Ticking sound when accelerating

[MICHIELLE M ETHIER]

I have an 18 Stinger Premium with almost 5600 miles. Love the car but not so crazy about the sunroof and rear hatch rattles. I also have an issue that is beginning to concern me. If I am driving the car and have to accelerate, such as passing someone, I get a loud ticking sound. While driving home from work yesterday, I turned a corner and then accelerated and got the ticking sound. I mentioned this to my dealer awhile back and the service writer told me it is because the car is "adjusting to different drivers". Seriously? I am the primary driver of this vehicle. My husband drives it once every two weeks to get gas for me. I want to take the vehicle back in for this issue but am hoping someone can give me ideas on what to have them look at because I am not buying their original diagnosis. Thanks!

 

[OliverNuther]

I haven’t heard the sound you describe and I spend puh-lenty of time accelerating. I will say that the dealer’s explanation sounds like BS.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Dealer explanation is BS, your Hatch rattle should have been addressed with the TSB, your dealer should know this & fix for you under warranty.
Where is the “ticking” sound coming from?

 

[MICHIELLE M ETHIER]

Dealer explanation is BS, your Hatch rattle should have been addressed with the TSB, your dealer should know this & fix for you under warranty.
Where is the “ticking” sound coming from?

The sound seems to be coming from the front engine area. It is very noticeable and they are rapid fire.

 

[Stinger GT SS]

The sound seems to be coming from the front engine area. It is very noticeable and they are rapid fire.

It could be something as stupid as something “flapping” in there & under acceleration becomes more pronounce to the other extreme of noisey water pump or bearing that will “tick” under load.
This needs to be investigated further, get a service tech. to ride along with you & replicate the noise so they actually hear it.

 

[OliverNuther]

Or even something as simple as a stone in the tread or a piece of sticky tape stuck on a front wheel. I know it sounds a bit simplistic but have you had a look at the front wheels?

 

[MICHIELLE M ETHIER]

Or even something as simple as a stone in the tread or a piece of sticky tape stuck on a front wheel. I know it sounds a bit simplistic but have you had a look at the front wheels?

I really don't think it is anything like that. This seems to be coming from the engine area.....almost like something trying to engage but keeps slipping. It is very loud and cannot be missed.

 

[nhcowboy28]

The ticking should match engine speed... pretty typical of kia’s powertrain.

 

[SKStinger]

Could be a rock stuck in between your brake rotor and shield. Try reversing at speed and then stopping hard a few times.

 

[GenesisG70]

That is probably your heart beat pounding from excitement!

 

[eflyguy]

Honestly, nobody has reported this before, so it might help if you could capture it on video?

Modern engines all have somewhat louder engine noises from valve train and the like that years ago would have caused concern, but we don't hear that in the cockpit and it's completely normal.

 

[stingLikeAee]

It is very loud and cannot be missed.

Can you give us a recording of the noise?

 

[DaBears4Lyfe]

If your engine is ticking there maybe a bomb in it. I'd turn it off and run RUN far away!

Jk

GDI engines are notorious for ticking. It's been like that always.

My sonata ticked, my optima ticked, my stinger ticks.

 

[SKStinger]

If your engine is ticking there maybe a bomb in it. I'd turn it off and run RUN far away!

Jk

GDI engines are notorious for ticking. It's been like that always.

My sonata ticked, my optima ticked, my stinger ticks.

Surely not ticking that can be heard while driving? I know you can hear it when standing in front of the car but I’ve never heard ticking in the car.

A rock stuck in the brakes will make a ticking sound that can be heard inside and get louder and faster with speed.

 

[DaBears4Lyfe]

Surely not ticking that can be heard while driving? I know you can hear it when standing in front of the car but I’ve never heard ticking in the car.

A rock stuck in the brakes will make a ticking sound that can be heard inside and get louder and faster with speed.

I can hear the ticking with just rolling the windows down and passing another car, and definitely in the cab idling. You learn to hear for it after you owned a few GDI engine cars. If this is your first and you hear it can be spooky. Worst case take it to the dealer but if its the ticking im assuming it is, its perfectly fine.

 

[brancky3]

It could be an exhaust leak. If you pop the hood can you smell any hints of exhaust while the car is running?

 

[GenesisG70]

Record the sound and show it to the stealer. That's the only way they will understand what you are talking about

 

[Ozstung]

Fan belt?

 

[Stinger GT SS]

Fan belt?

Don’t know about your car, but mine has thermo fans....

 

[Peeso33]

I have an 18 Stinger Premium with almost 5600 miles. Love the car but not so crazy about the sunroof and rear hatch rattles. I also have an issue that is beginning to concern me. If I am driving the car and have to accelerate, such as passing someone, I get a loud ticking sound. While driving home from work yesterday, I turned a corner and then accelerated and got the ticking sound. I mentioned this to my dealer awhile back and the service writer told me it is because the car is "adjusting to different drivers". Seriously? I am the primary driver of this vehicle. My husband drives it once every two weeks to get gas for me. I want to take the vehicle back in for this issue but am hoping someone can give me ideas on what to have them look at because I am not buying their original diagnosis. Thanks!

Michelle, I have/had a similar situation. I have a MY19 base GT bought in November 2018. Few days after getting the car, I started to notice a faint "tapping" sound, that correlated more or less to the rpm of the car. The sound was barely noticeable at idle, but became louder at rpm over 3K. The sound seems to be coming from/through the passenger side foot wheel area/firewall.

I had tried to film the sound, but it just doesn't capture very well on my phone's video. I took the car back to the dealer, and of course I got the "car is operating as intended" speech. Since this was my first Kia (drove mostly Lexus and Honda), I wasn't really sure what to expect in terms of cabin noise, engine noise ect. I didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but that "loose sewing machine" noise was bothering the heck out of me.

I took out the carpeting on the passenger side floor, and applied sound deadening mats to the floor and footwheel/firewall area. This helped slightly, but I could still hear it. Finally got pissed off, and just carved and trimmed a thick piece of acoustic foam (the eggcrate shaped foam tile that people use to build a sound studio) and stuffed it neatly between the firewall, behind the passenger dash, and completely covered up by the floor mat. Zero tapping/ticking sound inside the cabin now. I had totally forgot about it until I saw your post. Now, I don't know if this was the right thing to do or not? But I guess that's what the 10yr powertrain warranty is for? I'm coming up for my first oil change, I will try to mention it again to the dealer.