Main IndexAuto Repair Home Search Posts SEARCH
POSTS
Who's Online WHO'S
ONLINE
Log in LOG
IN









Search Auto Parts

Kia rio 2004


  Email This Post



member101
User

Nov 2, 2011, 8:58 PM

Post #1 of 12 (3624 views)
Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Hi,

My vehicle is a 2004 kia rio engine size 1.4 and mileage 124000ks.

Recently over course of time it started to display these consistent problems:

1) the steering wheel shakes left and right even at slow speeds and then pulls to the right if i let it go. otherwords i have to hold it firm to keep it going straight
2) when i turn sharp left a loud "bah" sound follows on some ocassions.
3) I have noticed that a sound comes from the front and it follows the steering wheel when i turn at a stop. It may also be heard when driving straight, usually when i change gears but now at any speed
3) ofcourse on perfect smooth road there is no sound at all but the road only has to be slightly bumpy to get all sounds
4) i have changed engine mounts, tension road bushings, suspension arms and wheel bearings with new parts. I havent changed the front struts or made any changes to steering components
5) the shocks- front and back are the same ones since date of purchase almost 6 years ago.
6) I have noticed in the front that the ride height to the ground on the right side is less than an half an inch to an inch compared to the same height on the left side. (ride height is the distance from the top of the car body frame at the centre of the wheel to the ground)
7) I had done a wheel alignment only 3 months ago and the vehicle was fine.
8) i noticed after i filled the right side tyres to 50psi the car alignment was fine and the car tracked straight again. Ofcourse i had to return it back to 33psi or risk damage. Now its pulling right again.

It seems to me that all these problems are related but where do i start? Would be grateful if you could shed some light on this matter and if it is a common problem and what would be the best approach to fixing it.Pirate


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 3, 2011, 3:18 AM

Post #2 of 12 (3593 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

You would start by getting the car inspected.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 3, 2011, 3:44 AM

Post #3 of 12 (3588 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Are front tires the same brand and wear? Could also be a dragging brake and that wheel would usually feel warmer than the other side (front if pulling usually) and if so we go from there for the fix,

T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 3, 2011, 3:50 AM

Post #4 of 12 (3583 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Yes, it could be a brake problem but it could just as easily be a tire ready to blow or a problem in the steering. That's why it should be inspected to determine which.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 3, 2011, 3:59 AM

Post #5 of 12 (3577 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Tons of possibilities but a warm wheel is a strong clue to investigate and depending get tires checked. In that this seems to behave with more tire pressure and not sure why but would possibly have less contact with road or somehow push back a bubble in rubber inside or somehow alter tread separation in general requiring a thorough inspection, that's all,

T



member101
User

Nov 3, 2011, 1:51 PM

Post #6 of 12 (3562 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

yes, i have had several inspections. one said the front struts needed to be changed but another disputed this saying that if the strut isnt bad as he could not find signs of an oil leak. Is this the only sign of strut damage.

I will have to change the front tyre since you mention it one does appear more worn than the other side in terms of treadwear. I have longstanding issue with brake pads and liners should have changed this long ago. What do you mean by brake drag? does this generate a squel sound when applying the brakes?.

I am also getting the steering components checked this weekend. Like you said, its probably more than one item that could be playing up given the mileage. Thank you.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 3, 2011, 2:02 PM

Post #7 of 12 (3557 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Struts can fail in many ways beside leaking.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 3, 2011, 11:02 PM

Post #8 of 12 (3548 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Re: Brakes? "Pads and liners?" What do you mean by liners? If way overdo + worn the piston(s) can come out too far and go crooked, dragging up to total loss or worse a surprise lock up and broken parts. They need tending to anyway so get that out of the picture as it's some of the trouble at least. Don't forget brake hoses too,

T



member101
User

Nov 6, 2011, 7:19 PM

Post #9 of 12 (3528 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

I meant brake liners -at the rear wheels needs replacement. woulndnt want a lock up whilst driving. i will have the brake hoses checked as well. Better get started so i can enjoy the ride.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Nov 7, 2011, 1:00 AM

Post #10 of 12 (3521 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Brake hoses: Hard to check and whilst (just fun) working won't be sure unless replaced. If dragging because pressure can't return fluid then just opening a bleeder (just a little) AFTER the hose toward the brake would release that wheel.

Fronts are much more likely to affect steering than rear brakes AND more likely for hoses to fail as they turn, get the first shot at trauma from road debris and just plain subject to more abuse. Some DIYers and techs (who should know better) will let a caliper hang by the hose which is a total no-no too.

No telling on any car where the rubber of the hose was made. They can be a pest to replace at brake time if corrosion to hard brake line is stuck or breaks in replacing them,

T



member101
User

Nov 7, 2011, 9:07 PM

Post #11 of 12 (3514 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

guess what! i took of my right front tyre, it looks normal when its on the car even an specialist said that it looked good the thread. the car was pulling to the right as i described earlier. it just so happens when i took it off the wheel the tyre is totally lop sided, on the thread side of it, i sat it up on the ground and observed- in fact- the tyre wont sit up straight to roll when placed on flat level. It falls over no roll. So i repaced it now the wheel doesnt pull- where i stay the roads are very bad, i just didnt realise it could do this to a tyre. Thanks guys!


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Nov 8, 2011, 4:17 AM

Post #12 of 12 (3507 views)
Re: Kia rio 2004 Sign In

Yes, that is a tire separation I alluded to earlier. It would have been very obvious if the wheel was spun while the car was in the air.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







  Email This Post
 
 


Feed Button




Search for (options) Privacy Sitemap