The second generation Kia Sportage was released in 2004 and received the designation KM. The car was a front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive five-seater class D crossover, sharing a platform with its twin brother Hyundai Tucson. In 2008, the Sportage underwent a minor facelift. The crossover was assembled at home - in Korea, as well as in Slovakia and Kaliningrad.

Engines

The range of engines is represented by naturally aspirated gasoline - four-cylinder G4GC (2.0 l, 142 hp) and six-cylinder G6BA (V6, 2.7 l, 175 hp), as well as a turbodiesel - D4EA (2.0 l, 112 hp).

Gasoline engines are considered very reliable. The timing belt drive, the replacement of which is prescribed every 90,000 km. When operating the car in difficult conditions, it is better to reduce this period to 60,000 km.

In 2-liter gasoline units there are no hydraulic compensators, and the valve clearance is adjusted by replacing shims. The peculiarity of the youngest of the gasoline ones is a quiet knocking sound after starting a cold engine, lasting no more than 5-10 seconds. This phenomenon is not a defect, and in some cases the noise can be eliminated by selecting the viscosity and brand of engine oil.

The flagship 2.7 liter has virtually no weak points. If you don’t skimp on oil, it will serve faithfully for a long time. With a mileage of more than 90 - 100 thousand km, tapping of the hydraulic compensators may occur.

Diesel CRDI is somewhat capricious, but, first of all, this is due to the low quality of diesel fuel. The timing drive, as on gasoline units, is belt driven with a recommended replacement interval of 90,000 km. The service life of fuel injectors is more than 60–100 thousand km. However, for some they go over 160,000 km.

After 80 - 90 thousand km, the receiving grid of the fuel pressure sensor may become clogged with metal products from natural wear of the fuel pump. This leads to unstable operation of the diesel engine - it may stall.

Some have encountered the phenomenon of the engine freezing after starting a warm engine. In addition, the diesel engine may not start on the first try or may stall immediately after starting. After a successful start, the speed hangs at 500 rpm for several seconds, not responding to pressing the accelerator pedal. After a short time, the speed increases to normal idle values, and the engine continues to operate normally. No clear reason for this “phenomenon” has been identified. In some cases, the disease is caused by clogged fuel injectors, after washing which everything returns to normal. This is also possible when the operating voltage supplied to the ECU decreases, which happens when the battery is discharged - the ECU reboots and freezes.

In severe frosts, “tired” glow plugs can cause difficulty starting, which is possible with a mileage of more than 90 – 100 thousand km. Be careful when replacing spark plugs. With long runs, they “stick”, and haste can lead to their “bummer”. In this case, you will have to drill out the remains of the spark plug and remove the cylinder head.

The turbine runs for at least 100,000 km. If oil appears in the intake channel, do not rush to change it. A turbine from an official dealer will cost 55,000 rubles plus 5,000 rubles for the labor to replace it. This unit can be purchased from intermediaries from Korea for 23,000 rubles, and turbine repair will cost even less - 15 - 16 thousand rubles.

Transmission

The Sportage was offered with both manual (manual) and automatic transmission (automatic).

The manual transmission clutch remains operational for at least 140 - 150 thousand km. Only harsh operation of a crossover can reduce its service life to 70 – 90 thousand km. Some owners complain about the appearance of small jerks and jolts when switching and poor engagement of 2nd gear. There is also such a phenomenon as a metallic crackling noise during acceleration, which disappears with increasing speed. In most cases, replacing the clutch assembly helps get rid of this.

After 150-200 thousand km, some owners faced repairs to their manual transmission. Usually the input shaft and the 5th gear drive gear were worn out. Symptoms: howling and knocking out 5th speed. A set of spare parts will cost 17,000 rubles, and for service work they will ask from 16 to 50 thousand rubles.

Automatic transmission, as a rule, does not cause serious complaints. A small proportion of owners complain about the appearance of shocks when switching the gearbox from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th with a mileage of more than 80 - 100 thousand km.

In everyday use, the Sportage is front-wheel drive. On the all-wheel drive version, the rear axle is connected if necessary using an electronically controlled clutch. Owners of the Kia Sportage 2 should not forget that in their hands is just a crossover, and not a real SUV. The clutch is quite capricious and does not like overheating, so it is better to avoid prolonged slipping.

Signs of clutch failure include jolts when reversing and a “shuffling” sound from behind. This can happen both with a mileage of 40–50 thousand km, and after 100–120 thousand km. The cost of the complete coupling is about 50 thousand rubles. Clutch malfunctions are caused by bearing failure due to a weak oil seal, which quickly wears out and allows dirt to pass through. The cost of the bearing is about 500 rubles, the oil seal - 200 rubles, labor - about 2000 rubles.

On 2008 Slovak-assembled crossovers, due to a poor-quality batch of drives, the right CV joint wore out within 30–50 thousand km. The cost of replacement from an official dealer is about 15,000 rubles.

Chassis

As operating experience has shown, the suspension is quite noisy. It begins to knock already after a mileage of more than 50 - 60 thousand km.

Knocks from the front are caused by the stabilizer struts and bushings. With a mileage of more than 40 - 60 thousand km, the front shock absorbers begin to knock, but at the same time they do not leak and do not lose their performance characteristics.

Creaks from the rear are caused by the rear axle stabilizer bushings. In this case, treating the bushings with silicone grease will help for a short time. This drawback is typical for crossovers manufactured in Kaliningrad and Slovakia. It is better to replace it with an analogue from Hyundai Tucson, which will allow you to forget about the squeaking at 70 - 80 thousand km.

