1999 Kia Carnival from Australia and New Zealand - Comments

Yes, don't you love the feeling you get when the dealer offers you 7000$ for the car that you paid over 23000$ for 3 years earlier? When he points out all the defects on your car that you have complained about earlier (of course when the car still was under warranty). Or when he points out "all the panel damage" which are barely visible dents? KIA dealers are the worst in the business, and that says everything.

But the car is not that bad, at least my example is OK. But looking to sell now, has clung on to this car since earlier trade in was not an option for economic reasons. If you plan to buy one, you have to drive it until it is totally worn out, no point in selling it for pocket change.

2002-bought new KIA Carnival

2004- Car got towed to dealer. KIA replaced engine after waiting almost 3 months due to high demand for replacement engines.

2006-car towed back to KIA. KIA refuse to cover costs. Local mechanic says $7 000 - 9 000.

KIA Carnival - the budget end of the 'people mover' market. Target - budget conscious larger families.

Does no warranty mean no moral obligation/responsibility to sell a reliable car? Shame on KIA for not standing by their product. As KIA says "Be Surprised!"

What most people do not realize is that the sticker price is only half the story. Since the initial price is huge its easy to focus on this alone and forget future payments. "Ah, its ages until I have to spend money on this car, no problem". But for a low quality car added service and repair cost typically makes the life cycle costs (say accumulated cost over 10 years) high. If you think that you can escape from the realities by "gonna sell this car after 3 yrs anyhow", you are wrong since trade in price will be low. You loose anyhow. Stick with quality, typically meaning japanese or some german brands.

I too am another VERY UNHAPPY/unsatisfied KIA carnival owner. I bought the 2000 model Kia second hand in Noveember 2006 and in less than two weeks discovered that I might as well just have thrown $5000+ away. Throwing the money away would have been a lot less stressfull than dealing with what I have had to. In two weeks I replaced an engine mont, exhaust system, and discovered that the radiator is chok a blok full of oil, which indicates major engine problems.

Now I have to walk my two young children, both under 5, to day care and every where else we need to go. We all have a very bad sour tatse in our mouths from this car.

I wish I had read what people have to say before I got burnt.

Alan Unhappy Kia owner.

You paid 5000+ for a 2000 Carnival? It's not worth that kind of money unless bought from a dealer with warranty. And even then 5 grand may be too much since these cars really are POS quality wise. Do not buy these unless you can work on them yourself.

KIA Carnival - Purchased in 2005 - Gear box use to block about 6 times in the 40,000 km. sometimes low speed, sometimes at 120km/h in highways passing from 5th to 5th for example, so you are neutral at 120 in the left side... with 3 kids and a wife inside. I changed the car, they refused to recognize he failure, got a new Carnival, lost 5K. Now, again at 40,000 with the new carnival I got in 2006, blocked twice, one at 20,000, one yesterday at low speak. Bloqued in neutral. Statistically, if I get the same problem with 2 different cars, thousands of cars must have it, but I do not find the problem described in internet...

KIA Carnival - Purchased in 2005 - Gear box use to block about 6 times in the 40,000 km. sometimes low speed, sometimes at 120km/h in highways passing from 5th to 5th for example, so you are neutral at 120 in the left side... with 3 kids and a wife inside. I changed the car, they refused to recognize he failure, got a new Carnival, lost 5K. Now, again at 40,000 with the new carnival I got in 2006, blocked twice, one at 20,000, one yesterday at low speak. Bloqued in neutral. Statistically, if I get the same problem with 2 different cars, thousands of cars must have it, but I do not find the problem described in internet...

I to purchased a 2002 KIA Carnival in June 2006 motor first broke down three months later due to over heating the dealer were I bought the car form repaired the motor in good faith not noing it was a lemon. Car went well for the next 10 month with out a problem until last Sunday when the motor went again this time with the well documented oil problems cost to fix 12.000. What a joke we can't even get someone to sell us a motor because no one will give warranty. I am on the dsp with five children and do not need this finical hard ship for all you people out there who have not had a problem think yourself lucky. Because KIA will not do a think to help these people. KIA should be held accountable for what they are doing to young family's as that is who there cars are sold to. I will not let this go till I win I will camp outside, KIA Australia with sings letting people know just what they do if you would like to join me in this fight email me on theoldnark@bigpond.net.au

together we stand and KIA will fall just when they don't want to look bad in the public eye its the only way to take on these crooks even there own people know this is wrong I rang my local Newcastle dealer and they told me there was already three other Carnival in the work shop with the same problem waiting to be fixed. What a great company something to be really proud off.

My partner and I also bought a Kia Carnival 2000 in October 2004. Two weeks after that we had to replace the starter motor.. Another 6 months later we had to replace the alternator. Luckily we only had to pay the excess of our mechanical insurance. One year after that we are told that our head gasket is blown. My father (a mechanic leaving overseas) had serviced the car while he was here for a holiday, but the mechanical insurance won't cover the damages as it wasnt done in a registered garage. It is going to cost us $10000 (quote from registered mechanic) to fix the problem which we can't afford to as we too have 4 kids to support. We are still paying this off and its been hell as we have not had the van for a year. Is there anyone in NZ with the same problem? I'd be happy to join in any suits or anything that will get Kia to address this problem.. I won't keep my fingers crossed though.lol.

Without doing enough research I recently bought one of these lemons (carnival 2001 model) from a private seller : (already took it twice to kia for repairs (spent $950), and just noticed the coolant level is dropping. I'm thinking I could be in for bigger problems. just to let you know i'd be happy to join in any suits or anything that will get Kia to address this problem. I think we have a better chance at getting positive results if we all bond together.

I live in sydney, my email address is: ermercado@gmail.com.

I also bought a Kia Carnival 2001 model in June last year (2007).

Car overheated after two weeks and sent back to second hand dealer. They changed water pump, cylinder head gasket, pressure tested the radiator and cylinder head. After another 2 months, heating problem was back. Took it to Kia dealer who did a diagnostic on the engine management system. Came up with a circuit error on the oxygen sensor. Tried to get fixed, but they want ZAR2000 to fix. Now the engine idles at 2400rpm! Going to sort out the idle rpm and try to sell! Thoroughly fed up with this vehicle.

I'd be interested to join any class action. email me on peer.fatima@gmail.com.

Regards,

Fatima.