Kia Rio Problems

It sounds like a pretty nitty-gritty tech question, but is the camshaft in the engine of the Kia Rio timing belt or chain driven? There’s a good reason for knowing the answer, though, as it determines whether you need to add a crucial routine maintenance step to your ownership.

In cars with a toothed rubber timing belt, the belt and its tensioners need to be changed at an interval recommended by the car’s manufacturer to avoid expensive belt failures which can ruin the whole engine. Ignore this maintenance at your peril.

The good news is the GL4C engine as used in the Kia Rio since 2016 uses a timing chain which should be good for the life of the engine and not need any extra maintenance.

Yes, there are plenty of companies selling replacement keys for this car. The cost will depend on whether it’s a conventional key or an electronically coded key with a remote locking function built in to it. Just be careful if ordering online, though, as some replacement keys include only the hardware and not the internal electronics.

In many cases, you need to source the replacement key and then have a locksmith physically cut the key so that it works in your car. In some cases, you may have to prove ownership of the car before the locksmith will do this. Some keys then need to be electronically coded to `talk’ to the vehicle.

If you want a no hassle experience, there are even locksmiths who will come to you and cut the key on site, but you’ll pay a call-out fee as well as the cost of the key itself.

The popular MG3 is the model you’re referring to and you’re right; it hasn’t been locally crash-tested. But it does lack some important safety gear. Enough, we reckon, to knock it off your short-list. The MG lacks, for instance, important driver aids such as autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and lane-keeping assistance, nor can these features be had by spending more on a fancier version.

Which leaves us with your other two choices, the Hyundai i30 and Kia Rio. Even then, you’ll need to option up beyond the base-model to get (some of) those safety features, but these are not expensive cars to begin with, so the jump might not be as bad as you think.

The other car to consider would be the SP Pure version of the Mazda 2. At $23,690, it’s not over-priced but it does have low-speed (up to 30km/h) autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring and lane-departure warning as well as rear cross-traffic alert.

And a manual transmission? The MG 3 no longer offers one, both the Hyundai i30 and the Kia Rio are available with a six-speed manual option. The Mazda 2 Pure SP is automatic only, but you can get a six-speed manual on the base-model Mazda 2.

I agree that youngsters taught to drive a manual car tend to be better drivers, but that’s not a universally held view these days. And the fact is that most young drivers will never be presented with a clutch pedal in the future, raising the question of why learn in the first place? The reality is that learning to drive a manual car gives you extra mechanical awareness and extra ability to multi-task behind the wheel.

There are still plenty of great small cars around within your budget, Agnes, and they all have good safety packages (or we wouldn’t recommend them). Look at offerings such as the Suzuki Swift Navigator (with the optional autonomous emergency braking) for around $17,000 (plus on-road costs) or the Kia Rio S at around $19,000 or Kia Picanto S (one size smaller than the Rio) at closer to $16,000. Both the Kias also feature the brand’s excellent seven-year warranty, capped-price servicing and free roadside assistance which is great peace of mind.

The Volkswagen Polo is a classy drive but a little more expensive at closer to $21,000 for the 85TSi Comfortline. Actually, to be honest, you’ve missed the boat on bargain small cars by a couple of years. Firm favourites such as the Toyota Yaris and Mazda 2 have both been updated relatively recently and have recorded big price jumps in the process. The cheapest Yaris with an automatic transmission is now around $23,000 (it was less than $17,000 back in 2018) while the Mazda 2 Maxx went from being a sub-$17,000 proposition in 2018 to a $23,000 car by the time you add an automatic transmission in 2020.

I wouldn’t be taking the car to a transmission specialist…yet. Since the car is still under warranty, you need to give Kia every chance to sort it out for you. The good news is that this won’t cost you a cent, whereas taking it to an independent repairer will start emptying your wallet.

You’re doing the right thing by keeping a close watch on the transmission temperature readings (provided that’s not at the expense of watching the road) and if overheating was what caused the warning light to illuminate, then I’d be of the view that the transmission fluid should be changed (at the very least) and an investigation carried out into why the transmission overheated in the first place.

I haven’t heard of a rash of problems with the Rio GT-Line’s seven-speed DCT transmission in Australia, but Kia’s DCT gearboxes in other models have been known to give problems in other countries. Given our typical summer ambient temperatures, we probably won’t be immune from the same problems. This is not a Kia thing, by the way, but seems to be one of many problems that have plagued DCT (double-clutch) gearboxes over the years from a variety of car-makers.

The clutch packs in these gearboxes have to slip to work and that’s a well-known cause of heat in any transmission. If they slip enough, they could conceivably cause the transmission to overheat at which point it will trigger the warning light you’re seeing as well as not operating properly and potentially doing internal damage. Both Ford and Volkswagen have discovered this the hard way, replacing many double-clutch transmissions under warranty over the years.

It’s a bit hard to see why so many manufacturers are persisting with this technology, especially when the modern, multi-ratio conventional automatic is so compact, light and efficient these days.

I think that a Kia Rio would be an excellent choice as a first car. Especially since a Rio built in the time frame you’re looking at will still have a big chunk of its factory warranty left to run. The Kia seven-year/unlimited kilometre warranty is the best around, really, and provided the car you buy has a complete service record, that warranty will be real peace of mind.

Also, the Rio is known to be a good, solid car that has a good reputation for reliability and durability. The Skoda Fabia, meantime, suffers from the poor reputation of is dual-clutch transmission. The Fabia is also a bit of an orphan in Australia, meaning that it’s largely overlooked by buyers. That means it will potentially be more difficult to unload when you daughter looks to upgrade her car in a few years.

The Kia Rio only requires 91RON unleaded. The engine is tuned for that octane rating, so you won’t gain anything, apart from more space in your wallet, by switching to 95 or 98RON fuel. Despite every premium petrol marketing campaign suggesting otherwise, running on more expensive fuel won’t gain you any performance or greater fuel economy, so stick with 91.  

You’ve got a limited budget, which will determine the car you can buy. It will be a relatively old car, so buy one in the best condition you can find, with the lowest odometer reading, a good service history, and the best safety rating. Try a Mazda3, Toyota Corolla, Kia Rio, and Hyundai i30 from 2008/2009.

You’re possibly trying to downshift at a speed that’s higher than it was designed to do. Try downshifting at a lower engine speed.

Most small hatchbacks have similar width footwells, so I would suggest you try the most popular ones, Toyota Corolla, Hyundai i30, Kia Rio etc. to find the one that’s best for you.