[GTlists_3131]

In April of 2024, after a lot of deliberation I went ahead with selling my 2021 Hyundai i20 1.2L MT and went ahead with the purchase of a Kia Seltos 1.5l 7DCT GTX+.

I was confident with my purchase having chosen a Kia over the likes of VW and Skoda. Kia I believed being a sister company of Hyundai would give me a bliss and problem free ownership like that of the i20. I was soon to find out what an infuriating and problematic car and post sales service felt like.

My car is a March, 2024 manufactured 29th April, 2024 purchased white Seltos GTX+ DCT. I did a through PDI using the team bhp check list and couldn't find any issues with it.

Took the delivery of the car on 3rd May, 2024, as a tradition we took the car from PPS Kia, Mysore Road to Dhoda Ganesha Temple, Bull Temple Road for Pooja. On my way back from the temple, I experienced my first issue.

Issues with the engine -

1) 3rd May, 2024 day of purchase 50km on the odometer [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - got an engine management system error warning and the engine check light came on. I immediately pulled over and gave a call to the sales advisor who advised me that I could drive on and to bring the car the next day for number plate fitting and checking the issue if any.

The next day the engine check light turned off but I had a photo of the same. The SA at PPS Kia, Mysore Road refused to open a job card or make a note of it. He told me that since the light wasn't on anymore it could be a loose connection that got resolved and assured me that it was safe to drive.

2) 28th May, 2024 - car was in the ASC for the first service. I mentioned the engine check light incident to the SA. They delivered the car the same evening telling me everything was okay with the car.

3)26th June, 2024 (1969km on the odometer) - Got the car into the ASC for engine oil change, something that I always do with all my cars after the break in period. During the service SA told me that when they scanned the car they found an error with the O2 sensor and that I'd have to leave the car with them overnight so that they could fix the issue. The next day the car was delivered and I was told that they cleaned the O2 sensor.

4) 2nd August, 2024 - noticed a weird sound from the engine on cold start. Recorded the same and sent it to the SA who asked me to get the car to the ASC. I could not replicate the same there and it was dismissed as being a character of the BSVI TURBO engine. No job card was made, nor was the visit documented.

5) 1st October, 2024 (4814 km on the odometer) [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - Engine check light came on but disappeared after a few engine off/on. By the time I took it the ASC the next day there was no sign of any problem. They did scan the car and told me that they couldn't find any issue and it might be due to a loose connection.

6) 18th December, 2024 (8079km on the odometer) [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - on start up at around 8pm on my way to work, the engine check light came on with the same engine management system error. Took the car the very next morning to KIA ASC but by then the engine check light wasn't on. Also asked them to get the 2nd free service done and change the engine oil. I recently noticed when going through the Repair Order that they've mentioned that I've denied O2 sensor cleaning service. This was never brought up at all with the conversation with the SA. With regards to the engine check light I was give the same explanation of loose connection.

7) 19th February, 2025 (9166km on the odometer) - had recently been on a trip to Coorg and I noticed a weird rattle from the engine during low rpm's while accelerating. Fed up with the experience at PPS Kia, I visited Naara Kia, Kanakapura Road. The sound had increased in intensity by then. The SA and mechanic acknowledged the issue. They told me that this issue was new to them as they had never seen it before.

I was asked to give them 5 days time to diagnose and rectify the issue. After 6 days I was told that they did some work on the compressor, actuator and the tensioner. But that they couldn't pin point any particular cause for the issue. I was advised to drive the car around for 2 weeks and get it back if the problem reoccurs. On delivery the sound was faint, but present not as serious as before.

8) 2nd March, 2025 (9227km on the odometer) [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - Engine check light came on again with the familiar engine system manager error. Immediately snapped pics of the same and sent it over to the SA. This time the car was lethargic to accelerate and there was increased vibrations.

10) 3nd March, 2025 (today) [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - Took the car to the ASC at Naara Kia, engine check light again disappeared after multiple engine on/off. Asked them to scan the issue and under the history there was an O2 sensor error. They made note of the codes and cleared them from the history. No job card done.

