1999 Kia Carnival review from Australia and New Zealand

Blew head gasket at 50,000Km, whilst we were at least 50Km from any persons or even mobile phone coverage. Limped back with rests. Even trying to rest it every Km or so we still managed to warp the head - so it had to have a new LONG engine not a short one. KIA Australia wore part of the cost, but we were still out of pocket over A$4200.

Then it went OK for about 10 months and broke (stuck in 5th gear) midnight one Saturday night. Cost A$1600 to pull the engine out and check the transmission. Fault was a sheared bolt in the shift fork control assembly inside the gearbox. Sheared due to over-torquing at assembly time in the KIA factory that is.

Then it went OK for another 10 months and has now suffered a repeat of "stuck in gear". This time it is stuck in 3rd gear.

Called the dealer who did the first transmission repair and they said they would be happy to fix it AND it would not cost me anything IF it proved to be the same fault. However it would be another A$1600 or so if the fault were different, and it would be over 2 months before they could look at it because they have 2 months' worth of KIA Carnivals sitting in their parking lot waiting for new engines. So I'm pulling out the engine and gearbox myself and will fix it myself. That will take quite some time since this is a major job. Thank goodness I bought the service manual with the Carnival.

I know many mechanics who refuse to work on these vehicles. The local mechanic who I use for routine stuff described the Carnival as "diabolical" to work upon.

This vehicle is the worst I've ever owned. It is fine whilst it is going - but it is never going.

This car makes my earlier lemons (e.g. Alfa Romeo) look like gems.