Comments on: 2003 Kia Carnival Warranty Complaint

By: Carrie

Carrie — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 05:31:34 +0000

Another up-date, got repair quote today $3600,at this stage thats with KIA paying for the block and heads ($5000), We just got back from the hospital after spending a week in our Perth have been borrowing friend cars, looks like parts are starting to arrive and may have my car back mid-next week.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:06:15 +0000

Hi, heres the latest, KIA are going to replace the engine block ($5000) under GOODWILL as I was able to prove it had regular services , and the only mechanics that touched it was KIA themselves. Yet to hear if they will cover the rest of the damage.We may just get stung with labour but I am not complaining.Once it gets sorted out it will be another week or so without my car. And just like everyone else I have kids (9yold triplets) to run around and my husband has been in hospital for 4 days now so life without a car stinks!
Found out from great mechanic, that it is the tensioner that holds the timing belt in place that fails!! It causes a bit of a chain reaction , pistons cease up due to it! Apparently our motor looks brand new on the inside! no damage to pistons other than when the ceased and snapped due to this failure.
HOT TIP
Make sure your mechanic is only using SYNTHETIC oil also this makes a diffrence also.
Hope this helps, will up-date everyone next week.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:53:47 +0000

OK, now I didnt have the net in 2006( its an 05 model) otherwise I wouldnt have brought my Carnival which we have had since new,only the local kia dealer touches it!
Dont get me wrong I love my car,the kids love the space and the air-con. We couldnt afford anything else and have 4 kids, the eldest is 6′4 so we needed a car with plent of space. Our problems are right now this very moment the coolant/oil/cam shaft common prob. Earlier this year the steering went and Kia replaced this under GOODWILL but not the labour , the same week the air con hose went and so did the battery. I was so furious i told them to set a match to it!it cost us over $1200 that week. Now im looking at another GOODWILL claim as my car is 10 months out of warrenty and we now have the same common prpblem as most, at less than 90,000 on the odometer too
Our local KIA dealer has been fantastic so far

By: screwedbykia

screwedbykia — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 13:01:46 +0000

Hey Jimbo,
Have you got one? Did you buy one back in 2002 when no one knew what was wrong with them? Have you got a family of 6 or 7 to move around? I’ll bet my leftie that all your answers are no!! So I guess I speak for all those with a Carnival when I say, “go fall over, and get up yourself!” Pompous f–k wit!

By: Greg

Greg — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:22:46 +0000

Glenn
There is one belt at the “drivers side” if you are in Australia and a belt at the other end of the motor on each cylinder head making 3 belts in total. Oh by the way if your are going to replace these belts, it would help if you are a dentist because the only way you can see the ones on the ends of the cylinder heads is with a mirror.

By: Glen & Deb

Glen & Deb — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:40:43 +0000

Hi everyone.
Bought 2004 Kia Carnival, 130,000 on the clock. Gearbox and diff have died I’m up for thousands. Out of warranty out of luck. Told we cant get gearbox and diff in Western Australia. Now we are stuck with a car we cant use, loan we cant pay as I’ve just been retrenched. How can big companies who make millions a year in profits be allowed to get away with selling crap !!!!!!

By: Bongo

Bongo — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:21:21 +0000

If you check carsale . com their is always around 5 that are selling as is with blown motor.

Somebody should make a conversion kit from the Holden V6 into the Carnival

Marks Adaptors of Dandenong?

By: george

george — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:11:35 +0000

i havwe a kia van 2002 mod iv had two moters 3 cluches one gearbox frount driver seat snaped in two as i was driving it i will never by a kia again

By: Glenn

Glenn — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:41:15 +0000

We brought our kia in 2004 new. It now has 106,000 kms on it and the only issue we had has been the CD player was faulty. Reading all these post’s I feel everyone got the lemons and we got the only good car out of thousands. We are about to service the car and the timebelt has to be done. Im told it cost 1100 dollars as theer are 3 timebelts, I only see 1 where are the other 2? Anyone know? After this I think it may time to get another car and change to another maker as I can count my chickens in the luck we have had with the kia carnival but I wont buy another due to all these comments and the issues you all have had… Cheers

By: jessie

jessie — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:20:18 +0000

hi guys same story same problems with 2001 model 63,000klms. I have put a complaint into the accc, the more people that do this the better! And at the moment have just lodged hearing appeal against kia australia through dept. fair trading and my local mp has also offered if i dont get anywhere with that to help also. Up till now hadnt heard of another engine my partner has just found a decent wreckers who know all about this problem and has told him that we can put a vn-vr commodore engine in the kia and have to get compliance plates. So if anyone is interested they should ring wreckers because they have yards full of the kias they know all about them even if kia meets me anywhere with costs same problem is goin to happen so i suggest to everyone look in to the commodore motors. good luck everyone this has devastated my family financially and you get smart people sayin google the car, I personally didnt own a computer or have internet access might sound behind the times i know but i saved for a car instead lol .