I was asked to AGAIN drive the car and come back if the engine check light comes on. I escalated the issue to the Service Manger and demanded that it be documented to which they agreed to send an email stating that engine error codes have been noted and cleared and that the car is under observation.

Within a short 6km drive form the ASC, I had to stop for some work. On turning the car back on the engine check light and Engine System Management error came back. I drove back to the ASC who have now opened a job card for the same. They are yet to diagnose the issue, nor could they give me a timeline for resolution. They have assured me that they'd update the same tomorrow.

Suspension Issues -

I also have a recurring Left Rear Suspension knocking sound which was previously diagnosed as a faulty Trailing arm bush. The same was cleaned and lubricated with some sort of spray a few months ago. The suspension behaved normally for a few weeks after which the knocking sound is back again. Kia ASC refuses to acknowledge this and blames it as a character of a hard suspension. I have literally gone ahead and asked them to change this outside warranty and that I'd pay for it.

I was also previously told and I quote "All rattles and weird sounds are normal in all cars, as you drive and drive more sounds will come". Did not expect this sort of response from KIA when the car is hardly 10 months old and under 10,000 km driven. I have written an email to kia customer care narrating my ordeal but yet to receive an acknowledgement or a complaint number for the same.

Till date I have 8 documented and several undocumented visits to the ASC.

[ike]

Sorry to hear about the ordeal you have had to go through with a new car. I hope the OEM intervenes and you get a proper resolution.

Originally Posted by GTlists_3131

5) 1st October, 2024 (4814 km on the odometer) [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - Engine check light came on but disappeared after a few engine off/on. By the time I took it the ASC the next day there was no sign of any problem. They did scan the car and told me that they couldn't find any issue and it might be due to a loose connection.

What is a "loose connection"? Where is it? Is it not their job to troubleshoot and find it? What kind of loose connections trigger a check engine light? Absolutely pathetic response by the ASS.

Now that you have involved the manufacturer, do let them know about the suspension troubles as well. The service center and the personnel seem really incompetent, especially given their dismissive attitude refusing to even open a job card. And finally, try a different service center if possible, I'd rather not go back to such a set up. It probably can't get any worse.

[GTlists_3131]

Originally Posted by ike

What is a "loose connection"? Where is it? Is it not their job to troubleshoot and find it? What kind of loose connections trigger a check engine light? Absolutely pathetic response by the ASS.

And finally, try a different service center if possible, I'd rather not go back to such a set up. It probably can't get any worse.

Previously car was being serviced by PPS KIA, Mysore Road, Bangalore. During my issue on 19th feb I approached Naara Kia, Kanakapura Road, Bangalore.

I have explained in detail every issue I have faced in the email to kia, but I am yet to hear from them. The car is currently at Naara Kia undergoing diagnosis for the recurrent check engine lights.
I have never in any of my cars gotten a check engine light even a single time. I change cars frequently, every 3 years or 40k km or so.
I take good care of the car, XP95 fuel and Shell V power for every 3-4 full tanks of XP95. Engine oil change at 1,500km after break in and very 5000km after (service under the sever usage) as my drives are mostly short and in high traffic/dusty roads.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by GTlists_3131

I was confident with my purchase having chosen a Kia over the likes of VW and Skoda. Kia I believed being a sister company of Hyundai would give me a bliss and problem free ownership like that of the i20

I am sorry to have to point this out but this was where you went wrong. You simply cannot draw parallels in terms of reliability and dependability between an NA manual and a turbo DCT. There’s a reason why the Japanese are revered for their reliability and not the Japanese and the Koreans, no matter how many folks have had trouble free ownership experiences with their i10s and i20s. This is why if anyone asks me to recommend a car that is not Japanese these days, I simply tell them to go for Škoda/VW since anyway they will be taking on more risk and sacrificing reliability so may as well take that risk on a VAG product who’s parts are fitted in cars across the globe where you will be able to find a solution to most issues by scouring forums online rather than having to deal with incompetent and underpaid service technicians. They’ve been fitting turbocharged direct injection motors to their cars and pairing them to twin clutch gearboxes for over a decade before companies like MG, Tata and Hyundai have begun doing the same. So may as well take a gamble on a German product at that rate is my belief.