Knocks from the rear can be caused by soft rubber on the rear strut supports - it appears in cold weather. Replacing the racks themselves does not lead to a positive result; it is necessary to install more rigid supports. Subframe subframe subframes often knock on Korean-assembled Sportages.

It is not uncommon for the Kia Sportage to quickly lose wheel alignment with the car moving to the right. No one can say for sure what caused this.

Wheel bearings may require replacement after 90 - 120 thousand km.

After 70 - 90 thousand km, the steering rack may begin to tap. Its cost from officials is about 25 thousand rubles, the original from intermediaries is 17 thousand rubles. There is no need to rush to change the rack. The reason for the knocking is wear of the internal bushings, which can be replaced by purchasing a repair kit. Steering rods and ends, as a rule, last at least 100,000 km.

The braking system sometimes also causes inconvenience. Many owners consider it not effective enough. Some have encountered the following feature of the brakes - jamming when pressed. After releasing the brake pedal, it does not completely return to its original position, while the pads remain pressed. This manifests itself with a mileage of more than 20 - 50 thousand km. The official dealer cannot solve this problem; perhaps the reason lies in the check valve of the brake master cylinder.

Front brake pads last an average of 40 – 60 thousand km, rear brake pads - 70 – 100 thousand km. Front brake discs will last 60 – 100 thousand km.

Body and interior

The paintwork on the crossover body is not good enough, especially on examples assembled in Slovakia and Kaliningrad. On cars older than 2 years, the paint on the 5th door may swell. The weak points on the door are under the glass and the license plate. The rear door glass hinges often peel off after the first winter. An official dealer will replace them under warranty. The cost of the loops is about 2000 rubles and 200 rubles - labor.

An unpleasant squeak can be produced by the outer plastic trim at the bottom of the windshield above the frill. With a mileage of more than 40 - 50 thousand km, sometimes individual elements of the plastic trim of the interior begin to creak, especially in cold weather.

Some people notice a monotonous chattering sound behind the instrument panel when accelerating. It only occurs on cars with manual transmission. The source of the sound is the coils of the clutch pedal return spring, itching when they touch each other.

The leather trim of the steering wheel begins to peel off after a mileage of more than 15 - 20 thousand km, mainly on new cars from 2010.

Poor placement of the driver's seat raise and lower lever leads to its constant lowering. The lever is located too high - at the same level as the bottom cushion of the chair. During landing, the driver involuntarily presses down the lever, lowering the seat. Some got rid of the deficiency by installing the lever with the “beak” down.

Other problems and malfunctions

There are no big problems with electricity. Sometimes the all-wheel drive and ESP fault indication system may become glitchy. After turning the ignition off and on, the indicators go out. In addition, “ESP OFF” may light up due to a malfunction of the steering angle sensor or wheel sensors with a mileage of more than 60 - 80 thousand km.

The reverse sensor/switch will require replacement after 100,000 km. At the same mileage, you may need to replace the generator bearing (3-4 thousand rubles).

Many owners complain about the low efficiency of headlights.

Conclusion

Front-wheel drive 2-liter crossovers consume about 12–13 liters of gasoline in the city and 9–10 liters on the highway. All-wheel drive cars with manual transmission also ask for the same amount. With an automatic transmission in the city, consumption increases to 14 - 16 liters, on the highway it remains approximately the same - 9-10 liters per 100 km. The flagship 2.7 liter consumes up to 15 - 17 liters in the city, and 10 - 11 liters on the highway. Diesel is much more economical - up to 12-13 liters in the city and 7-8 liters of diesel fuel on the highway.

What's the result? Not bad engines, but weak clutch and noisy suspension. And with high mileage, problems with the manual transmission began to be observed. This is an average everyday car for conquering hard road surfaces without any outstanding abilities.

Korean automobile company Kia Motors Corporation is the second largest automobile manufacturer in Korea and the seventh largest in the world. The history of this company is not as impressive as that of Ford, Volkswagen or Mercedes, but it fully justifies its slogan “The ability to surprise.” And the decoding of the name of the company “Exit Asia to the whole world” is fully confirmed. In 2012 alone, Kia Motors sold almost 3 million cars and over the past few years there have been clear trends towards increasing sales volumes.

The first SUV from Kia Motors, Sportage, was introduced to the world community in 1993 and was successfully produced for 11 years.

Kia Sportage 1 (1993 – 2004)

SUV Kia Sportage It was produced in several body styles, but did not impress car enthusiasts with its original design or sophisticated appearance. Drivers appreciated this car for its simplicity of design and pleasant appearance. Even after restyling in 1999, the car looked quite ascetic in appearance.

Dimensions of Kia Sportage

The body length is 3760 - 4340 mm (depending on modification), width is 1735 mm, and height is 1650 mm. The weight of the modifications does not vary significantly - from 1513 to 1543 kg. The wheelbase of the car is 2360-2650 mm. The ground clearance of the Kia Sportage is 200 mm.

The metal body of the car is firmly fixed to the frame. The car's interior is made of high-quality materials that look impressive even today. The seats are comfortable, the front panel is ergonomic, no frills. There is enough space for both the driver and rear seat passengers.

Technical specifications Kia Sportage

The first generation Kia Sportage has five powertrain options - 3 petrol units and 2 diesel engines. Gasoline engines with a volume of 2.0 liters differ only in power - 95, 118 and 128 hp, and diesel units of different sizes and designs. The 2.0 liter turbocharged diesel produces 83 hp, and the 2.2 liter naturally aspirated engine produces only 63 hp.

