Kia Sorento automatic transmission issue

estrelada
estrelada Posts: 6 Forumite
in Motoring
I went to a Kia dealer to test drive a used automatic Kia Sorento KX-3, 2015. When I tried to shift the gear lever from Parking to Drive I couldn’t, it just wouldn't move. The sales person tried as well and couldn’t. Then a mechanic came and opened a little flap that covered a tiny hole next to the gear lever. He pushed a screwdriver through the hole and released the gear lever. He advised that I can test drive the vehicle but should not put it back to Parking but leave it in Neutral. He said the problem would be rectified before the car is sold to me. I did drive the car after that and didn’t detect anything untoward with the gears but am very concerned. Would this indicate a serious fault with the gear box or is it likely to be something minor like a faulty sensor? Other than that, the car is nice and priced low. It’s done around 30 000miles.
The sales person stressed that any mechanical issue with the gear box would still be covered by the balance of the 7-year Kia warranty.

Comments

  • daveyjp
    daveyjp Posts: 12,519 Forumite
    First Post Name Dropper First Anniversary
    I'm sure Kia made more than one of these. Find another.
  • natlol
    natlol Posts: 91 Forumite
    First Post First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    It wouldn’t worry me in the slightest. There is an electromagnetic switch which releases when you put your foot on the brake to move from park to drive. It has most likely gone faulty and needs replacing. You can manually release them like the mechanic did. I would however want to see it fixed before I handed over any cash though. I made the mistake once of buying a car from the dealer with a small problem that hadn’t been rectified on pickup like I was promised which resulted in another visit.

    The Kia has a proper torque converter box as well so no clutch packs or clutch judder to worry about.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,026 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    estrelada wrote: »
    Would this indicate a serious fault with the gear box or is it likely to be something minor like a faulty sensor?


    Most likely the brake light switch is faulty. It has 2 circuits, and costs a lot more than an "ordinary" one. One circuit controls the brake light, the other operates the solenoid that releases the gear lever.



    The locking of the gear lever is nothing to do with the gearbox itself.






    The sales person stressed that any mechanical issue with the gear box would still be covered by the balance of the 7-year Kia warranty.
    There isn't a mechanical gearbox fault, but make sure that the warranty is still valid anyway. I read on here that Kia want receipts for all service items as well as the book stamping- I assume that is if it isn't done at a Kia main dealer.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • estrelada
    estrelada Posts: 6 Forumite
    facade wrote: »
    Most likely the brake light switch is faulty. It has 2 circuits, and costs a lot more than an "ordinary" one. One circuit controls the brake light, the other operates the solenoid that releases the gear lever.



    The locking of the gear lever is nothing to do with the gearbox itself.








    There isn't a mechanical gearbox fault, but make sure that the warranty is still valid anyway. I read on here that Kia want receipts for all service items as well as the book stamping- I assume that is if it isn't done at a Kia main dealer.

    Thank you for your comments. In your opinion is this something serious? The sales manager has stressed that any issue with the car would be rectified before it's sold to me.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,026 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    estrelada wrote: »
    Thank you for your comments. In your opinion is this something serious? The sales manager has stressed that any issue with the car would be rectified before it's sold to me.


    No, they fit a new switch, probably takes a couple of minutes to do.


    If they had noticed the fault earlier, likely they would have put one in and you would never have known.


    If I knew it was definitely the switch, I'd buy it.


    However, as it is worrying you, it might be better to leave it, it could be a wiring issue that hasn't been properly sorted under warranty.
    What you really want to know is- is it a PCP car that the deal ended naturally and went back, or was it "got rid of", possibly because of niggly faults that couldn't be fixed.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • estrelada
    estrelada Posts: 6 Forumite
    facade wrote: »
    No, they fit a new switch, probably takes a couple of minutes to do.


    If they had noticed the fault earlier, likely they would have put one in and you would never have known.


    If I knew it was definitely the switch, I'd buy it.


    However, as it is worrying you, it might be better to leave it, it could be a wiring issue that hasn't been properly sorted under warranty.
    What you really want to know is- is it a PCP car that the deal ended naturally and went back, or was it "got rid of", possibly because of niggly faults that couldn't be fixed.

    It's GWR Kia in London, they said they bought the vehicle from head office.
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    estrelada wrote: »
    It's GWR Kia in London, they said they bought the vehicle from head office.
    Which doesn't mean it was sat on display in a glass-and-chrome reception area. Or the MD was chauffeur-driven in the back.

    How old, what mileage? If the answer is 6-12mo, ~10k - odds on it's ex-rental. Whether that bothers you is your look-out. It wouldn't me. But "from head office" simply means it was on some kind of corporate fleet.
  • Ganga
    Ganga Posts: 4,157 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    AdrianC wrote: »
    Which doesn't mean it was sat on display in a glass-and-chrome reception area. Or the MD was chauffeur-driven in the back.
    How old, what mileage? If the answer is 6-12mo, ~10k - odds on it's ex-rental. Whether that bothers you is your look-out. It wouldn't me. But "from head office" simply means it was on some kind of corporate fleet.


    It states in post number 1 that it is a 2015 model with about 30,000 on the clock
    ITS NOT EASY TO GET EVERYTHING WRONG ,I HAVE TO WORK HARD TO DO IT!
  • AdrianC
    AdrianC Posts: 42,189 Forumite
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post
    Ganga wrote: »
    It states in post number 1 that it is a 2015 model with about 30,000 on the clock
    D'oh. You're right.

    So it's been on a customer lease/PCP then.
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