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Well,the crankshaft sensor went and I killed my engine

4K views 13 replies 3 participants last post by  ron1004 
#1 ·
Three weeks ago at 12:30 a.m.,I was driving my 2012 Kia Rio5 home from work,was merging on the interstate at about 65 mph when the car suddenly lost all acceleration.
After two cars almost ran me over,I got the car to the shoulder.
The car would still run,only about three miles per hour and no engine light were on so I decided to try and get the car back to my job parking lot on a side road so I could work on it.That lasted about three miles ( with a police escort no less who stopped to help me) before the engine sounded so bad with clatter I finally parked it and got it towed to a Kia dealer by my job.
I suggested to them the crankshaft sensor was bad because right after I turned it in to them I burned up the internet and saw a four minute Youtube video of a guy replacing one ( attaches with one bolt an unsnapped two plugs) and that part sounded like exactly what was going on with the car not responding right to throttle inputs.
The dealer charged $400 to replace a part that bolts one with one bolt and I was on my way.
Well,not really.
I knew the oil was due for change-it had 5700 miles on it.
I use castrol Syntec 5w20 synthetic in it and the motor has done fine for 113,000 miles so I figured as much racket as the motor was making I better change it before I drove it home so one mile from the dealership at my jobs parking lot I changed the oil.
Well rattle like hell it did all the way home.On th way,I stopped and put some stp oil treatment in it which seemed to help a little bit.
I was so damn mad at the car I parked it for week and then got back to it after another week of overtime.
I replaced that oil with Mobil One high mileage 5w20 which really helped -for one day.
I then put a bottle of rislone oil treatment in it and drove that the 60 miles from my job back to my house.
All I can say is that rislone definetely did not make anything better in the motor.
The rattle got much worse.
So finally I said screw it,pretty clear I'm loosing a motor here so the additives did'nt work,which I was sure they would'nt anyway ( sure would have been nice if the stuck lifters came loose-oh,well) so I simply put 3.5 quarts of Valvoline MaxLife 10w40 high Mileage part synthetic part regular oil in it and let her eat.
Finally,the motor does'nt sound like a isis bomber running at you with a switch in his hand.
Motor has run fine through all of this but she's got a hell of a tick in her.
Well I got to say is this.If you have a Kia Rio and suddenly it looses all power and wants to run at only three miles an hour ,PARK IT IMMEDIATELY AND CALL A TOW TRUCK.
I wished I knew the crankshaft sensor had a habit of going bad after 100,000 miles because I would have been glad to spend $35 on one and loosen the one bolt and unsnap the two plugs and change it myself around 95000 miles.
SO I got a great looking Kia Rio that sounds like meth addict on a trampolin holding a coffee can full of bolts.
The car still runs good.Actually gets better mileage now then before-LOL-runs smooth too just sounds like hell.
The dealership that put the one bolt part in offered to look in the motor to see what was wrong but the mechanic just taking off the valve cover off to look they said would cost me $400.Another Kia dealer I asked about replacing the hydraulic adjusters said point blank-we don't do that-we either replace the cylinder head or the entire engine-you should think about putting in a used engine.
Being angry at this point is a waste of effort.
We are screwed.
Just make sure you don't screw you and your family.If your Kia ever suddenly slows to a crawl at the side of the road,IMMEDIATELY find a safe place to park it,shut it off and CALL A TOW TRUCK and tell everyone, " No, the engine does not run",until you can get it to the dealership.
The two truck guy may want to run the engine to position it for the tow truck say,"No, the engine is damaged" -just to protect it from getting that way.
If it slows-park it and call a tow truck.
If you own a 2012 Kia Rio,you might want to buy a membership with AAA-at least you'll have someone you can call to tow the car in.
And AAA has great customer service record too.
Nice to have one thing you can depend on when the Kia hits the fan.

(p.s.the engine light that had been out all through this just came back on-I'm buying a code reader tomorrow)
 
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#2 · (Edited)
A lot of info, but no mention when last the timing belt was changed - I bet the timing belt has gone and you're looking at a new engine - it probably jumped a tooth or two a while back, and now stripped a few.



I wished I knew the crankshaft sensor had a habit of going bad after 100,000 miles
Not sure where you heard that, but it should outlast the engine and its replacement.


Just make sure you don't screw you and your family.If your Kia ever suddenly slows to a crawl at the side of the road,IMMEDIATELY find a safe place to park it,shut it off and CALL A TOW TRUCK and tell everyone, " No, the engine does not run",until you can get it to the dealership.
If the timing belt has let go, the damage is done already.


Well,the crankshaft sensor went and I killed my engine
The crank sensor won't destroy your engine, and I doubt its a failed sensor in this case.


Please update your profile detail, .....at least location and vehicle.
 
#5 · (Edited)
I'm not sure I even understand the post.....is it to advise us not to do what he did if our car lost acceleration? I wouldn't have done any of that...drive it knowing that it's not running properly until it starts making noise, attempt to quiet the noise with additives, take it to the dealership and tell them what to change based on viewing a YouTube video, change the oil (twice) and then put in more additives, and then take it back to the dealership? And then suggest that we should purchase a AAA membership? (I've had one for nearly 35 years).

Or was it just to vent.......
 
#6 · (Edited)
ron1005-Well,the dealer changed the crankshaft sensor( after I asked about it) ,it's on the paperwork and the car runs fine,if noisy ( lol,yea,noisy).
The car has a timing chain as others noted.
And I did'nt say the crankshaft sensor killed the car.
I said me driving it, trying to get to a safe place for me to service it ,after it went bad ,killed the car.
I was honest in everything I put in this thread.
PLEASE-to those who own these Kia's-if your car suddenly slows to a crawl,still runs BUT JUST BARELY-TURN IT OFF AS SOON AS IT IS SAFE TO DO SO AND CALL A TOW TRUCK.
I'm joining AAA here pretty soon so I have a tow truck on call when I need one.
The car is a 2012 Kia Rio 5 with 113,000 miles on it and I live in Northern Virginia.
The only reason I am posting this is to warn other Kia Rio owners this is a potentially major issue with this car and what you do after it happens can cost you a hell of alot of money.DON'T TRY TO DRIVE IT.
 
#7 · (Edited)
sblake5-I am noting that when the car slows to a crawl for no reason,no engine light is on.Turn the car off.Call a tow truck.Do not drive it.
Alot of people ,like me will try to get the car to a place they can actually do work on it to try and fix it themselves or at least figure out what went wrong.DON'T DO IT.
CALL A TOW TRUCK.
Also,this car seems to act like some of the hydraulic lifters have seized or simply failed after this.Don't think running some additive will fix them.
I am passing on my information to help those who might find them selves in this same situation.
If your 2012 Kia Rio engine suddenly loses all ability to accelerate-Turn off the engine whereever you are and call a tow truck.
Doing anything else will just cost you more money.
 
#9 ·
sblake5-I am noting that when the car slows to a crawl for no reason,no engine light is on.Turn the car off.Call a tow truck.Do not drive it.
Alot of people ,like me will try to get the car top a place they can actually do work on it to try and fix it themselves or at least figure out what went wrong.DON'T DO IT.
CALL A TOW TRUCK.
Also,this car seems to act like some of the hydraulic lifters have seized or simply failed after this.Don't think running some additive will fix them.
I am passing on my information to help those who might find them selves in this same situation.
If your 2012 Kia Rio engine suddenly loses all ability to accelerate-Turn off the engine whereever you are and call a tow truck.
Doing anything else will just cost you more money.
What damage was done by you driving it to a safe place?
 
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