Now onto the issue at hand, I am sure there’s a teambhp WhatsApp group or something of the sort filled with car enthusiasts from your city. Get on it and find out which the best Kia service centre in your town is, and who the works manager there is. The works manager at the best ASC in town is my go-to when anything like this occurs as they are well versed with all the issues that can occur in your car and who to connect with, when they cannot figure it out (regional service head or someone like that). Don’t waste time dealing with the regular service techs because they simply aren’t paid enough to care and are totally unaware of what protocol to follow when they cannot solve the problem.

[TurboTales]

When I first saw your title, my initial thought was that you might be dealing with DCT-related issues.

I was quite surprised to hear that you went for an oil change at just 2,000 km, on completing the break-in period. That does seem a bit unusual to change the burnt oils which is high till the engine break in period. But does it require an oil change?

I am really sorry that you're facing this issue. I recently purchased two cars back-to-back, and I always had the worry of ending up with a defective unit. But sometimes its just needs a proper diagnosis to resolve it for good.

I sincerely hope the service team is able to identify the problem accurately and provide you with a reliable, lasting solution so you can get back to enjoying a smooth driving experience without any further trouble.

[locusjag]

Get a diagnosis done by a competent mechanic, even if that means taking it to an independent garage. I have in mind Mr.Mukesh Chandra Gond, who runs a popular YouTube channel on car repairs which he performs on video; quite a few cars that he gets are brand new and once their respective OEM authorized service centers fail them, the owners take their cars to this guy. He goes on to do a damn good job diagnosing and repairing their cars.

Let's say you locate such a good mechanic, you won't even have to get it repaired by them, in case you have OEM warranty related concerns - you only need a proper diagnosis from outside...

[Bhuvan]

All rattles and weird sounds are normal in all cars, as you drive and drive more sounds will come

This sums up Kia and Hyundai for me. Please get this checked by independent advisor or try some other Kia service centre. With high dependence on electronics these days, your issue could be as small as loose battery terminal.

The reason why Maruti sells is because even if you have Alto, one complain to Maruti is enough to get everyone in line at MASS and the engine, gearbox and air conditioner will last decades if routine service is done on time.

Originally Posted by locusjag

I have in mind Mr.Mukesh Chandra Gond, who runs a popular YouTube channel on car repairs which he performs on video

I have interacted with him multiple times, his partner Imran is known for his work on German cars. My friend has Polo 1.2 MT, he had the issue of 5th gear not engaging, this was diagnosed and repaired by Imran. They are damn competent at what they do, VW ASS was after Imran to join them but he refused.

[abaliga]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

This is why if anyone asks me to recommend a car that is not Japanese these days, I simply tell them to go for Škoda/VW since anyway they will be taking on more risk and sacrificing reliability so may as well take that risk on a VAG product who’s parts are fitted in cars across the globe where you will be able to find a solution to most issues by scouring forums online rather than having to deal with incompetent and underpaid service technicians. They’ve been fitting turbocharged direct injection motors to their cars and pairing them to twin clutch gearboxes for over a decade before companies like MG, Tata and Hyundai have begun doing the same. So may as well take a gamble on a German product at that rate is my belief.

Absolutely agree with you, among the last 3 cars that my family owned (Hyundai i10, Ford Ecosport and Skoda Octavia) Hyundai has had the most problems

Our i10 is still with us as it is a lucky car but we have had so many issues with it starting within the first month of ownership (the infamous steering rattle which still exists to date), on the contrary, the Ford Ecosport TDCI was with us for 4 years and had been absolutely trouble free, same goes with our 2023 Octavia 2.0 TSI, the ownership has been blissful for the last 2 years with very good service offered over the time period (2 instances of rat bites were sorted in a day and 1 warranty replacement of logo projectors on the front doors was completed without any issues).

[mpksuhas]

Sorry to hear about the ordeal. I would also mention that you were bit too accommodating to the idiocrasy of service centers, mostly PPS.

1. Do get an OBD scanner, since the check engine light is often displayed and hard to reproduce as per you when at service centers, do check what the log is displaying when you are facing that by yourself.