By: jeff

jeff — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 03:39:53 +0000

hi,we got a 2004 model carnival after being told that they had fixed the problems after 2002.it lasted 5 weeks before discovering water in the oil. we’re devistated! did a ring around to find help, started with kia itself first and was told they wouldn’t help because its to far out of warranty. repco wanted $8500 for a replacement and didn’t even have one ready. one kia dealer wanted $8000 depending there was nothing wrong with the heads. found a dealer who suggested to contact a engine rebuilder that he knew. on contacting them and telling my story, they were surprised mine lasted 140000km. he explained all their faults and that you cannot simply rebuild the motor because they WILL fail again. these people have developed a method of fixing the oil / water problem for good!!!they have done heaps of these and have had none returned. they also strongly suggest putting fresh oil in every 7500km to prevent problems with camshafts etc, as oil gallerys are very small and block up. my car is now with them to be fixed. they are somewhat cheaper then anywhere else i found. their phone number is 03 55627622 (vic), for those who think that their car is worth reviving. hope this helpfull to the may other peolpe who got sucked in like me. on a good note , my brother inlaw has a 2007 grand carnival and he has had no problems with it at all, he has a much larger V6 and he’s said it’s not good on fuel.

By: Karl

Karl — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:20:46 +0000

I had a 92 Ford Falcon wagon which I sold at 238,000km – only problem was a new $80 alternator. I then had a 96 Falcon wagon which I sold at 204,000km – no problems, Then I had a 99 AU wagon which I had until 178,000km no problems. I stupidly traded that in on a 2003 Kia Carnival which lasted oly 37,000km until the engine blew. I sold it straight after that and now drive a 2004 BA Falcon wagon with 112,000 km and still going. Im never buying an imported car again. Incredibly the brief time I had the Kia it used 30% more petrol than what I got from my much more powerful Falcons, what a piece of junk car that Kia was.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:13:13 +0000

Hello Kerry, I still have not had any success and my Kia has been sitting in the dealership for 3 weeks and i am being stonewalled by Kia! I have been in contact with Dale but Kia are not intersted in the information he provided. Looks like I will have to pay the $3000 and seek redress through the small claims division of the local court.

By: Kerry Tunbridge

Kerry Tunbridge — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 11:08:08 +0000

Please get in touch.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:55:38 +0000

My 2005 (first registered 12/05) Kia Carnival with 80,000 km has suffered engine failure. The local Kia dealer South Coast Auto Group, Nowra NSW has advised that Kia Motors will provide a short motor but I have to pay labour costs of approximately $3,000.
I lodged a complaint with the ACCC who have said all you can do is pay to have it fixed and take legal action against Kia. How pathetic is that! I wil pursue further through my local Federal MP

By: Frank

Frank — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 12:36:37 +0000

I did my homework and bought the current model Kia Carnival (June 2006 build) (short wheel base) with 2.7 litre V6 engine 4 speed auto tiptronic. It still has twelve months factory warranty left on it. Car seems to be quite solid and engine is quite smooth and responsive. Only problem encountered so far is wind noise from drivers door and middle row retractable seat belts dont operate when car is parked on a slope where vehicle is pointing down hill. I expect both problems to be repaired under warranty. nGear box sometimes goes hunting for the right gear, but this is only when accelerating up hills. If they are not covered by warranty you will hear from me shortly.

By: ..

.. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:22:48 +0000

So guys do not buy European built cars or cars with European built engine such as Kia Carnival (Pre 2004 model) …Almost all European built cars are rubbish..!!

By: ..

.. — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:17:23 +0000

That’s Rover made engine so that is Rover’s fault

By: Another one

Another one — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 22:36:28 +0000

We have just blown our 3rd motor. We were told that it was previous models that had the problem! Only done 120,000kms. I want to join any class action if there is one started..

By: FrugalOne

FrugalOne — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 05:14:54 +0000

Other than the few above and small engine issues mentioned, is the Carnival otherwise ok?

Cheers,

F-0