[Bibendum90949]

You should not settle for anything less than a transmission replacement since it's very clear that they've have screwed it up before delivering the car. You made the right decision in not taking the car back and you should stick to your guns. It could well be a damage that occurred in transit or while loading/unloading the car or during their PDI and test drive. It's a good idea to check the whole underbelly thoroughly and check if there are other visible damages.

The 50 odd kms on the odo at the time of delivery clearly points to that. It means they know what exactly happened and they 'fixed' it and then did multiple test drives to check that everything is in order. They ideally should've replaced the unit before delivering the car. If it's a slip up from the dealer, the manufacturer won't bear the replacement cost and it would be on the dealer's head, which may have prompted them to hush it up. Just my guess. A master botch up to say the least. I really feel for you, not be overly worried though. With a replacement of the unit, the car can be back to the condition which it's supposed to be. Good luck and keep us posted.

[gkveda]

Are the cars not insured while in transit before delivery?

I don't think dealer would lose anything even if he has to change the transmission, if the damage has been done during transit or downloading the car to godown. If the car has manufacturing defect, it will any way has to be replaced by manufacturer.

Only thing required now is the push from your side to replace the damaged part.

Suggest to push hard and make big noise with the manufacturer. It works

[shancz]

Originally Posted by ToyoCabbie

Do you guys think it is worth risking accepting the "fixed" vehicle or should absolutely demand a transmission replacement.Should we at least ask for free extended warranty?Is suing a good option? I heard cases being dragged on for years without any resolution.Would love to know your thoughts.Absolutely sucks having to deal with a faulty car!

You paid for a new car and that's what you should get. Transmission replacement is a compromise. You should be getting a refund/new car. All charges to be borne.by them.

Zoom out and think about it, Kia or the dealer have done this intentionally, you have paid for it and you are suffering.

Contact Kia if you haven't, ask them to coordinate with the dealer and ask for a new car/replacement because your new car experience has been ruined by them, let's see how they respond.

Suing might drag on although I am not experienced on it.
It is one of the reasons why these guys have such audacity to cheat people and then ask them to run around for a compromise.

This should be solved on the manufacturer's end, they claim "customers" its high time they own responsibility for their actions.

I wasn't recommding Kia/Hyundai to anyone earlier and this reinforces my decision for good.

Hope you get your replacement soon.

[createrkid]

What a poor show by Kia or most likely the dealer, makes one wonder how QC takes place. I owned a Hyundai Getz a couple of years ago which had its fair share of problems (failed AC compressor, power window niggles, steering stalk issues, terrible clutch even after replacement). Thankfully, my Ecosport (first Gen) which I replaced it with is still going strong.

I've always considered Hyundais/kias to be dolled up Marutis fit only for the showroom floor. Let's just hope people start speaking with their wallets next time they consider adding one to their garage.

[mac187]

How useful was that attentive visitors comment? You should take him/her out for lunch or drinks.

As rightly pointed out by our hawk eyed BHPians. Looks like the "technicians" at the dealer had spotted this issue early on and have done a shabby job fixing it. Also, please don't trust the factory technicians visit BS they are feeding you. Please write to KIA direct and ensure its brought to their notice and establish a direct communication with them. Dealers will feed you all sorts of BS without reporting the issue to manufacturer, this is their go to trick to wear you down. Needless to say you will have to buckle up here and expect some hardship your way.

I would recommend you to not take back the car until they replace the gearbox with a new one. This is a legitimate ask to ensure your peace of mind for years to come.

It will be interesting to see how KIA reacts. I seriously hope they do the right thing here and fast.

[Vinod_nair]

In this maha confusion of will they won't they, get your car shrink wrapped, I've seen high end cars getting this done for disputed issues.

This will ensure no part is removed from your car.

[landcruiser123]

What a horrible mess up! Hyundai & Kia sure know how to lure customers (with features) and sell them unreliable cars. Clearly seems like the casing isn't within tolerance levels and they tried filling the gap with extra sealant. You might have not picked this up in the PDI as the car wouldn't have run many km for the transmission oil (in MT) to build enough pressure and cause it to leak. I hope Kia gives you a new transmission.

Kia & Hyundai goes out of my recommendation list for new cars. Our Hyundai Getz never really had any major issue in 12 years. Same with many Hyundai Santros which I've seen lasting over 15 years.


Seems like Hyundai quality has gone down after they stopped exports to the EU from India. I really hope Hyundai haven't worked out economics the Ford Pinto way.

[ash22]

This is unacceptable.
Customers expect a niggle free product from the manufacturer when they spend so much money.I feel KIA is replacing TATA motors in the niggles reported.