2. No matter what issue you face and the analysis that service center mentions, do put it in the job card. Next time if you are going for regular service, do get the issues logged. Even if they don't do anything, its in the log and mentioned as reported by you in case of any warranty claim is required in future.

3. If it was a sensor loose connection, its their job to find where and fix it. Rather than just pushing it around. Do raise this as an issue as a job requested and not fixed by the service center.

[GTlists_3131]

Originally Posted by IshaanIan

I am sorry to have to point this out but this was where you went wrong. You simply cannot draw parallels in terms of reliability and dependability between an NA manual and a turbo DCT.

I realise that now. It was my trust in Hyundai service that pushed me towards KIA. My previous experiences with Hyundai (Pavan Hyundai, Kanakapura Road) was some of the best I have experienced till date. Even small niggles and rattles were treated with the utmost priority and even small escalations within the ASC worked charms.

It was wrong of me to draw parallels to Hyundai and KIA in terms of ASC experience.

Originally Posted by TurboTales

When I first saw your title, my initial thought was that you might be dealing with DCT-related issues.

I was quite surprised to hear that you went for an oil change at just 2,000 km, on completing the break-in period.


I sincerely hope the service team is able to identify the problem accurately and provide you with a reliable, lasting solution so you can get back to enjoying a smooth driving experience without any further trouble.

It has been something I have done on all my cars till date. It was under the recommendation of a friend who is an automobile engineer. Engines during their break in period tend to shed high amounts of micro metals, changing engine oil after the break in period rids the engine of this.

The necessity of service intervals/ oil changes are downplayed by automobile companies to show a lower cost of maintenance/km and make it enticing for a new customer. Most of us in Indian cities drive in dusty bumper to bumper traffic that usually involves a lot of accelerations and sudden breaking which adds more stress to the engine. The service manual recommends 5000km oil changes under the sever use case (short drives, high traffic and dusty environment) which a majority don't follow.

All my previous cars drove like new till the day I sold them off.

Originally Posted by locusjag

Get a diagnosis done by a competent mechanic, even if that means taking it to an independent garage.

Will definitely take a call on an FNG if KIA is not able to rectify the issue at the earliest.
But I strongly believe that the company is responsible for any and all troubles faced by the customer due to an issue which can be attributed to a defect in the car. It shouldn't be my responsibility to go around from ASC to ASC trying to find the better mechanic.

Till date I have spent thousands on cab fares, petrol etc to and from the ASC, plus all the petrol that gets exhausted when the ASC takes that car on test drives and leaves the engine running with the AC on, loss of pay due to me being at the service centre instead of at work.

[GTlists_3131]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Do raise this as an issue as a job requested and not fixed by the service center.

Got a call from KIA IND with regard to the email sent to their customer care. I have been given a reference number as of now. During the call I did mention that my issue was with the quality control at KIA IND and dissatisfaction with the vehicle itself and inability of PPS KIA, Mysore Road to diagnose and fix the issue. I also mentioned clearly that I had no issues with the Naara Kia ASC that my vehicle is currently at. They have done a good job acknowledging the issues and I have received assurance from the Service Manager itself that the issue will be rectified at the earliest. He has been following up on the issue and has personally been giving me detailed updates on what they have done and what their plan of action is. I appreciate his transparency.

A few minutes after my call with KIA IND, I received another call from the Service Manager questioning my decision in raising a complaint with KIA IND. He told me "they are blasting me". This is after my repeated mentions to the customer care that I had no issues with the response from Naara Kia and that my issue was with the quality of the car and PPS KIA, Mysore Road's inability to fix the issues.

[IshaanIan]

Originally Posted by GTlists_3131

I realise that now. It was my trust in Hyundai service that pushed me towards KIA. My previous experiences with Hyundai (Pavan Hyundai, Kanakapura Road) was some of the best I have experienced till date. Even small niggles and rattles were treated with the utmost priority and even small escalations within the ASC worked charms.

It was wrong of me to draw parallels to Hyundai and KIA in terms of ASC experience.