The maximum speed of the Kia Sportage 1 is not impressive - only 172 km/h, and acceleration to 100 km/h occurs in 14.7 - 20.5 s.

The fuel consumption of this car is also quite decent, from 9 to 14.7 liters per hundred kilometers in the combined cycle.

The car was produced in both all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive configurations. It was equipped with either a 5-speed manual transmission or a 4-speed automatic.

The front suspension of the car is independent spring, the rear suspension is dependent spring. The front brakes are disc and the rear are drum. All cars were equipped with power steering.

Even the basic configuration of the Kia Sportage looked quite rich for its time. The car was equipped with central locking, an adjustable steering column, and full power accessories.

Typical Kia Sportage faults

Taking into account the long period of operation of this model, its typical faults can be described in some detail.

These include:

• body corrosion in the area of ​​the rear arches and lower parts of the doors;
• poor sound insulation of the cabin;
• transfer case chain transmission noise;
• short service life of the front suspension stabilizer bushings;
• unreliable “return” power steering tube (in models before 1999).

Despite the fact that some cars of the first Sportage series are already 20 years old, they continue to be used. On the secondary market, prices for Kia Sportage 1 range from 100 to 400 thousand rubles.

Kia Sportage 2 (2004-2010)

Unlike its predecessor, the Kia Sportage 2 was designed as a real SUV. All that remains from the old car is the name. Its appearance has changed significantly, the car's handling has become at the level of a hatchback, and the high seating position and spaciousness are like that of a minivan.

The updated Kia Sportage has gotten rid of the shortcomings inherent in its predecessor. An absolutely flat bottom and tin-plated body increased its durability, an independent rear suspension improved driving performance, and the rear axle connected through a coupling reduced fuel consumption. Interior noise insulation has become significantly better.

The interior of the car is made of high-quality materials, the ergonomics of the cabin are at a fairly decent level. True, there were some unpleasant nuances. Sportage 2 has a very large and thin steering wheel, which is unusual for most drivers. The driver's seat could do with some additional longitudinal adjustment, but for rear passengers there is enough space in any seating position. Thanks to the height of the cabin, it seems that the car is very roomy, but for three passengers in the rear seat there is space close to each other. At first glance, the trunk of the Kia Sportage is not impressive in its size, although 320 liters fit into it without any problems at the level of the windows. If there are no passengers in the rear seat, the trunk volume can be increased by lowering the rear seatbacks.

The quality of the second generation power plants has improved significantly, but there are only 3 options left (2 are officially sold in Russia). Gasoline engines of 2.0 and 2.7 liters and diesel engines of 2.0 liters. For models with gasoline engines, there is a choice of gearbox: either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, and diesel units were only available with automatic transmission.

The new power units have become significantly faster and more economical than their predecessors. Fuel consumption in the combined cycle ranges from 7 to 9 liters, and acceleration to 100 km/h is carried out in 10.4 - 16.1 s. The car shows good driving performance when accelerating to 130 -140 km/h, after which the dynamics fade a little, but if necessary, it can be accelerated to 180 km/h.

With the change in the rear suspension, the stability of the car has improved. Now sharp turns are not particularly difficult for it, although at high speed a slight roll appears, but for an SUV this behavior is quite acceptable.

The basic version of the configuration is traditionally rich in a variety of options. Microlift, air conditioning, power steering, immobilizer, etc. For top versions, cruise control, traction control, and a sunroof are provided.

In 2008, this model was restyled, but the changes affected mainly the appearance.

Kia Sportage 2 compares favorably with competitors in its class due to its low cost. The cost of the Kia Sportage in 2009 was:

• for cars equipped with gasoline engines from 620,000 to 880,000 rubles;
• for versions with a diesel engine from 820,000 rubles.

Today, on the secondary market, this model can be purchased at a price from 400 to 700 thousand rubles.

Kia Sportage 3

In 2010, the third generation of the Kia Sportage was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. The completely new look of the Kia Sportage 3 clearly showed the influence of German designer Peter Schreyer, who had previously worked for Audi and introduced European influences into the look of the new model. The new minivan in appearance is a little reminiscent of its “big brother” Kia Sorento 2 but at the same time looks more miniature and elegant. In appearance, the model attracts the eye with a massive radiator grille and headlights of an original shape (“smile of a tiger”), and the overall picture of the front view is complemented by a massive bumper with built-in fog lights. Pronounced stampings on the hood and doors of the car add a sense of high cost to its appearance.

Dimensions of Kia Sportage

The new SUV has grown a bit compared to previous models. The length has increased by 90 mm, the width by 15 mm, and the track by as much as 75 mm. Taking into account the fact that the car has become lower by 60 mm, and the ground clearance has decreased to 172 mm, it has significantly increased stability. But with such ground clearance, it no longer makes sense to talk about the car’s off-road qualities. The Kia Sportage has gradually evolved from an SUV into a family car for traveling on paved surfaces.

Sportage 3 interior

Having carefully looked at the interior design, a knowledgeable car enthusiast will immediately say that the differences between it and the Hyundai ix35 are minimal. Only the logo on the steering wheel and the slightly rougher lines of the front panel than the ix35 make it clear that this is a different car. Although the interior design as a whole is done at the proper level and does not raise any complaints.

