Rattling, Creaking & Interior Noises - Formal Cases with Kia Corporate

[Amir Golbazi]

Hi everyone

Firstly I'd like to thank the creators of this forum and members for their contribution. I've been a quiet but active member for the past year and half, have leveraged a lot of great information on here, and wanted to contribute to this forum in a constructive manner.

After searching this forum I found that a whole lot of us have issues with interior rattles, creaking and noises with car that in some countries costs over $50K. I have absolutely loved my 2018 GT2 limited since taking delivery of it here in Toronto. However I think it is unacceptable that a car of this caliber and price has noise issues that a cheap rental cars I've driven like a Malibu, Focus, or Corolla frankly don't have.

This is not related to Rear Hatch TSB, as I have got that service done a while back, shortly after taking delivery of the Vehicle.

Filing Formal Cases with Kia Corporate
Today I followed up on an earlier sunroof rattle issue I filed a while back with Kia Canada. To this day the issue exists.

As of about 1 month ago, I am hearing an incredibly load rattling noise from the interior passenger side of the vehicle. Very similar to that as Described by @Nick666 and @HPR Stinger over in another thread.

I wanted use this thread as means for us to formally file cases with Kia Corporate of our respective countries, and keep track of the progress and (hopefully) resolution to these unacceptable issues.

After filing another case today - I am going back to my local dealer to follow up and see what occurs and will update this thread with my results.

I would welcome anyone else to share their interior noise related issues and cases here in hopes that enough numbers will get Kia to do a formal TSB or recall if required.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Bump? I find it odd that nobody has responded, yet eleven votes have been added to the poll (one no doubt yours).

 

[GTA Jay]

I may end of going this route. The dealership I’ve bought the car from and been dealing with has been an absolute joke addressing my issues.

 

[BlueByYouGT]

I hate to say it but to me this is a case of "it's still a Kia."

My roof does rattle and I'm not surprised by it, even at $40k.

$50k G70s have the same sunroof rattle. And I'd bet the $60k K900s and G80s do as well.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I hate to say it but to me this is a case of "it's still a Kia."

My roof does rattle and I'm not surprised by it, even at $40k.

$50k G70s have the same sunroof rattle. And I'd bet the $60k K900s and G80s do as well.

But, what about the many that don't? What's up with that? Why do some end up "rattling"?

 

[BlueByYouGT]

But, what about the many that don't? What's up with that? Why do some end up "rattling"?

Poor/inconsistent quality control.

*edit* Lower miles and different climes, too.

 

[Sushi]

My short experience probably has no bearing on this because I've only had my stinger for 3 weeks now, but I haven't heard any rattles or creaks. I read a lot of threads about these issues and also the notorious sunroof rattle but so far, so good. For the record, my stinger is a 2019 GT Limited and I believe my papers said it was built in April of this year if memory serves.

 

[Nasscar]

I have had my 2019 Stinger since April and the only similar issue I have had is a clicking noise from the top of the front passenger side window. Have seen similar threads about it. I only found out because my wife who always sits in this seat can hear it. I have the stereo on too loud to hear it normally when driving by myself. It also doesn't occur all the time. Can drive for several hours and not hear it. Haven't worried about it because it is not an issue to me.

 

[Typeface]

I'm similar to Nasscar, I muted the stereo the other day and damn if there wasn't a lot of creaks and noises as i came down the road and into my driveway, sunroof for sure rattling and some creaks down the back somewhere.... so i turned my stereo up again.

 

[MerlintheMad]

so i turned my stereo up again.

HK "noise cancelling"! No, really, there was a discussion last year: Does our HK sound system include "noise cancelling"? I don't recall a definitive answer. But if so, then even at conversational audio levels, a lot of background, extraneous noise gets knocked down.

 

[gbgary]

no noises since i installed the hatch washers. prior to buying my car i read a ton of comments about the sunroof rattles so i specifically bought a base gt to avoid it. my car's rock solid.

 

[NismoDPB]

Cars are an assembly. Aside from really egregious defects, such as the hatch rattle issue, there is very little on the road south of $90 that is completely devoid of creaks and rattles. I was recently in a new c class <hyperbole> and I might as well have been walking on a hardwood floor of a 100 year old haunted house with how much it creaked </hyperbole>.

 

[Ozstung]

Just stumbled on this thread, I've had the car 23 months rattles and squeaks little to non existent.....until a couple of nights ago, right above my head with the radio on I heard some creaking. I turned the stereo off and now I'm hearing the sunroof sqeeking, I'm hoping it will ok and just disappear I'm at 19,000km.

