[rio4448]

Hi all,

I am having yet another problem with my RIO LS 2004. This time, my car cannot start, not even a crank when the engine is hot. Hot meaning the engine already ran for about 1/2 an hour. Once engine is off and I try to start/crank the engine there and then, the engine/starter won't even give me a crank. I have to wait for the engine to cool down and only then I can start the engine easily.

While trying to crank the starter, it drained the juice out of my battery because all my preset radio channel/frequency are all gone. I also put a voltmeter which I hooked it into the cigerette lighter and it shows that the voltage goes lower than 8 volt.

These are the things that I have check/done;
1. check and change new starter. I also insulate it in case the engine it too hot and causing the starter solenoid and starter coil to not working
2. check and change new battery
3. rewire starter with new power and grounding cable
4. put in secondary power cable to starter directly from the battery. This is to bypass ignition switch and starter relay
5. check and change starter relay. I even overight it when trying to start when the engine is hot
6. check and change new fuel filter

Feel like I have done everything listed in those threads but still i cannot solve my problem. Help!!!!!

 

[wadmancpu]

So you have bypassed the ignition switch and relay while it's hot and it still won't crank?

 

[rio4448]

Hi wadmancpu,

You're correct, i bypassed the ignition switch and relay but my RIO still is difficult to crank when trying to start it hot.

 

[DavesSpectra]

I think you may have "missed" one of the most common problems in earlier KIAs...
The negative battery cable to the body/chassis/frame/ground. That wire usually fails at the body under the bolt. The frame that it attaches to corrodes and leaves you with a very poor and sometimes intermittent connection...
It looks like you covered all the rest of the parts and connections.
Dave

 

[wadmancpu]

Looks like the ground side is where you're problem is. I would get a wiring diagram and verify the ground connections.

 

[rio4448]

Additional grounding cable

Hi DavesSpectra & wadmancpu,

I have added aftermarket grounding cable onto my RIO. The additional points are to engine block, transmission block, starter, ac compressor, fenders and firewall.

Right now, I'm looking at the wiring diagram and trying to improve the stock/factory grounding points.