree with their diagnoses.
I am probably going to see how the noise develops over time. It is winter now and I will be interested to see what it is like in summer as it is much louder when ambient temps are higher. I predict it will be loud as hell on a hot summers day....
I took my car in for its 15 000km service - this was the 3rd different dealership I thought I'd try hoping someone there would actually be able to tell me what the problem is.
The service manager himself saw to me so I explained the problem to him, straight away he said he knows what is wrong and the Rio needs an ECU upgrade. I was sceptical as to how a software upgrade would sort out a mechanical noise and I double checked it with him to make sure we weren't getting our wires crossed. He assured me he knows what the problem is.
Later that day I was driving home after picking the Rio up, and having waited for the engine to warm up enough, I put my foot down in 2nd changed quickly to 3rd clutch out and, no noise! The ECU upgrade worked. The whole way home I kept trying to make it make the noise but it didn't once. Thought it was maybe a once off thing so I took it out for a long drive today in a lot of stop start traffic and still nothing!
So I am really happy it has finally been sorted out, I thought I would just have to live with it. It is strange not hearing the noise everytime I change gear. I was so used to hearing it for a year I am pleasantly surprised everytime I change gear now.
Maybe try going to a different dealer and asking the service manager for an ECU upgrade. I can post a picture of the service sheet if you would like to see it. It says "Carried out ECU upgrade". Unfortunately he wasn't there when I collected my car so I couldn't find out what exactly it was that was causing it.
So it definitely is solvable.
Hope you get sorted bubbear!
Glad you got your problem sorted. Sounds like my mechanic may be right and the engine is pinging a little. Unfortunately the dealer advised me there is no update for my car. I asked them to flash the ECU but they wouldn't do it. I am running 98 octane plus Nulon boost and clean at the moment and the noise is a little quieter but stll there.
I have written to KIA Australia 2 weeks ago on this issue but they have not replied as yet. I have my doubts they will.
The one dealer I went to just reset the ECU which didn't help anything but this new dealer upgraded it which sorted the problem. Maybe try a different dealer, in my case most of the dealers didn't know what was going on. Might just be luck of the draw with finding a decent dealer.
Yes I think I will have to try another dealer. I wrote to KIA outlining the issues and today received a reply basically referring me back to the dealer. They will not become involved unless through the dealer network and at the dealers request.
Yesterday I filled up with 95 octane and the noise is louder than with 98 so it would appear to be pinging after all. Now all I have to do is convince a dealer and hope there is a ecu upgrade.
Well it was at the dealer again for today. A different service manager attended to me. They have checked the ECU and there are no errors recorded. I have the latest software already. They removed, cleaned (carbon build up) and checked the spark plugs and checked electricals.
They had difficulty reproducing the noise so again I took the manager for a road test. First 2 - 3 gear change it made 'the noise'. I don't know why they have so much trouble. Anyway this one seems to think there is an issue somewhere in the right drive shaft. Tolerances may be too loose on joints or something. Could be a manufacturing error explaining why another vehicle makes the same noise.
Submitted to KIA for their technical response. Have booked in again in another week, What happens then depends on the response from KIA but they may be disassembling the drive shafts.......
If you want to you can email the service manager I dealt with and ask him what the problem is. He seemed to know straight away what I was talking about. Maybe he can explain what the problem is exactly and then you can let your service guys know.
If he needs more info maybe just tell him someone brought their vehicle in for the same problem and it was sorted out.
Carl replied and sent a screen grab of the relevant web page - ECM upgrade for back fire/knocking.
ECU Upgrade (1891) 326 UB 1.4 MPI Knocking improvement (Revised 3)
To be performed on a customer complaint basis.
Unfortunately it doesn't apply to MY14 nor it seems to the Australian Rio. I will take it to the dealer and show them but I am not sure it will do anything.
So I have just left the car at the dealer for another go at fixing this issue. I have been running 100 octane fuel this week (98 octane plus 10% ethanol) and the noise is less but still there. On Monday here the weather was cold and really wet so the air was quite dense and the noise was almost gone.
I showed the dealer the TSB screen grab from South Africa showing ECU update to fix knocking control logic and asked if there are any for Australia. Note that that TSB applied to Chile, El Salvador, Peru, South Africa, New Zealand, Malaysia. He advised there have been no TSB regarding engine knock for UB 1.4 MT Rios in Australia - ever.
I find it hard to believe that in so many countries there have been issues regarding this but not in Australia and said so. I also asked what differences are there in the engines between MY13 and 14. He said they were quite different. Another thing I find hard to believe. It is the same Gamma engine in both models.
I am really getting over this. Feel like I am bashing my head against a wall.