Technical characteristics of Kia Sportage

The new Sportage is supplied to domestic markets in several configuration options with 3 2.0 liter engine options. front-wheel drive 2WD or all-wheel drive 4WD. One gasoline unit with a capacity of 150 hp and 2 heavy fuel power units with a capacity of 136 and 184 hp.

Cars are equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission or automatic transmission; only front-wheel drive gasoline models can be equipped with a 5-speed manual transmission.

The Kia Sportage's chassis is equipped with McPherson struts at the front and double wishbones, coil springs and transverse stabilizers at the rear. This type of suspension provides reliable vehicle stability when cornering at high speeds.

On the highway, the Sportage behaves like a classic front-wheel drive car. All-wheel drive is connected electronically only in cases of slipping of the front wheels, and forced locking of all-wheel drive limits the speed to 40 km/h.

The most dynamic Kia Sportage 3 with a 184 hp turbodiesel accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.8 seconds, and its top speed is limited to 195 km/h.

Kia Sportage diesel cars are more popular among buyers due to their efficiency. These models consume from 6 to 9 liters of diesel fuel per 100 km.

Kia Sportage specifications and prices

The cost of third generation models has increased significantly. The most inexpensive Sportage 3 can be purchased starting from 830,000 rubles (KIA Sportage 3 Classic – 2.0 liter petrol unit, front-wheel drive, 5-speed manual transmission). For a 6-speed automatic transmission you will have to pay an additional 50,000 rubles.

All-wheel drive Kia Sportage 4wd in the basic configuration with a gasoline engine and 6 automatic transmissions will cost about 1.1 million rubles. Around the same price you can buy a Kia Sportage diesel with 136 hp. The cost of models with an automatic gearbox and a turbodiesel engine starts from 1.3 - 1.4 million rubles, and the richest Premium package for such models will cost buyers one and a half million.

Relatively recently, alarm bells began to appear on Russian club forums and on social networks regarding the reliability of the 2.0-liter KIA/Hyundai G4KD engine, associated with the appearance of knocking in the cylinder-piston group (CPG). At the same time, in Belarus we have not heard of problems with these engines. What are these features of Russian exploitation, as some say, or is it still a technological miscalculation? To find out, abw.by journalists collected several cars and sent them for CPG endoscopy.

Let's start with the fact that the "clone" engines G4KD (Theta II) and 4B11 are built on the architecture of the Global Engine Alliance - an alliance created by Chrysler, Mitsubishi and Hyundai corporations, but on the initiative of Hyundai. Each company made some adjustments to fit its brand, but the architecture remained consistent. The main part of the development was carried out by Hyundai.

The engine is entirely aluminum, contains four valves per cylinder, two camshafts in the cylinder head (DOHC), as well as a variable valve timing system with electronic control MIVEC (intake and exhaust). Accordingly, on Korean cars the letter designation is G4KD, on Japanese cars it is 4B11. The engine was installed on KIA Cerato, KIA Optima, KIA Sportage, Hyundai Elantra, Hyundai ix35, Hyundai Sonata, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mitsubishi Outlander, Mitsubishi ASX and numerous American-made Chrysler and Dodge models.

Based on this unit, the G4KE (Theta II)/4B12 engine with a displacement of 2.4 liters was created. In addition, based on the 4B11, a turbo version 4B11T was created for the sports Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution and Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart.

“I was recently approached by the owner of an out-of-warranty KIA Sportage,” says a car mechanic from Minsk. “The car arrived from Russia a year ago, has all the service documents - it was serviced by a dealer. Here the owner has not driven even 8,000 kilometers. After 120 thousand of normal use, the engine began to knock. First, the owner went to the Hyundai dealer. They listened to the car, they said that the piston was knocking, they said, it was scuffed, the engine should be removed, the piston liner should be replaced - we are aware of the problem... We didn’t believe it, we went for an endoscopy. It turns out that the guys from Hyundai were right. What I saw is normal for old engines with mileage of 400-600 thousand, running for years on mud, with a holey sock instead of an air filter, but not on a four-year-old KIA with a gentle mileage of 120 thousand. The cylinder walls are scuffed, such long ones. , abundant and ugly. Still shallow, since the knock started recently, about 500 kilometers ago. The compression measurement showed 13-12-13-13. That is, the engine is still “alive”, but the pressure in the second cylinder is already dropping. Another 10 thousand kilometers, and it will consume oil for waste and “breathe” into the oil filler neck. In 50 thousand it will build up and “die”. If it doesn't jam first."

Having removed the pan and found metal powder in it, the engine was dismantled and disassembled. It turned out that scoring was present in all cylinders on the front and rear walls. In this case, the most damage is in the second, third and fourth “pots”.

Needless to say, the pistons also suffered. After rummaging around on the Internet, we found out that this case was not isolated at all.

There are already 640 (!) pages of discussions on this issue on the Russian KIA club forum, on drive2.ru there are many cases of problems with the G4KD CPG described, and on YouTube there are suspiciously many videos about scuffing and knocking of the Korean engine. The symptoms are as follows: in the period of 50,000-150,000 km, the engine begins to knock when cold. The knocking noise gets worse as the engine runs and stops disappearing as it warms up. An autopsy reveals the presence of burrs on the piston “skirts” and cylinder walls. Moreover, it does not matter where the car was serviced: at a dealer, at third-party service stations or in garages.

Interestingly, in the USA there was even a recall campaign that affected half a million (!) cars with engines of the Theta II series, which includes the motor we have designated. In addition, a campaign was carried out to extend the engine warranty. But there is a slightly different problem stated there, related to metal shavings blocking the oil channels, which led to oil starvation and engine stopping.

