[ashis89]

With the Ford gone for a trip, the Kia found some space under cover



Although it barely fits under it


So I gave it a quick wash to remove the kilo of dust. The waxing session two months ago still has its charm

[ashis89]

Came back from Balangir, this time via the ever beautiful Daspalla. I have been driving a little sedate this past month and hence, the FE has been consistently above 17. I tanked up today and the number was 17.2 kmpl.










Odo is 521xx



Whenever I drive with part accelerator (1.2k-1.5k rpm) and in the 3rd gear for some time and then try to accelerate, I notice a hesitation at times. Happens in the 3rd but didn't feel in other gears. This is something to be looked into during the next service.

[ashis89]

The last few days of December continued to be busy.

First we had a short half day trip to Konark to attend a get together at a resort there. Since it had been few years since I visited the Sun temple, we went there too and saw it under the evening lights.

After a day's break, it was a hat-trick - covering ~350 kms/day with wife and my parents. Day 1 (316 kms) was a day trip to Bhitarkanika National Park. Day 2 (378 kms) was a trip to my village and day 3 (384 kms) we returned to Bhubaneswar. The roads were a healthy mix of good (smooth wide but undivided single lane) and bad (broken and narrow) roads.

Daspalla forest is 70 km stretch (Daspalla town to Charichhak) of dense forest with the road winding through it. Being a hilly terrain, the road also rises and falls while winding along with forest. And one doesn't get cellular reception. I must have done this route 10+ times in the past 5 years and yet, I am always advised to cross this leg before evening. But yesterday we could only start late and hence, it was already night before we reached this area. It was real fun driving through this stretch - confronting sudden tight turns, guessing the road after a crest, looking out for the cyclists in the dark or bearing the brunt of every other vehicle with their high beams on. At the end of the day, no one complained or appear tired and so the car continues to prove its worth.


I had washed the car last on Dec 23 after which it has done ~1700 kms. I used the duster before start of each day. But after the trip to our village, it needs a thorough wash now.


Sunset at Konark


Parked at the guest house at Bhitarkanika


On day 2. It was still clean


But by the next morning, it was run and dusted



Now glimpses of the Sun temple post sunset












And the beautiful Puri Konark marine drive at night time (has become very busy/crowded now)



Few clicks from Bhitarkanika (we entered from Gupti, took a 1.5 hr boat ride to the nature camp side to check out the hatchery, museum and then return)





Found my namesake!














Calm!






This swamp is full of mangroves. I had seen a lot of deers here in 2014 when I was visiting Bhitarkanika. The trees and the path was destroyed during the recent cyclone and hence, no visitor comes here anymore. The deers come out only during evening






The huge creature spotted earlier decided to slither into the water right under out boat!




Seated on the boat top and enjoying the cool breeze, the sun was not a bother (but the light was)



Crossed 53k and odo stands at 534xx kms

[ashis89]

About a year ago, I had changed the T10 bulbs on the number plate to LEDs. Only today I realised that the LEDs overshadow the reversing lights at night.

Number plate lights are on and reverse gear is engaged


Number plate light + reverse lights + brake light


Only reverse lights lit


Meanwhile a slow and steady drive resulted in very good FE. I maintained sub 100 speeds almost throughout the trip. But since the traffic was low throughout the day, we ended up taking lesser drive time than what I usually do (12-13 hrs) on this route.
Odo also went past 54k today.

After covering 785 kms, the DTE shows another 150 to go. If one fills to the brim (another 10L) then range would be ~1100 kms (only if driven sedately)


And some more pics

[ashis89]

The odo crossed 55k and the Coyote is back home. In the past 37 days, I drove it a little more than 5500 kms and in the process, it has gone through 4 states with halts in 8 cities before returning to Bangalore.

Next two months should be slow, a much needed break for man and machine. And hopefully, I can spend some time on TLC.


