2002 Kia Carnival LS from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Brought our carnival in Feb 2003. Was using coolant for about 12 months before it finally let go in early June 2008. Two independent mechanics told us that it was a blown head with coolant present in the block. We have been waiting for 3 weeks for word regarding a fix for the engine at the place were it was brought. It seems there are a lot of KIA owners experiencing the same fate. My slant on the situation is that dealerships selling these lemons must accept some of the blame. It seems the problem has been known widely, for a number of years, within industry circles yet they continued to sell as if no problem existed. Most Australians are brought up to be fair dinkim and hard working. Maybe KIA and Korean values, in particular, are different to ours. It seems to me a lot of car dealerships have been "Koreanised" and should take a good hard look at themselves and stop ripping off fellow Australians.

My wife bought a 2006 Kia Carnival LS, since then she has had all kinds of brake problems and heavy shaking in the front end, every time she steps on the brakes.

I have talked to the dealer in Guatemala, and all they have done is replacing brake pads.

When I decided, that enough was enough, We took the car to said dealer to be exchange for any new Kia unit, but a Carnival, To our surprise, we were told by the salesperson that they don´t accept our Carnival as a trade in, since they consider such model to be "UNSALEABLE".

Since then we feel betrayed by KIA, after having been faithful to their brand, and owning three Optimas and Magentis before our sad experience with our Carnival, we felt we deserve to be treated honestly by KIA.

What is KIA going to do about us? Is yet to be seen.

Sincerely yours azuazu@propuertos.com

About almost 5 years ago, without doing research, I planned to buy KIA Carnival as my friend already bought one.

But, I was also interested in a Proton Impian. So, I needed to decide which one will fulfill my need... As a father of 2 sons, I finally decided to buy a Proton Impian (thank god that decision save me now). That time, my friend who owned the Carnival asked me, why I'm buying Proton Impian as others people say Proton was a junk. I just ignore what people say about my car.. when my car reached about 40000km, my friend told me that his Carnival engine got problems with it. The engine head gasket and he needed to replace it with a new engine.. somehow my car still perfectly functions, running on the road without any problem at that time..

Until now, the only problem of my Proton Impian was power window switch, fuel pump (replaced at 95000km) and radiator fan motor (replaced at 100000km), my Impian engine still runs smoothly without any problem, after all that problem part was replaced, my car now almost trouble free.. All I mention about my car problems are just a minor problems... this car was great but not superb.. but it's handling was superb.. now I trust more Proton than KIA...

Thank god that I didn't buy a KIA Carnival that time.. if yes, I would have suffered just like my friend and the others who already changed their engine so many times.. as my friend told me that his Carnival encountered a lots of problems, and until now his car is parked in front of his house, becoming a decoration as he refuses to repair the engine twice..

For other owners of the KIA Carnival... if you all need to change your engine, try to drop another engine inside your car hood.. just refuse to use standard Carnival engine to avoid the same problem arising...