Nevertheless, a large number of Korean cars with these engines have been sold in Belarus, and it seems that little is heard about the problem on our forums, unlike Russian forums. Initially, abw.by learned about the issue from a story with a KIA Sportage engine from a Minsk auto repairman: the mileage seemed to be low, but the engine already required repairs due to scuffing.

To find out whether these problems are far-fetched, abw.by contacted the KIA Sportage fan club.

In total, four cars with knocking engines were found in Minsk (in two cases the knocking was already “hot”), of which three cars ultimately took part in our “showdown”. We also invited the owners of two cars with mileage of 70,000 and 140,000 km, who did not complain about knocking.

There were problems with the endoscope. "Videomaster PRO" sent from Russia does not see the cylinder walls. It turns out that there are no endoscope specialists in Minsk. There is only an individual entrepreneur, an experienced auto mechanic who deals with engine endoscopy. By the way, it was his car that was diagnosed a month ago, the internal contents of the engine of which are shown at the beginning of the article.

The master has a special medical endoscope. The probe can be rotated in any direction and bent with special “twists”. The cylinder walls are very clearly visible. But the problem is that the device does not take photos. There are two more Chinese electronic endoscopes in service, but problems arose with them during operation. In general, we look into the cylinders with a medical optical endoscope.

The first car inspected in 2011 has already traveled 87,000 km. Purchased new from a Belarusian dealer, after which it was operated by one owner. After the warranty expired, knocking noises appeared when cold. Over time, they were present even after the engine warmed up, although noticeably quieter. At the same time, before the engine warmed up, slight vibrations began to be felt.

The owner visited the service station of an official KIA dealer the day before the experiment. The “officials” didn’t have an endoscope, but the mechanics determined by ear that there were holes in the cylinders. They say this is a known problem, you need to open the engine and change the cylinder block at a cost of about $4000.

The owner claims that he drives calmly and presses the gas carefully for the first kilometers. The car is serviced at the dealer in a timely manner. Moreover, he even reduced the maintenance interval from 15,000 to 10,000-12,000 km. The oil that our dealer recommends is poured into the crankcase - Motul 8100 5w30.

We remove the coils and take out the spark plugs. And we see that the spark plug insulators are broken. Interestingly, this picture was observed in all examined Sportages that used NGK spark plugs.

Moreover, it even breaks through spark plugs that were replaced less than 10,000 km ago. The schedule for replacing them is as much as 30,000 km. A lot of. But one car had whole Bosch ones, so most likely it was the spark plugs.

We look into the cylinders with an endoscope - we find strong scuffs in the second and third cylinders, which in total occupy almost 2/3 of the entire circumference on both sides. In the fourth there are fewer of them, but they are there. The first cylinder is clean. According to the auto repairman, he did not see any scratches in the upper part of the cylinders, which indicates that the scratches were left by the piston “skirt”.

Looking ahead: carbon deposits on the piston bottoms were found in all cars, some less, some more. The master qualifies the amount of deposits as “average”, but on these runs there shouldn’t be such a picture at all.
What's next? Over time, the problem progresses. The knocking will intensify and a strong oil burn will begin. After a while the engine will simply stop starting. Expensive engine repairs (replacement of the cylinder block or liner) can no longer be avoided. It is difficult to say exactly when this will happen.

The next car is 2011. was also purchased in Minsk. At the moment the mileage is 109,000 km, the warranty has expired. The owner is bothered by knocking noises when cold. The car was serviced on time, warmed up for a short time in cold weather, and the driving style was calm. Total and Zic 5w30 oils were used. The dealer stopped servicing the car after the third maintenance.

However, we listen - the knocking is perfectly audible even when it’s hot. Of all the cars here, we heard the loudest and most obvious knocking. But you can’t even hear it in the cabin after warming up.

As expected, scoring was found in all cylinders. Moreover, the most problems are in the second and third, where the scuffs are located over a large area around the circumference of the front and rear walls. There are fewer problems in the first and fourth cylinders, although the scuffs are concentrated in a relatively small area on the side of the exhaust manifold, but they are very deep. There is the most carbon deposits on the bottom of the engine pistons of this machine. In general, the most neglected option. But, according to the owner, there seems to be no oil burn yet.

The owner of the next car did not complain about knocking. The mileage is only 76,000 km, the year of manufacture is 2012, the owner bought it in Russia when the odometer showed 42,000 km. Service book with maintenance marks available. In Russia, Shell 5w30 oil was filled in every 11,000-12,000 km; in Belarus, Kroon-Oil 5w30 oil was changed at an unofficial service station every 7000-8000 km. There are work orders, original spare parts were used, so the owner hopes to maintain the warranty in Russia.

There are no scuffs in the first cylinder, but in the fourth there are severe scratches in a small area on the side of the exhaust manifold. In the second and third there are small scuffs on the exhaust side. The owner did not complain about the knocking, but the mechanic still heard small “shuffles” when it was cold. There is no oil consumption.

The next car came from Russia in 2015. At the time of purchase the mileage was 86,000 km, now it is 115,000. Knocks after starting the engine appeared when the owner read the forums. Yes, yes, perhaps many simply do not hear them.

The presence of problems in the cylinders was confirmed. On the walls of the second and third cylinders there are medium scuff marks on the exhaust manifold side. The first cylinder is clean, the fourth has a couple of scratches on the back wall. There is not much carbon deposits compared to other cars, but still clearly not at 115,000 km.

It was this car that journalists tried to film using Chinese USB endoscopes. The first saw only the piston, the second still recorded vertical scratches on the cylinder wall. True, we managed to rotate the camera at a small angle, so the wall is visible only at the very bottom. After five minutes of attempts, the probe overheated and the device turned off forever.

By the way, pay attention to the ends of the spark plug housing. It is at the second and third candles that carbon deposits are noticeable. So, if you have suspicions of scuffing in the G4KD, but do not have an endoscope, you can try to unscrew the spark plugs and look at the ends of the body. Black deposits will indicate that not everything is in order in the cylinder-piston group.

In general, the car is still driving, how much longer it will travel is unknown, but the problems have already begun.

Black Sportage 2012 ran the most - 140,000 km, purchased with a mileage of 40,000 km in Russia. Almost nothing is known about service there. The first oil that was drained surprised the owner: by the looks of it, either it had not been changed for a very long time, or it was counterfeit. The sticker indicates that Shell oil was used. After the purchase, the owner uses Zic 5w30. A black crust of deposits formed on the oil dipstick - the owner had to clean it off for a long time. The engine sounded very loud, but after servicing it began to work normally.

In Belarus, the car was serviced properly and on time, but the owner admits that he likes to press the gas pedal well. True, it does this only after the engine has completely warmed up; before that it drives carefully. Autostart is also installed, so the engine warms up at idle for some time before starting.

The owner did not report any extraneous sounds, it was a completely random car, but knocking noises are still audible when “cold”.

We looked at the oil level, estimated what it was 5000 km ago - there is still a small consumption, approximately 200-250 g per 5000 km.

There is only one scratch in the first cylinder. The second cylinder on the exhaust side has medium scuff marks, the same as the previous car. In the third cylinder, medium scratches are located on both sides, in the fourth - only on the rear wall, but quite deep. The scoring angle is 15-20°.

There are carbon deposits on the ends of three spark plugs, except for one - the first cylinder, on the wall of which there is only one scratch.

What's the result? We disassembled one engine with our own eyes. Five more engines were inspected - all of them were found to have scuff marks. In three out of five cases, the owners reported the presence of knocking noises - we took these cars for endoscopy specifically to find out the cause of the knocking noises. The other two were chosen completely randomly; the owners did not talk about knocking or any problems.

To be honest, it’s strange that all three cars with the stated presence of extraneous sounds will have any problems. After all, anything can knock or not knock at all. A car enthusiast may mistake the usual chirping of injectors, problems with the timing drive, or the operation of unadjusted valves for extraneous sounds, since the G4KD does not have hydraulic compensators; the valves need to be adjusted. But no, three cars are bad. In addition, they were found in cars whose owners did not hear any knocking... And another car with a knock never made it to the endoscopy. Overall, this is surprising.

It was not possible to identify any pattern. The crankcases of these engines are different: there are both 4-liter and 6-liter ones. Most of the vehicles on inspection were with a 6-liter filling capacity, but this is unlikely to affect anything. A variety of oils were used. Maintenance, as the owners assure, was carried out only according to regulations, and some of them shortened the oil change interval. Two cars were purchased in Belarus, four were imported during a favorable ruble exchange rate from Russia. Some cars were serviced at official dealers, there are service documents, others - at unofficial service stations. "Automatic", "mechanical"? Doesn't matter.

The only thing that has been revealed is that scuffing develops with different “intensities” in different cars. On one of them, at 115,000 km, the onset of problems was diagnosed, and the second, at 87,000 km, will soon require repairs. Also, judging by the reviews, the problem did not affect Mitsubishi owners who have a copy of the G4KD - 4B11 installed under the hood. At least nothing has been heard about it.

There is an opinion that the problem lies in poor quality maintenance of Russian cars, counterfeit oil, bad gasoline and aggressive driving, especially when cold. Of course, illiterate operation aggravates the problem, but if it were the main reason, then half of Belarusian and Russian cars would already be in line for major engine repairs.

You can guess about the reason endlessly, besides, we are not KIA or Hyundai engineers, we have no statistical data. But there is an assumption from experienced auto repairmen that the culprit is an error in calculating thermal expansion. It seems to us that the version looks very convincing.

“When designing any engine, the thermal expansion coefficients of the body are calculated and selected,” says auto mechanic Alexander. “In this case, most likely, we are talking about the incorrect selection of the thermal gap in the piston-cylinder pair or the incorrect choice of piston material and its shape. When the engine operates, especially in an increased speed range, the oil film breaks off from the cylinder walls with the transition to semi-dry friction. The consequence of such engine operation is scuffing or “sticking” on the cylinder walls. An increase in gaps in the CPG assemblies due to semi-dry friction causes piston misalignment and the occurrence of piston distortion. knocking in the engine caused by impacts of the piston “skirt” when moving against the cylinder wall. The situation is aggravated by the high degree of boost and temperature conditions of the engine, the visually insufficient area of ​​the block’s water channels or the insufficient efficiency of the water pump. This version is supported by the fact that the most damaged ones are always the case. - the second and third cylinders, that is, the most heat-loaded ones at the distance from the water pump. Based on what has been said, most likely there is a constructive miscalculation.

Can improper operation of a vehicle cause such serious problems with the engine? No. Driving on a cold engine may aggravate the problem, but cannot be the main cause of the malfunction. In the global practice of engine building, there are a lot of engines with aluminum blocks, and such problems do not occur with the cylinder walls. For example, the Renault/Volvo B5254 internal combustion engine or the turbocharged six-cylinder version B6284T. The manufacturer provides a tolerance when calculating the CPG, as well as the absence of the need for special running-in of the engine after assembly.