Our forums have reported a lot of KIA niggles and all those are major ones,

Break Failure (Brake failure issues in the Kia Seltos)


Break Issue (Kia Seltos AT - Brake Issue) (Serious gearbox issue in my Kia Seltos DCT)


Gearbox issue


Engine Mount issue (Engine mount breaks on brand-new Kia Sonet)


Transmission Leak (Transmission leak on a 10-day old Kia Sonet)



Its high-time, We should have a separate thread on KIA niggles as a single point of information.

[DriverNo.420]

I know what Hyundai does here. In all the Made for India cars like the Grand i10, Xcent(engine parts falling off, a steering bug that can kill you) and now this Sonet, they knowingly put low-grade basic parts that are the foundation of any car. These cars give the potential customer 'good-quality' vibes in the test drive because Hyundai invests the most making their cars feel a segment (or two) above. And no international-spec Hyundai like the Tucson or Elantra has been reported (atleast online) for such serious problems.
I can only imagine what would've Kia done had this transmission problem occurred with someone in USA.

[Jaggu]

Originally Posted by ToyoCabbie

You have sharp eyes! I'm pretty sure no production line uses pen marks until the component is completely fitted.It' s possible that the original transmission was defective and silently swapped before delivery.Does anyone else have any idea?

That is a completely different angle and not see in the other image. So cannot assume it is not there.

We wrote to kia asking to replace the car but we'll mostly settle with a transmission swap if they approve it.

Just get the transmission swapped, replacing car means dispute on who will pay road tax, insurance etc. Which does not really make sense for this issue.

[Almoral]

This is so sad. Such issues completely destroy confidence in the car, whoever might be the manufacturer.

One of my colleagues had recently bought a Kia Sonet. I am in wondering if I should inform him about these cases, so that he checks his vehicle and may be report anything suspicious while getting in serviced. My intention is not here to do brand bashing but rather attending to any potential issue which could be life threatening at a later point of time.

Slightly off-topic :
I used to hear such QC issues and niggles in Tata cars earlier (prior to the latest gen cars). But, looks like they have improved. Am I correct, or it is still the same?

[Raghu M]

Originally Posted by Storm2.0

Seeing the pathetic QC at Hyundai and Kia, I urge the moderators to write "Quality is big concern and is a hit or a miss in almost all their cars" whenever they review the Korean twins the next time.
This not some small niggle or rattle after all. It's something serious and will definitely dent the credibility of Korean twins in the long run.

Can't agree more here. When I was shopping for a new car, the forum suggested me to try out the Sonet. My heart said, this is a newly baked product, let's stay away. I will not say Mahindra has flawless products but the products are doing reasonably well. The amount of PR and media attention Hyundai and Kia get are way more than all the other brands put together. No reviewer ever states that these vehicles are fairly new and we cannot conclude on their safety and durability. Everyone just shuts the doors and say, this is a well built car, you can say that by just closing the doors.

[Goandiaries]

While it is unfortunate as a new car owner to be in this situation, I hope the service guys will not swap a new transmission from another Sonet in the yard and push this defective transmission to someone gullible.

[SS8939]

Before this turns into a Kia/Hyundai bashing thread (rightfully so), let me add my 2c as a Verna owner.

1. The car never left me stranded. In the ~9 years we've owned it, the car would always turn on and take us where we had to go.

That said, the amount of niggles the thing had was a tad too much. Reverse sensors beeping continuosly, headlight bulb failing on a outstation drive, key breaking from its holder; a lot of small things would add up to what was a niggle filled experience. These days though, more critical components seem to be failing, a rather surprising step backwards.

This would be especially troubling when the Team BHP reviews talked about how fuss free Hyundai cars were. The fact that the mods have willingly change their tone on seeing this information reaffirms my faith in the community.


2. Kia has to get their house in order very quickly. They seem to be at the risk of being labeled as an unreliable brand. Once that name sticks, it's almost impossible to get rid of it. This is a market that rewards reliability (Maruti, Toyota) and will absolutely punish you for the opposite.

[fiat_tarun]

Slightly different view here.

Yes, Kia / the dealer have screwed up with the an improper sealing of the transmission, but at the end of the day it is a seal and as long as it isn't leaking anymore it should be fine. The sealant applied at the dealer end will never have the finish of the factory which has a mechanized process. The transmission is anyway hidden under the chassis and and as long as it does its job it should be ok.

You will definitely not get a new car for this issue and I have my doubts on them agreeing for a new transmission as well. This will just stretch on and further spoil your new car experience. Even if you do get a new transmission, it will be fitted at the dealer end and you will have to deal with similar finishing.

My take would be to insist for an extended warranty (the max. possible) and move on. As long as the transmission is functioning normally and there is no leak, I don't see this as an issue going forward.