Kia Rio 1.5m H/b Mis-firing

5th May’05 midnight, when I crank the car, the engine was vibrating vigorously even when I tap on the accelerator. The engine sounded like a bump boat or you can put in a nicer way by saying it sounded and vibrates like a heavily modified Subaru WRX STI boxer engine . The engine check light came up too!

After several attempt the next morning, I finally was able to had the car driven back to the dealer the next morning when the engine “seems to be back to normal” but with check light on. When collect car in evening, I asked SA what was wrong and what had been done?

I was told that the engine had mis-fired and upon using the state of art diagnostic computer, 3 fault codes were detected P300, P301 & P302. The remedy was to clean the fuel injector and re-set the ECU .

My question is, with 3 fault codes detected; surely something is wrong with the car. Else, why did the car mis-fired since it is an EFI engine ? They couldn’t answer. And can cleaning the injector resolve the root of the problem? I doubt so as I do not see the link to mis-firing as my mileage done was only 14k+ km for a 14mth car. How do they explain the high fuel consumption and also the “pinging”. Now using Shell 98Ron still ping! Was asked to monitor.....

11 May'05 morning, crank the car and let it warm up. Juz less than 1 min, the same mis-firing occur again, engine vibration vigourously and the engine check light came up. FORCED the car which feels like a REX's engine back dealer. 1/2 way thru, the engine check light disapprear and the car slowly went back to "normal" . When reached dealer, they told me tat since the engine check light is off, they can't trace the fault code. I asked for a courtesy car and was told all courtesy cars out and the earliest tat it will be back will be next week. Shxt...., drove out of the dealer, dun wanna waste time leaving the car there. Was again asked to monitor......

13May'05 today, car mis-fire again. I use my phone to take video on the vibration, sound and engine check light, forced the car which is barely movable slowly back to the dealer. On the way back, the check light disappeared and the engine went back to normal. Upon reaching, told SA abt it and showed him the video clip. He mention tat it's mis-firing indeed. BUT, still no courtesy car for me until next week unless I wanna leave with without car for a few days. I disagreed and he proposed that they add fuel addictive and then I go fill up Mobil 98 ron petrol. This happens to 1 of their customer b4 and until 1 mth past, the owner nuber complain so far. Like tat call wat remedy!

Sorry for being long winded, anyone experience it before and wat's the remedy. The dealer said that they are still waiting for a response from the Korea side as they have no idea wat went wrong.