Encountered fog early morning while going to Hyderabad





Starting early means the roads were clear. Despite the fog slowing us down to ~30 kmph, I could cover the distance quickly as I wanted to reach early that day





Hyderabad was bright and sunny. I spent most of the next 3 days driving this lady around. It's fun



Dwarfed in front of the new giants which have emerged around Hyderabad


I also saw a Seltos sporting a roof box. Must be necessary for long trips probably. We do trips but mostly it is two of us. Without parcel tray and using the rear bench, we get enough space to move the house along



Next I drove back to Bangalore. As the Adiyogi statue was to be inaugurated yesterday, I was anticipating traffic/restrictions on the road. So again we started by 6:30am and reached home by 2:30pm. Due to Sankranti, the traffic throughout was less and I enjoyed a fast drive

[ashis89]

Since the last update, the car has barely done 250 kms, all within the city. I drove my friend's Octavia more than this when I traveled to Hyderabad for a week. But in the meantime I took care of some house keeping stuff.

The right side HID was flickering at times during start up. And flickering kept increasing. Took it to Anton who found the ballast defective. Since the ballast was less than a year old and under warranty, I got a new one FOC. This one seems to be a newer model and told to be more robust.

Since I was in the area, I paid a visit to my old washing place - Ozone car spa. They have a bigger setup now and much better. But I felt the overall quality of washing has gone down a notch. No big deal.

One afternoon, while returning from HSR I had a close call with a speeding AL Dost. A biker was also involved and fell. A cop nearby wanted to pin the blame on me for no fault of mine. The dashcam was a clear proof and saved the day. I have ordered the rear cam now and have to get it installed.


Oh and after years of dilly dallying, this one joined the garage to complement the city use.


Fun fact: The scooter comes with a temperature gauge, something which our WagonR doesn't have!

With the planned trips ahead, the next service should be due mid-March. The clutch might be on the way out and will need a replacement. The clutch is soft, progressive and the gearshifts are smooth but at times I get some juddering when starting from standstill.

Can the DMF go bad but the clutch remain good? I wonder.

[ashis89]

The last trip of Hyd Blr was a fast one, with a drive time of 7.15 hrs. The latest one was more relaxed and done with 9+ hrs of driving.



Just like March 2022, we went on a short 3 day trip to Hyderabad, just 2 of us. Mrs.A drove ~150 kms each way and was happy with the feat. Again, we stopped at Kritunga Kurnool for lunch while going to Hyd. On the return leg, we opted for Paradise Anantapur and that's my new favourite now.

I have been doing Hyd<->Blr regularly since 2015. The roads continue to be good throughout but the traffic has increased manifold. What used to be a fast but boring drive (where you run the risk of falling asleep) is now an alert boring drive. Back in the day, I preferred carrying my lunch/dinner due to lack of many options. Today, there are numerous options throughout the route, including a KFC! Even fuel breaks don't need any planning.

Anyway, coming to the car it continues to bring a smile out on these open highways. It's quick, comfortable (I found the magic psi number - 32), chilled and returns 17+ kmpl. I can hear a faint knocking from somewhere near the dashboard/steering column. Let's see what the service centre has to say about it.


After 3+ years of owning this car, I noticed some numbers which the on board computer captures and displays on the ICE




Some random pics




Odo crossed 56k while Mrs.A was at the wheels

[ashis89]

Odo stands at 56900 kms. It was ~7500 kms/3 months since the last service so I booked one at Epitome Kia, the 7:30AM slot for Saturday. Their booking process has improved further and is very good now.

I arrived 15 mins late and mine was the 2nd car to be taken in. This time too, I had a list of complains (some of them have been old ones but remained unresolved):

1. Faint knocking sound coming from near the steering column on bad roads

2. Driver side power window auto-UP acting up at times (old)

3. Mild jerk felt at rare times when driving prolonged at ~1500 RPM (old)

4. Slight left pull of the steering wheel

5. Musty smell from the AC for a min or two during first start of the day (old)

A technician was assigned immediately and we went on a road test. #1 was replicated in less than 50 mts from the service centre. The technician took a video of it.

