Sorento Tyre wear

[RobE]

A return to the subject of Sorento tyres, My Sorento 2.5 XT has 18" alloys fitted as standard I am having problems with front tyre wear, tracking was checked and found ok when changing the first set of fronts at 26000 miles,now 2nd set are suffering badly on the inside and outside of the treads at 6000 miles. Kia don't seem to want to know, the transfer box is also suffering (replaced once already)

Has anyone out there suffered the same problems?? Any help / advice appreciated before I loose the plot completely with KIA

Thanks

Rob E

 

[Dustydog]

Hi Rob

Sorry to hear all that.

I deliberately went for the XS to avoid the low profile tyres. I had issues with them on a previous car. My first set of Korean tyres lasted 40k and the current B F Goodrich All Terrains are on 30k with plenty to go. The symptoms you describe are indicative of an underinflated tyre although there are other causes.

Do a similar post on uk.sorento.com and I'm sure some of the real boffin experts will give you some good pointers.

Cheers

Dustydog

 

[RobE]

Hi Rob

Sorry to hear all that.

I deliberately went for the XS to avoid the low profile tyres. I had issues with them on a previous car. My first set of Korean tyres lasted 40k and the current B F Goodrich All Terrains are on 30k with plenty to go. The symptoms you describe are indicative of an underinflated tyre although there are other causes.

Do a similar post on uk.sorento.com and I'm sure some of the real boffin experts will give you some good pointers.

Cheers

Dustydog

Thanks Dustydog

I'll try your suggestion right now. I have always ensured tyre pressures are correct, especially when heading off withthe van in tow

cheers

Rob E

 

[otherclive]

I have 16 inch wheels with Avon Ranger 70Hs and get around 25k on the front with more on the back. The tyres area relatively soft compound as I prefer road grip to mileage. I had a simalar problem to yours when I had the original Kumhos fitted and took the car along for a laser wheel alignment check which looks at tracking and all wheel aligment. The back were out a bit and on the Sorento it is adjsutable. Another time I hit an almighty pothole at speed and took the car for a check only to find that front aligment was out. So having it reset stopped any premature tyre wear.

 

[otherclive]

Re the transfer box wear I thought that Kia advised that the front tyers should always have equal or less tread than the rears. Otherwise the differential speed sensor that looks at the relative speed between the front and back thinks that the front need clutching into 4WD. Have alook at the UK Kia site mentioned and there is a technical memeo from Kia giving the results of the TB investigation.

 

[RobE]

Thanks for your responses everyone, little bit of an update

I'm currently struggling to get any sensible answers or actions from KIA however in my frustration today I took the car back to the company who fitted the new front tyres and checked the wheel alignment, They had never seen tyre wear like it and to cap it all, the rear tyres were checked (New 3 months ago)They are suffering from excessive tread wear in the centre of the treads.

Back to the drawing board with Kia tomorrow

 

[otherclive]

Wear in the centre of treads is usually due to over inflation. Did the tyre company inflate to 35psi, and are the gauges that you use for the weekly check accurate?

 

[stu658]

Rob E, sorry that you seem to be having troubles, my son is a Kia technician and he comes home every day cursing and swearing about sorentos, and it always seems to be as you described, especially transfer box issues. They just keep changing them until the warranty runs out on the cars. Hope you get sorted out!!

 

[otherclive]

Wear in the centre of treads is usually due to over inflation. Did the tyre company inflate to 35psi, and are the gauges that you use for the weekly check accurate?

I said 35psi for tyres but mine is on 16 inch wheels, so your 18 inch Rimfires might be different. Also on 16 inch wheels the pressure does not need increasing when the car is loaded or towing. Rimfiers might be different.

 

[RobE]

Tyre wear update

Tyre pressures :-Kia kept saying to me it was either under or over inflated tyres. I check pressures regularly using a local garage and also double check with my own gauge and they are checked again every time before hitching up the Caravan

Transfer box: Finally had word from Kia on Friday that a new "clutch pack" will be fitted in the tranfer box this week. Kia will still charge for wheel alignment!! Then its off to the Tyre dealer for 4 new tyres.

Watch this space guys and thanks again for all your input

Rob E

 

[jmg12]

I have been getting really bad tyre ware on my 2006 xs which has covered 15,000 my front passenger tyre looks like it needs replaced , I was also told i was not inflating my tyres correctly even though I check them weekly. Anyone had problems with the 16 inch alloys corroding? the ones on mine are getting quite bad laquer flaking off, first time i said to kia they said they were casting marks, they got worse and I contacted them again to which they said the marks were corrosion but i had not looked after the car so it was my problem even though its washed every week and covered a very small mileage anyone else experienced this disapointing customer service from kia ?

