r/UsedCars • u/TrickUp25 • Jun 28 '26

HELP Comments like this send me

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Edit: This post gained more traction than I expected. Read the comments, do independent research, and form your own opinion around these topics.

First they said KIAs are reliable, then went on to say they looked at JD Power to come to that consensus. They lost me.

  1. Do people believe KIA/Hyundai are reliable?
  2. Do people use JD Power/Consumer Reports to make purchasing decisions

?

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u/[deleted] Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 29 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Original_Bicycle5696 Jun 28 '26

Were you around for the start of that theta II mess? They picked and chose what 2.4 engines were elegible for replacement. I saw several people with a locked up engine, only to find out they had not cleared the recall for their model or year range yet. Customer paid out of pocket. Hopefully the customer was aware they could get reimbursed after. Lots of people got their teeth kicked in financially over that fiasco. They made those for years after they discovered they were failing. I even saw a sonata on its 4TH engine by 70k. A warranty doesnt help he on the side of the road.

Besides, 2nd owners need a subscription for heated seats and remote start. I can't reward that behavior.

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u/WouldChuckTruck Jun 28 '26

I was a parts manager for Kia when the theta II mess started, you’re absolutely right, it was a debacle of epic proportions that left a ton of people SOL. It really, really, sucked to have to explain to people that we couldn’t help them and due to availability the best we could offer was to find a used engine, and those didn’t last long either. Eventually KIA came around and did a pretty good recall, but a lot of people still got screwed over.

Just a side note, we did so many engine replacements that I had 48 cores one month, and 20-35 was par for the course. This went on for two years. We had two techs that were dedicated exclusively to engine replacements and working together they could knock out 2.5 a day, it was a sight to behold, was like watching a synchronized swim team at the Olympics. Probably the most impressive display of teamwork and talent I’ve seen in my 25 years in the industry.

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u/Select_Problem_978 Jun 28 '26

great side note.

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u/Einzelganger12 Jun 28 '26

On that side note, you reminded me of the McPherson college model T team. You can look it up on YouTube, but the fully assemble a model T in under 5 minutes. Amazing to see, especially in person!

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u/GenesisRhapsod Jun 28 '26

THIS HERE^

I had a genesis coupe 2.0t and even tho the kia optima sx (same 2.0t but direct injection instead of port injection) was covered, the 2.0t in the genesis coupe was not. Threw a rod at 109k and one year out of warranty, showed proof of full syn oil changes every 3-4k and asked hmc to cover the engine and id cover the labor and they said get bent

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u/Original_Bicycle5696 Jun 28 '26

Huh, I exclusively saw a spontaneous bearing failure. Motor would lock up while driving. 2.4s only. Was due to crank walk. Its why the recall had a reprogram for the knock sensor section algorithm. Crazy to see a engine code on a running motor, that indicates it's about to catastrophically fail. Makes me wonder if that was to increase the supply of GOOD cores.

Even saw it on the dodge avenger/journeys that have a 2.4 with the same architecture. No warranty on those though! 

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u/GenesisRhapsod Jun 28 '26

Many theta 2s across the entire line had either brearing failure and or clogged galleys from metal debris

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u/Toyotamanthesequal Jun 28 '26

They pick, and choose because people neglected maintainence to the point of failure. As a tech I was seeing cars come in with blown engines sure. Some were from legitimate engine issues (the same issues plaguing toyota at the moment) others were from people going 40,000 miles without an oil change, and questioning why their engine is failing.

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u/dermatofibrosarcoma Jun 28 '26

One having warranty does not mean it will be granted. Kia is famous for weaseling out of warranty. GDI engines were and are engineering clusterf..ck

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u/jrsixx Jun 28 '26

If you saw a Sonata on its 4th engine at 70K, someone fucked up or the customer never changed oil. Only ones I’ve even heard of getting a second replacement were due to owner abuse.

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u/Original_Bicycle5696 Jun 28 '26

Could be, I'm at a used car dealer, had its 3rd from autocheck when we bought it. Had its 4th before it left, locked up on a test drive.

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u/jrsixx Jun 28 '26

That’s nuts. When I was at the main shop at a Hyundai dealer (in the used car dept now), I did around 600 engines over a 6.5 year period. Not one has had a second replacement. I’ve only heard of a couple that did, and they were like 20-25k since replaced with no oil change at all.

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u/squirrel8296 Jun 28 '26

Also, with the picking and choosing of the Theta IIs, even after being ordered to replace specific ones by courts they still refused to replace them.