Even after a 15+ km test drive, with me and the technician taking turns, we couldn't replicate #3. We tried 3rd and 4th gears, even used the cruise control but no jerks felt. Yes, it has been very rare and I observe 2-3 times in 500 km drive. The juddering from the clutch, when starting from standstill, is also felt on some occasion. However, the technician insisted that clutch doesn't need replacement yet. Clutch is soft, bite point is good and shifts are positive. I should use it as is unless I want comfort without juddering.

Even #2, power window kept working fine and despite multiple attempts, I couldn't replicate it. We return, I park the car in the service center and give one last try to the power window. The auto-UP doesn't work then. The technician tried a few times and couldn't get it to work. So he recorded the video and took the car in.

#5 was observed too and I told him that the usual 3m evaporator cleaning, vent cleaning and cabin filter replacement only contain the issue for a month or two before it comes back again. He agreed and said that most of the car owners have this complain. Maybe it is another design issue. I gave the go-ahead for the 3m cleaning stuff and will continue to switch off the compressor 5 mins before parking the car for the day. It does help to a considerable extent.

While waiting, I saw the whole workshop team starting their day with a morning "standup" meeting, followed by an small exercise session. Nice initiative.



I was given an estimate of 12.8k, first 5-digit service bill since I bought the car. With a sign-off, the car was taken in by 9AM. An hour later, I was informed that the parts replacement will take longer and hence, they can give the car only by 6PM instead of the 2:30 they had committed initially. So I took a cab and came home. Later, I received a bunch of pics from the SA showing the oil change, oil filter replacement and air filter cleaning.

When I returned by 5:30PM, the car was being waterless washed. A worm shaft had been replaced under extended warranty. While the 70k service warrants a coolant replacement, the coolant was good and hence, not replaced (it takes a good 7 litres apparently). Air filters were also found good and just cleaned. Tyres have been over-inflated as usual which I need to air down. But from the short trip back home, the ever slight left pull seems gone.


BUT the power window issue had been ignored where they simply cleaned the channels, lubricated it and gave it back. I reminded them the same solution was done during last service too but that doesn't fix it. I called the technician who vouched for the issue and also showed the video. Then the service advisor acknowledged the issue to be with the power window "regulator". He checked but the part wasn't available and has been ordered. I have been promised this will replaced next week.


I paid Rs.9807, a shade below 5 digits and left by 6:30PM.



A little too much polish was used than my liking. Looks shiny and beautiful from a distance but is actually a smudge magnet today and will be a dust magnet tomorrow. I need to wash it off with shampoo one of these weekends.




The Continentals are almost a year old and have done 17k kms so far. After a year, they continue to be super silent while providing excellent dry grip and good wet grip. These tyres are advertised to be capable of mild off-roading. But in the past year, I haven't been to any place with slush and hence, can't vouch of the same. They tend to lose very little air, 1 psi/4-5 weeks at max. But they splash the sides like no ones' business. Even during the super dry March, my car has these.




At the service centre, I saw this Seltos which had toppled and dragged on the road. One side was completely scratched, but the remaining 5 sides had no inkling of an accident!





One can see the thickness of the sheet metal here where the top layer has worn off due to friction

[ashis89]

During the 70k service, I had raised two concerns - occasional and mild knocking sound from the steering column and drive side power window "auto-up" acting up at times. Videos were recorded and both the issues were acknowledged by the technician. The warranty claim was also approved immediately.

1. Worm Shaft

The first issue needed replacing the worm shaft which was available in their stock and replaced immediately. The part is inexpensive and costs Rs.1070. After replacement, the sound is gone. I did a longish test drive yesterday, found the left pull is gone and the alignment is perfect across speeds.

2. Power Window Regulator

The second issue was blamed on the power window regulator and the part had to be placed on order.

My service advisor Prashanth followed up and let me know when the part arrived last week. He booked an appointment for me for Saturday and I reached Epitome by 10AM. Unlike the previous weekend, this Saturday the center was super packed. So much so that, to move 1 vehicle, sometimes they had to move 2 other vehicles.