Does the quality of fuel and fuel and lubricants affect the occurrence of scoring in the cylinders? No, it doesn't. The presence of at least one knock sensor in the G4KD injection system will not allow the engine to operate on a fuel mixture that causes destructive detonation due to poor quality fuel. The nature and type of wear cannot in any way be caused by detonation, since the “skirt” is damaged, and not the piston crown. There are no melts, burst rings or inter-ring bulkheads. The quality of fuels and lubricants and untimely replacement are expressed in the form of resinous/varnish deposits on engine parts and cause premature wear of the crankshaft liners, “sticking” of the rings and increased oil consumption. No such problems were identified until the car was put in for repairs.”

Often, engine blocks are equipped with oil nozzles, which are designed to pour oil onto the pistons from below, thereby cooling them and also improving cylinder lubrication. There are no such injectors in the naturally aspirated version of this engine; they are only in the turbocharged version of the Japanese 4B11T, as well as in all diesel engines that are installed on the Sportage. Some motorists believe that their absence aggravates the situation with G4KD - the piston overheats, which leads to a decrease in clearance.

True, there are engines without oil nozzles, which do not have problems with scuffing. It’s hard to say whether it’s the injectors or not, but if desired, they can certainly be embedded into the block during a major overhaul. Also, perhaps, installing a water-oil heat exchanger from the “older” G4KE engine can help, since insufficient oil circulation “on cold” in winter also aggravates the situation. True, we did not carry out any calculations or examinations, so all these are just assumptions.

How to solve the problem if the engine knocks and starts consuming oil? Two options are available: either replacing the cylinder block, which is very expensive, or lining the block, which is also expensive, but at least it makes sense. The second option is the most common. Standard pistons and rings, liners (suitable from Toyota), a set of gaskets and other necessary parts for repair will cost, as we calculated, about $1000. With work and other little things, it comes out to a tidy sum: for example, for the repair of the Sportage from the very beginning of the article, the owner paid $1,750 - a lot. At the same time, no one knows how long the engine goes through after lining; there are a lot of nuances here, hardly as much as a factory engine. If the car is under warranty, you are saved: there is a chance that the unit will be replaced under warranty.

Replacing the unit with a contract one? Also an option, but they are not particularly on sale yet. And if they do appear, we recommend buying such a used unit only after endoscopy of the CPG.

It is not yet known whether this is a widespread problem; journalists do not have statistics from the automaker or technical expertise. So far, only isolated cases have been recorded in Belarus.

But in any case, you need to be guided by a number of recommendations. Change high-quality oil at least once every 10,000 km, pour only 95-grade gasoline into the tank. Forget about traffic light races forever - this engine, apparently, does not like heavy loads. It is important to drive carefully until the engine reaches operating temperature. At the same time, you shouldn’t drive “tight” either, but at the same time you need to literally stroke the gas pedal. You need to be especially careful in winter; it is recommended to warm up the engine before starting or install an autonomous heater.

And what will the representatives of the exclusive distributor of the KIA brand in the Republic of Belarus, the Avtopalas-M company, say about this?

“The service of our auto center received isolated requests regarding the specified problem with the G4KD engine. They were mainly related to non-compliance with the rules of vehicle operation: harsh operation, ignoring winter conditions, use of low-quality fuel and lubricants and fuel, etc. Almost all requests were from legal entities, of whom such an attitude towards the car prevails.

Warranty obligations are always fulfilled if the customer's claim is justified. In particular, we, as a rule, cannot prove that the car has been subjected to severe use, for example, high speeds on a cold engine, then the car component must be replaced under warranty. However, there were very few such cases for the specified engine. There can be no talk of mass participation.

We recommend that all car owners carefully read and follow the operating instructions, carefully follow the recommendations of the experts, and use only high-quality fuels and lubricants. This advice is universal for owners of any cars with any engines.
Are there any problems with the new generation of crossover? The said 2.0 engine was used in previous Sportage models. The new Sportage QLE model, which has been supplied to Belarus since May 2016, is equipped with a new engine."

Hyundai AutoGrad LLC also says that cases of scuffing in the engines of their Hyundai ix35 are isolated. Perhaps this is so.

We won’t say anything 100% yet, but the story with G4KD is strange. Yes, six cars is a drop in the bucket of sold cars with this engine (not just KIA Sportage), we really have a lot of them. In the Minsk club of Sportage lovers there are as many as 50 cars with mileages in the region of 100,000 km. And while none of them have undergone major repairs, most owners do not complain about knocking. Nobody is going to change cars in the club yet either.

But such noise on the Internet arises for a reason, and the results of our endoscopy of five motors and disassembly of one are, to put it mildly, surprising. In general, time will tell.

// Yuri GLADCHUK, ABW.BY

The third generation Kia Sportage can be called one of the most marketable used cars. Used Korean crossovers find new owners very quickly. But can the third generation Sportage also be called one of the most reliable “rogues”? Big question! No matter how much the owners of the Korean crossover would like to admit it, the car is not without serious design flaws.

Possible problems with the body

However, no one has any complaints about the quality of the paintwork on the Kia Sportage. Even on the oldest specimens, pockets of corrosion are extremely rare. However, you should take the inspection of the body of the car you like before purchasing extremely seriously. The fact is that the cost of original body panels for the KIA Sportage is quite high. So restoring a car, even with seemingly minor damage, can be quite costly. It is also surprising that there are not many more affordable body parts from third-party manufacturers on the market. And their quality raises a big question.

