Any car experts out there??

[Heather]

I have a Kia Sportage. 2 years old. Serviced regularly. Not huge mileage -13000, and only 7000 since last service when all tyres fine.
Noticed a rear tyre very low yesterday.. on inspection, the 2 rear tyres are down to the skin cutting metal on the inner side of the tyre. The rest of the tread is still good. Is this a trend with Kia???
They say I have to get it back to the garage .. I am not driving it anywhere...I am saying Kia design /tracking? problem and they transport it back on a transporter of some sort..
New tyres £250 each I think, but that isn't the problem (though lots of jars of honey)... is this a fault with the car and why??
Any ideas?

 

[jd101k2000]

While I would get the car checked out at the KIA centre (it is, presumable under that 7 year guarantee), I would get the tyres elsewhere. I expect you could get really high quality, well-known name makes for under £100 each.

(You can always pay me the £300 you save ;-))

 

[Heather]

Yes, I realise that.. but my query really is... why did tyres wear to that degree... there must be a fault. They are down to shards of metal all around on the inner last inch of road touching area.

 

[Galaxy55]

No experience of the Kia Sportage but you are right, tyres should wear evenly and it would highlight to me that there was a fault with either the suspension or the tracking.

 

[DulwichGnome]

It sounds like the tires are not sitting flat on the road so all of the wear is on one side, which could be for a lot of reasons. If it's not corrected then it will happen to your new tires as well. Take it in to where you have it serviced and get them to look at it.

Mike.

 

[Mammoth]

Sounds initially like the tyres are worn due to rear tracking being out of alignment, some 4WD independent suspension vehicles do have rear adjustable tracking.
Other vehicles have fixed rear tracking i.e. no adjustment available as single / fixed axle..

Not sure about Kia's but! If the rear tracking appears out it will need adjusting when you have new tyres fitted or you will chew through them PDQ.
IF the rear does 'not' have adjustable tracking then it could be a problem elsewhere which would require a Kia dealers attention. It may have been set up correctly from the factory / early bush damage etc

Hope that helps.

PS - re tyre pricing, even if they are run flats, the latest all singing, all dancing tyres should be sub £200....if not run flats and budget expect to pay much less.
I've just priced up a set of 255 x 55 x 18's (None run flats) budget £300 for 4 tyres, Pirelli's £600 for 4 fitted. (Think Pirelli have a special on at the moment).

 

[Heather]

Getting to the garage my first problem. It isn't going anywhere under own power..
I am very fortunate, tyre costs not my primary worry.
But it is why??... so over to Kia!!
Just wondered if a Kia recurring problem with suspension/tracking that I was unaware of.

And I have loads of equipment to move!! Was moving apiaries in a short while. And doing talks etc for RSPCA and others. Will my obs hive and stands fit in my little MX5!

 

[johnandyrob]

It is easy to nock the tracking out of line. This can be done by clipping the cerb or bumping up a large cerb. Take your car to a tyre fitting centre and have the tracking checked and tryes fitted.

 

[Dishmop]

http://www.kiaownersclub.co.uk/forum/

 

[Fraise]

If the tyres are so bad that the car cannot be driven you could get the wheels removed and taken to a tyre fitting company for new tyres. A local garage should be able to help or if you are a member of AA or RAC they may help.
Keep the old tyres so your Kia dealer can see the damage.
Once you have new tyres a single trip to the dealer should not cause too much wear.

 

[Nige.Coll]

It seems a common problem with those models.

Conclusion to the rear Tyre wear was that the car had the wrong rear camber set up from new. KIA corrected the settings to the correct one. The problem went away after that and normal wear was resumed. After Auto Express got involved, plus a report in one of the issues, a refunded for the cost of the second set of rear tyres was made by KIA. So if owners are still having a problem then get KIA to correct the rear camber settings.
(taken from a forum.)

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

SWMBO had a Kia once - worse car we ever bought - always problems with tyres and brakes - the money we saved on buying a cheaper car was spent on maintenance.

I expect you could get really high quality, well-known name makes for under £100 each.

Ah, but maybe they haven't got a first class tyre dealer like Chris Vobe at Amanford tyres in their area

 

[Heather]

It is easy to nock the tracking out of line. This can be done by clipping the cerb or bumping up a large cerb. Take your car to a tyre fitting centre and have the tracking checked and tryes fitted.

Both tyres equally down to the metal??
And I would have thought that would affect the front not the rear.

 

[Nige.Coll]

it's not the tracking on rear wheels.
you need to get the camber checked.
from the few sites i looked at the suspension needs adjusting it's a common problem on that model.

 

[Heather]

Sent Kia a pic.. they are more polite now... and I sound knowledgeable saying the camber is at fault, so car design, not missuse! Thanks for correct wordage....
MD now involved. I love it when top of tree listens.

And just phoned offering a spare Sportage to borrow whilst this off the road.

 

[madasafish]

Sent Kia a pic.. they are more polite now... and I sound knowledgeable saying the camber is at fault, so car design, not missuse! Thanks for correct wordage....
MD now involved. I love it when top of tree listens.

And just phoned offering a spare Sportage to borrow whilst this off the road.

Well done.

Can I have a drive please?

 

[REDWOOD]

All cars have their faults some more than others but if Kia do not agree to pay for your tyres tell them you are reporting it to the Ministry of transport for supplying an unsafe car that should have been recalled

 

[pargyle]

All cars have their faults some more than others but if Kia do not agree to pay for your tyres tell them you are reporting it to the Ministry of transport for supplying an unsafe car that should have been recalled

+1 Heather - You've got them on a roll now - I should ask for a stress related payment based on the fact that you collapsed on seeing the state of the tyres .... let alone the cost they have quoted !! Well done but keep your kicking boots on ....

 

[johnandyrob]

Both tyres equally down to the metal??
And I would have thought that would affect the front not the rear.

Sorry Heather I totaly miss read your initial description. I used to work as a mechanic and have never seen a car that has scrubbed the sholders off both rear tyres at the same time. So skimmed through and assumed it must be the front. I hope you get it sorted and soon!

 

[Heather]

Well, they capitulated and allowed me a courtesy Sportage (500 miles on clock) so they aren't getting that back till other sorted! Result

Yep, about 1cm width all round both tyres on inner edge that has road contact. Even they seemed stunned when they saw photos.

Now to move full supers and a couple of hives - oh, and loads of equipment in the back of this new car..