 

[Amir Golbazi]

So an update on this - I will be taking the car into my local dealership at the end of the month.
End of the month because they have no appointments available given the season change and us Canadians switching over winter tries.

Regarding the comment that this is still a kia/sub $90K cars can creak/rattle. IMO and my experience my 2011 optima had no issues whatsoever with interior creaks and rattles. It had a panoramic sunroof and arguably and most likely was not built as rigidly as the Stinger.

So really in effect - there should be no reason why my car has noises.

I will update once I have more to share.
I will be following up with Corporate before going into the dealership.

 

[Daniel Egan]

I'm currently dealing with Kia corp in Aus over sunroof rattles that persist after after 4-5 attempts to fix and over 5 weeks spent out of action. Similar to @Amir Golbazi, we have a 2015 Subaru Forester with an even bigger sunroof and that vehicle makes absolutely no noises.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Lol. Subaru is "supposed" to be a noise factory. Until now. According to AutoWeek, the 2020 Legacy (c. $23.6K) "is now quiet." Also: "Buyers put off by the rattliness of previous Subarus will be surprised to see how quiet and refined this one is."

My Stinger has been silent throughout our c. 29K mile relationship. There is no reason (beyond human error, aka assembly FUBAR, when it happens) why the Stinger should be making extraneous noises.

 

[Daniel Egan]

Lol. Subaru is "supposed" to be a noise factory. Until now. According to AutoWeek, the 2020 Legacy (c. $23.6K) "is now quiet." Also: "Buyers put off by the rattliness of previous Subarus will be surprised to see how quiet and refined this one is."

My Stinger has been silent throughout our c. 29K mile relationship. There is no reason (beyond human error, aka assembly FUBAR, when it happens) why the Stinger should be making extraneous noises.

Agree, but Kia are struggling to fix it in this instance. The Au service centre has exhausted all options, including outsourcing to a 3rd party body shop AND Kia HQ has no further TSBs or guidance they can provide the service centre to support in remediating the issue.

There is hope as one Au buyer was offered a full refund or replacement after numerous unsuccessful attempts at repairing the sunroof.

 

[BlueByYouGT]

Cars are an assembly. Aside from really egregious defects, such as the hatch rattle issue, there is very little on the road south of $90 that is completely devoid of creaks and rattles. I was recently in a new c class <hyperbole> and I might as well have been walking on a hardwood floor of a 100 year old haunted house with how much it creaked </hyperbole>.

Even a $100k car can rattle. The difference between those and the Stinger is when you bring your $100k rattle box in for de-rattle service you drive away in a $85k loaner and pick up a rattle free post-rattle box box.

When you bring the Stinger in for de-rattling you get to sit there for 3 hours catching bronchitis from sick old ladies or take an Uber to work and get a call saying A) We couldn't replicate the issue or B) We don't know how to fix it so we're going to rip your car apart and experiment with it.

As for the C-Class, it's a $40k car. I wouldn't expect it to be any more rattle free than any other $40k car. But compared to Kia, the service after the sale...

 

[NismoDPB]

Even a $100k car can rattle. The difference between those and the Stinger is when you bring your $100k rattle box in for de-rattle service you drive away in a $85k loaner and pick up a rattle free post-rattle box box.

When you bring the Stinger in for de-rattling you get to sit there for 3 hours catching bronchitis from sick old ladies or take an Uber to work and get a call saying A) We couldn't replicate the issue or B) We don't know how to fix it so we're going to rip your car apart and experiment with it.

As for the C-Class, it's a $40k car. I wouldn't expect it to be any more rattle free than any other $40k car. But compared to Kia, the service after the sale...

I agree with all of this. Of course the issue with the loaner cars is definitely one of the known things in the con column when going in to purchase the car. I specifically asked if they keep a loaner stinger for customers having their car serviced. They said no and I bought the car anyways.

My point with the Mercedes is I think Kia is being held to higher expectation here than other cars are being held too, even those with brand prestige. These anecdotal claims that the other economy cars are completely devoid of creaks and rattles is just about impossible. It's just that those issues are more easily ignored because of lower expectations. My previous Audi A6 had plenty of little creaks and rattles from time to time. Nothing constant or completely out of line, just normal for a mid level luxury wagon sounds. I am not expecting to ride in S class silence without paying S class money.