When inspecting the Sportage, it wouldn’t hurt to check the functionality of the front and rear optics. and the lights on the Korean crossover burn out quite often. And the worst thing is that the weak link in the car’s electrical system has not yet been found. Another weak point of the Sportage in the first years of production is the driver's doors, which tend to sag after a run of 30-40 thousand kilometers. Fortunately, they can be adjusted fairly quickly.

When inspecting the car, take the time to check for the presence of a side seal on the left fender. On many cars it has already been lost, which risks moisture getting under the hood, which, if the circumstances are unfortunate, can flood the engine control unit. And if you leave everything to chance, you will very soon have to spend money on a new unit.

From time to time, owners of a used KIA Sportage will have to set aside their money to purchase parking sensors, the service life of which does not stand up to criticism. It is possible that you will have to spend money on a rear view camera. Its tightness leaves much to be desired.

Video: Used cars - Choosing a used car: KIA Sportage

What problems can there be with the engine?

But all these shortcomings are actually not so critical that they would make you refuse to buy a car. Rather, you will have to refuse to buy a used Sportage because of its engine. The two-liter petrol power unit on pre-restyling crossovers turned out to be extremely unsuccessful. Not only do its dynamic characteristics leave much to be desired, but its service life is also extremely low. Judge for yourself - after 100 thousand kilometers in a naturally aspirated engine, cranking of the liners can occur. And the worst thing is that restoring a damaged engine is extremely difficult and expensive. The selection of spare parts is poor.

In addition to turning the liners, owners of pre-restyling ones may encounter flooding of the control valves of the phase reversal clutches. Most often this happens with a mileage of 80-100 thousand kilometers. After restyling, the two-liter engine became more reliable. Although it is possible that this reliability is only apparent, since most relatively new Kia Sportages have not yet managed to travel at least 100 thousand kilometers.

Diesel engines were also offered for the third generation Sportage, which were built on the same base, but due to different turbines, heads and fuel equipment they produced different power - 136 or 184 horsepower. These power units, as well as gasoline engines, use a chain drive gas distribution mechanism, which has proven to be very reliable. But that's where the positive aspects end. Kia Sportage diesel engines have a lot of disadvantages. The main one is delicate fuel equipment, which begins to fail after a run of 100-120 thousand kilometers. So if you notice that there is more diesel fuel, and a warmed-up car stops starting the first time, then be sure that you are clogged with shavings that appeared as a result of high-pressure wear. In this case, the piezo injectors and pump will have to be restored, which will cost a pretty penny. Buying new parts will naturally be even more expensive.

The dual-mass flywheel has also not proven itself very well on diesel Kia Sportage. He rarely nurses more than 90-100 thousand kilometers. But the turbines on diesel Sportages turned out to be unexpectedly long-lived. They are changed extremely rarely. This is also true for glow plugs. Owners of diesel crossovers do not encounter serious problems with the exhaust gas recirculation system.

Video: Review from Kia Sportage owner after 3 years of operation

Reliability of the gearbox and suspension of the third generation Sportage

A manual gearbox in our market was offered only for petrol Sportages. And, unfortunately, there are a lot of complaints about the “mechanics” of the Korean crossover. Due to manufacturing defects on cars that were produced in 2010-2011, the manual gearbox had to be changed under warranty after 30-40 thousand kilometers. Naturally, the Koreans quickly dealt with the problem that arose, but the residue remained. So if you buy a used Sportage with a manual transmission, then it is better to give preference to cars of the latest years of production. Or better yet, choose a crossover with an automatic transmission. Unlike “mechanics”, it has enviable reliability. Owners of a Sportage with an automatic transmission will only have to periodically change the transmission oil. In our conditions, it is better to reduce the replacement interval to 40 thousand kilometers. It’s a pity that only original oil with special Kia approvals can be filled into the box. It's easy to find, but the price tag is not encouraging.

The all-wheel drive system on the third-generation Sportage has become more reliable compared to that on its predecessor, but has not completely eliminated its weak points. One of them is a spline connection that passes through the transfer case of the intermediate shaft and the right drive. On crossovers that were released in 2010-2011, it wore out literally after 40 thousand kilometers. Fortunately, official dealers replaced the defective parts under warranty. Otherwise, there are no complaints about the all-wheel drive transmission.

In the suspension of a Korean car, wheel bearings have the lowest service life. On new crossovers they rarely lasted more than 40-60 thousand kilometers. Fortunately, most Sportage owners have already replaced them with more affordable analogues, which also last longer. Another trouble that can await owners of used Korean crossovers is that the camber adjustment bolts in the rear arms turn sour over time. As a result, in the worst case, the usual wheel alignment operation may result in the replacement of the levers.

But what the Kia Sportage has no complaints about is the steering. Moreover, this applies equally to both hydraulic and electric power steering. The brake system of the “Korean” did not deserve any special criticism either. Most crossover owners have already replaced low-quality factory discs and pads with third-party products, after which they forgot about the braking system.

It turns out that the third-generation used Kia Sportage, which is so popular in our country, cannot boast of high reliability. Moreover, in the first years of assembly line life, the design of the car was frankly “crude”. Then the situation improved significantly, but in terms of reliability the Kia Sportage never approached the leaders in its class. And when buying a used crossover, this must be taken into account. You will have to call in for service on your Kia Sportage a little more often than you would like.