That’s where you are wrong once again. Every manufacturer has ASCs that miss the mark. Including Maruti and Hyundai. You need to find the best one and speak directly with the workshop manager when such issues arise in order to avoid unnecessary time wastage in resolving issues on a new car.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by GTlists_3131

It was under the recommendation of a friend who is an automobile engineer. Engines during their break in period tend to shed high amounts of micro metals, changing engine oil after the break in period rids the engine of this.

The necessity of service intervals/ oil changes are downplayed by automobile companies to show a lower cost of maintenance/km and make it enticing for a new customer. Most of us in Indian cities drive in dusty bumper to bumper traffic that usually involves a lot of accelerations and sudden breaking which adds more stress to the engine. The service manual recommends 5000km oil changes under the sever use case (short drives, high traffic and dusty environment) which a majority don't follow.

Very right. Any mechanically lubricated machine, no matter how advanced the metallurgy, will have higher wear metals (measured in parts per million), in the initial oil changes with the numbers decreasing every oil change (until finally stabilising after a few.)

To further prove this, just get used oil analysis done, the results clearly put speculation and opinion out of the picture. Forget cars, even with pressure washers and air compressors the first oil change is done at 20 hrs of operation and then every 200 hrs. My diesel generator, exactly the same.

Spot on about oil change interval as well. In around 5000 km my oil is dark brown indicating oxidation and soot being held in suspension, and my wear metals start going up after 6500 km (had analysis done a few years ago). Most folks don’t realise the degradation in oil isn’t linear, it really shoots up past 6k kms for most urban driving in high heat and high dust environments.

Add cold starts to the list and short distance driving and it’s hell on earth for the oil. That’s why the manual halves the interval to 6 months/5k kms even if one of the above operating conditions are met.

One thing you can do to counter the ill effects of frequent short distance driving is, take a highway spin at high rpm every few weeks. Check your oil level before and after, if you see any drop, the oil was carrying some fuel contamination.

The oil legend himself Lake Speed Jr on new engine break in-

https://youtu.be/X4424Q5lLR8

[Black Panther]

Originally Posted by GTlists_3131

1) 3rd May, 2024 day of purchase 50km on the odometer [CHECK ENGINE LIGHT] - got an engine management system error warning and the engine check light came on. I immediately pulled over and gave a call to the sales advisor who advised me that I could drive on and to bring the car the next day for number plate fitting and checking the issue if any.

7) 19th February, 2025 (9166km on the odometer) - had recently been on a trip to Coorg and I noticed a weird rattle from the engine during low rpm's while accelerating. Fed up with the experience at PPS Kia, I visited Naara Kia, Kanakapura Road. The sound had increased in intensity by then. The SA and mechanic acknowledged the issue. They told me that this issue was new to them as they had never seen it before.

It seems that this is a familiar issue and faced by one of our Seltos WhatsApp group member Dr Abhijit. He has asked one of us to post the below solution for the similar problem he has faced regarding the Engine Check light warning and lethargic engine performance. In his own words:

"Guys came across this thread on team bhp. I had similar issue when car was not even 1 month old. Those who are members of teambhp, please tell the guy to check the spark plugs, 1 faulty spark plug causes this issue. Hope it helps the guy. I am not a member so can't post anything there. But this issue is correctable. Please convey this message on that thread. Thanks"

Hope this works for you.

[GTlists_3131]

Originally Posted by Black Panther

1 faulty spark plug causes this issue. But this issue is correctable. Please convey this message on that thread. Thanks"
Hope this works for you.

Thanks a ton for the help. Have shared this with the ASC and have asked them to check the spark plugs tomorrow. They are yet to identify the issue and are doing whatever KIA IND is telling them to do -

1) 20km drive on cold start which was done yesterday.
2) 50km drive after car has been under the sun the entire day. Something about high temp but makes no sense to me. My understanding is that even if you start the car at mid noon it's considered a cold start. (car being turned on for the first time on that day) This was done today.

I have been told that both these tests did not throw up an error code and everything looks normal.

I have made it clear to them that I will not be taking the car back till they find the root cause and correct it (O2 sensor replacement was brought up as cleaning it did not work) and that if any problem in the near future necessitates a visit to the ASC again for a similar issue in the future, I'd take the legal route.

Correct me if I'm wrong.