 

[RobE]

I have been getting really bad tyre ware on my 2006 xs which has covered 15,000 my front passenger tyre looks like it needs replaced , I was also told i was not inflating my tyres correctly even though I check them weekly. Anyone had problems with the 16 inch alloys corroding? the ones on mine are getting quite bad laquer flaking off, first time i said to kia they said they were casting marks, they got worse and I contacted them again to which they said the marks were corrosion but i had not looked after the car so it was my problem even though its washed every week and covered a very small mileage anyone else experienced this disapointing customer service from kia ?

Hi Linda

I have only had to deal with Kia customer service department twice, including my current ongoing "fiasco", but I feel that "disappointing customer service" is being too polite. Kia will certainly not be getting any of my hard earned cash when the time comes to change my car this year.

More will follow on my tyre issue later this week as the car is booked in for Friday for the transfer box to be sorted (KIA said!!!!!!!!!!

ciao for now

Rob E

 

[jmg12]

Hi Linda

I have only had to deal with Kia customer service department twice, including my current ongoing "fiasco", but I feel that "disappointing customer service" is being too polite. Kia will certainly not be getting any of my hard earned cash when the time comes to change my car this year.

More will follow on my tyre issue later this week as the car is booked in for Friday for the transfer box to be sorted (KIA said!!!!!!!!!!

ciao for now

Rob E

Keep me posted on your dealings with kia rob, your right disapointing is too polite, I sent kia customer service an email about my wheels last week saying i had an independant garage check them an they still havent got back to me. So yesterday I decided to phone them the girl at kia customer service said she would get someone to phone me back in about an hour, never recieved the call phoned back today and was told I couldn't speak to anyone who deals with warranty claims as they don't deal with the public direct. I think this is a joke that people spend

 

[RobE]

latest update everyone!

Car had replacement "clutch pack" fitted to transfer box last Friday. I had another 4 new tyres fitted Saturday. I am currently abroad but my good lady wife tells me the car is driving much better. However I would advise any Sorento owner to not only check tyre pressures at least weekly but also check thoroughly for uneven tread wear on both front and rear tyres.

I did send a letter of complaint to Kia but true to fashion they have not responded. But I'll not let it lie as they say!!!!

On a lighter note. I'm back in the UK soon and heading down to Chatsworth for a few days, before the trek to Slovenia in August

enjoy the summer everyone

Rob E

 

[otherclive]

I have been getting really bad tyre ware on my 2006 xs which has covered 15,000 my front passenger tyre looks like it needs replaced , I was also told i was not inflating my tyres correctly even though I check them weekly. Anyone had problems with the 16 inch alloys corroding? the ones on mine are getting quite bad laquer flaking off, first time i said to kia they said they were casting marks, they got worse and I contacted them again to which they said the marks were corrosion but i had not looked after the car so it was my problem even though its washed every week and covered a very small mileage anyone else experienced this disapointing customer service from kia ?

Yes on early 16 inch wheels the laquer was not very good and Kia would swop them under warranty. I think after about 05 the quality improved. Mine is an 04 and despite regular cleaning and waxing the laquer is beginning to go.You can buy replacemnets via the UK Kia Forums website or often on ebay when people upgarde their 16 to 17/18. Recently there wasa Kia dealer in Yorkshire advertising a set of 4 16 inch wheels with brand new tyres for around

 

[jmg12]

Yes on early 16 inch wheels the laquer was not very good and Kia would swop them under warranty. I think after about 05 the quality improved. Mine is an 04 and despite regular cleaning and waxing the laquer is beginning to go.You can buy replacemnets via the UK Kia Forums website or often on ebay when people upgarde their 16 to 17/18. Recently there wasa Kia dealer in Yorkshire advertising a set of 4 16 inch wheels with brand new tyres for around

 

[jmg12]

Looks like i will have to buy the new wheels myself. Spoke to the manager at the dealer and he said to me "well it is only a kia, what do you expect getting a 4x4 for

 

[RobE]

Looks like i will have to buy the new wheels myself. Spoke to the manager at the dealer and he said to me "well it is only a kia, what do you expect getting a 4x4 for