2005 Kia Spectra Great Condition, Cold A/c 131k Miles No Dents, Automatic on 2040-cars

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Kia recalls 9,700 new Sorento models for potential front axle failures

Kia has announced a recall on the 2014 Sorento due to an issue that could lead to a broken right front driveshaft on certain models. Only models equipped with the 2.4-liter inline four-cylinder engine and front-wheel drive are affected by the campaign.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that Sorento models built between January 7 through March 12 of this year may experience broken axle shafts that could lead to loss of power or cause the vehicle to roll if parked. According to the Detroit Free Press, a total of close to 9,700 units are being recalled, but that number is closer to 9,300 for customers in the US.
Kia says that it has had one incident with an internal vehicle that experienced a separated axle shaft in addition to 10 related warranty claims, but it says no accidents or injuries have been reported. The recall campaign will begin next month. Scroll down for the NHTSA recall notice as well as an official statement from Kia.

Best places to get your car maintained and repaired

In this era of rampant inflation and high interest rates, the challenges of acquiring a car or SUV have been well documented. And so it has never been more important to protect that expensive investment by maintaining it. In recent months, Autoblog has shared Consumer Reports' evaluation of the least and most expensive car brands to keep running, as well as tips to prolong a car’s useful life. Especially since the pandemic, a number of factors have impacted these costs: more complex vehicles, new materials and manufacturing methods, a shortage of qualified technicians and replacement parts. Since 2022, repairs costs have jumped each year by about 10 percent. This month, Consumer Reports is offering a useful primer on keeping your ride in great shape, suggesting what might be the best options for searching out a repair shop, depending, as CR says, “on your car and your situation.” Author Ben Preston identifies three basic types of repair facilities: dealership service departments, independently owned repair shops, and chain repair shops. Building up trust with a specific shop and feeling comfortable going there is important. Preston quotes John Ibbotson, chief mechanic at Consumer ReportsÂ’ Auto Test Center: "You might be able to save a few bucks by going to whichever shop offers the cheapest prices, but if you want consistent, reliable service, itÂ’s best to find a repair shop you trust and stick with it,” Ibbotson says. The story goes on to evaluate each type of service facility. HereÂ’s a breakdown of CRÂ’s findings: Dealerships These work well for owners of newer cars, especially for covered warranty work. But the disadvantage is the high labor rates common to dealer service. Satisfaction ratings for dealer service departments range from very good (Acura, Lexus, Mazda, and Volvo) to not-so-good (Jeep and Kia). Dealers are best for: Fixing infotainment system glitches: "If the screen in the center of your dash has a habit of freezing up, or the touchscreen-activated climate controls arenÂ’t working, the dealership is the most likely place to find someone with the know-how to fix problems that maybe only a factory-authorized technician can access," Ibbotson says. Safety system recalibration: "Anything from a crack in your windshield to a minor fender dent can upset the calibration of the sensors that make features like automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control work," says Ibbotson.

2018 Kia Stinger GT Long-Term Update | It's a hatch!

Our long-term 2018 Kia Stinger GT is a lovely sedan. We've talked a bit about what it's like to live with day-to-day and just how well the GT badge fits on a car like this. It's racked up more than 10,000 miles in the few months it's been in our fleet. I'm personally hoping we can crest 20,000 miles before its year with us is up. The sleek design (both inside and out), sharp handling and peppy 3.3-liter twin-turbo V6 might get all the attention, but people tend to forget it's practical, too. Just look at that cargo area! I sometimes forget that most people don't spend all day and night thinking about cars, poring over photos and spec sheets like we do. When I posted a photo on Twitter last month, one commenter seemed quite surprised to realize that the Stinger had a hatch rather than a trunk. It's one of my favorite things about this car, but it seems it's not common knowledge. If we can't get a true wagon, hatches like the Stinger, the Porsche Panamera and Audi A5/S5/RS5 Sportback are great alternatives. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The Stinger has 23.3 cubic feet of space with the seats up, though Kia doesn't list the area with the seats down. For reference, the Kia Optima has 15.9 cubic-feet in its trunk. Winter in Detroit sucks, and the Stinger GT's standard Michelin Pilot Sport 4S summer tires aren't ideal for sub-freezing temperatures. Nokian Tyres was kind enough to donate a set of Hakkapeliitta studless winter tires for the Stinger (more on those in another post soon). When the tires arrived, I put the seats down and threw all four in the back of the car and took it to the tire shop. I had to remove the sun shade, but that was the only real fitment issue. About a week later, just before Christmas, Amazon dropped the price on a 55-inch TV I've had my eye on for months. I placed my order and had it shipped to our office lest package thieves steal it from my porch. I wasn't sure it would fit in the Stinger, but it was just about perfect. Another half inch and I would have needed our long-term Honda Ridgeline. Related Video: