2002 KIA SPECTRA Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED CONSTANTLY AND ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SERVICE DEALERS 4 TIMES; WHERE THEY DETERMINED THE TRANSMISSION WAS DEFECTIVE. ON THE FIRST VISIT, PART OF THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DIFFERENT SERVICE DEALER FOR THE SECOND VISIT WHERE THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. ON THE THIRD AND FOURTH VISITS, THE SERVICE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM.

TRANSMISSON / DRIVETRAIN

(1)BRAKES FEEL INSUFFICIENT UNTIL PRESSED VERY HARD (2) 2 ACCIDENTS WHERE I AS THE DRIVER REAR ENDED DRIVERS (3) COMPLAINT WAS MADE TO SHOLZ KIA WHEN I WENT TO HAVE ORVR RECALL TAKEN CARE OF AND THEY STATED THE BRAKES WERE NORMAL FOR THE MODEL. ALSO: (1)OCCASIONALLY WHEN VEHICLE TRANSMISSION IS PUT IN REVERSE (2) THE CAR DRIVES FORWARD (3) I CALLED SHOLZ KIA AND CHRYSLER-PLYMOUTH-KIA OR PARAMUS AND WAS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY. *JB

TRANSMISSION: CAR WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD, ONLY REVERSE. THIS IS THE FOURTH TIME IT HAS BEEN IN FOR THIS COMPLAINT.*AK

WE HAD THE CAR ONLY 7 WEEKS WHEN THE TRANSMISSION DIED. IT HAPPENED VERY SUDDENLY, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON THEN ABOUT 30 MILES LATER IT WOULD BARELY DRIVE TO THE DEALERSHIP. DT

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT CAME ON, BUT WAS NOT FLASHING. FELT LIKE GEARS WERE SLIPPING. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND THEY STATED IT WAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

CAR WAS 4 WEEKS OLD WHEN ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME - CALLED DEALER SAID IT WAS DUE TO GAS TANK CAP. MADE APPT W/DEALER - NEXT DAY ENGINE LIGHT OFF - FOLLOWING WEEK 6/18/02 ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN IT WENT OFF BEFORE DEALER APPT. ENGINE LIGHT GOES OFF AND ON RANDOMLY. FINALLY ENGINE LIGHT REMAINS ON AT ALL TIMES. ON JULY 10 TAKE TO DEALER KEEP CAR OVER NIGHT REPLACED TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE. NEXT DAY JULY 11 HAVING TRAVELED 125 MILES ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON - AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS GEARS DID NOT SHIFT PROPERLY AT TIMES UNABLE TO ACCLERATE PAST 50 MPH - ENGINE REVVED LOCKED IN WRONG GEARS FOR SPEED TRAVELED - HAD TO PULL OVER TO SHOULDER SEVERAL TIMES TO TRY AND GET GEARS WORKING RIGHT. WITH EXCEPTION OF A FEW HOURS ENGINE LIGHT REMAINED ON . SO FAR DEALER FINDS NOTHING WRONG...

ON TWO OCCASSIONS, THE VEHICLE HAS DROPPED OUT OF GEAR WHILE BEING DRIVEN HIGHWAY SPEEDS. OWNER PULLED OVER AND GEARS FAILED TO RESPOND AS THE SHIFT LEVER WAS MOVED FROM DIFFERENT POSITIONS EXCEPT FIRST GEAR. DEALERSHIP IS GOING TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR THE SECOND TIME. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.