Tests going on


Saw this wrapped Seltos in the bay



They did another round of tests on the power window. Then they called me and started changing the part in my presence. Took less than an hour to refit and clean everything. All thanks to Prashanth, he cleared all the paperwork and all vehicles from the path, so I could leave even though the staff had a lunch break.






Part cost Rs.3,398 and this is fresh stock.




The old one was Made in Korea and by Bosch. Note the slight rust marks on it




I had ordered the rear camera for the dashcam but was looking for someone who could help conceal the wiring. I had requested Prashanth to ask someone to help pass/conceal the dashcam cable for me and the same technician did the work. Yesterday, I fit the dashcam as well and now, the whole setup is complete.




I had to do an airport pickup yesterday. On the way, I could test the steering to my satisfaction and also the power window.

Family insisted that going just to the airport is pure sacrilege. So we explored Avathi lake after returning from the airport. Situated about 6 kms from Nandi Upachar, on the same road towards Nandi hills, this is a small lake with a few flower fields nearby. Locals fish there and the place isn't deserted. But do carry water and/or food as there aren't any shops nearby.





















We had a great time "skipping" stones onto the lake






All in all, it was a good 150 km run spread across the city and the highway. The ODO also crossed 57k kms.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by ashis89

The first issue needed replacing the worm shaft which was available in their stock and replaced immediately. The part is inexpensive and costs Rs.1070. After replacement, the sound is gone.

The worm shaft going bad is a known issue with Seltos. My car had this faint knocking sound few months back. SA immediately identified it as an issue with the worm shaft. It’s almost 10K km since it was replaced and the issue is gone for good. He said most of the Seltos owners face this issue. Looks like a quality issue with the shaft used in Seltos.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

The worm shaft going bad is a known issue with Seltos. My car had this faint knocking sound few months back. SA immediately identified it as an issue with the worm shaft. It’s almost 10K km since it was replaced and the issue is gone for good. He said most of the Seltos owners face this issue. Looks like a quality issue with the shaft used in Seltos.

No wonder the technician detected it within 50 metres of test drive.

Do you get any musty smell when starting the AC after the car has been left unused overnight/few days? That's another recurring issue for me which the technician said, is a common unresolved one. Both our cars having manual AC and in BLR, will be good for comparison.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Do you get any musty smell when starting the AC after the car has been left unused overnight/few days? That's another recurring issue for me which the technician said, is a common unresolved one. Both our cars having manual AC and in BLR, will be good for comparison.

I haven’t seen this issue in my car. I’ll be dropping my car for the 40K service day after tomorrow and will check with my SA if he is aware of any such issue with Seltos.

[guyfrmblr]

Originally Posted by ashis89

Do you get any musty smell when starting the AC after the car has been left unused overnight/few days? That's another recurring issue for me which the technician said, is a common unresolved one. Both our cars having manual AC and in BLR, will be good for comparison.

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

I haven’t seen this issue in my car. I’ll be dropping my car for the 40K service day after tomorrow and will check with my SA if he is aware of any such issue with Seltos.

I checked with my SA during the service yesterday and he has received a few complaints about it in the past but it's not that common. He said AC cleaning usually takes care of it. The other recurring problem he is getting from a lot of customers is the front passenger seat rattling issue which is still unresolved, and they don't have any solution.

[ashis89]

Originally Posted by guyfrmblr

I checked with my SA during the service yesterday and he has received a few complaints about it in the past but it's not that common. He said AC cleaning usually takes care of it. The other recurring problem he is getting from a lot of customers is the front passenger seat rattling issue which is still unresolved, and they don't have any solution.

Thanks for checking with the SA. I will continue to turn off the AC few minutes before parking the car. Hopefully that will keep the smell at bay.

I haven't faced front seat rattling so far but did face some rattle with the rear seat lock once. They put tapes on the lock for a tight fit. Agreed on your assessment on your ownership thread that the car has been reliable so far and hope it continues to be so.

[svsantosh]

Originally Posted by ashis89

....
At the service centre, I saw this Seltos which had toppled and dragged on the road. One side was completely scratched, but the remaining 5 sides had no inkling of an accident!

Attachment 2427815

Give that R-ORVM an Oscar!