Certified Stinger plug and coil problem

[Royalstorm]

Hi guys,

So I just recently traded my 2018 GT base for a certified GT1 with clean history report. Test drive seemed fine. But following day passenger door mirror began malfunctioning. Annoying but not the end of the world. Scheduled service with my local Kia dealer and had oil changed. After change they fired it up and noted a misfire. Pulled cylinder 4 plug which was cracked. They did a bit more digging and discovered that the coil in that cylinder had been replaced 3 separate times. So now I’m unsure what to do. I’m planning on having them replace all six plugs. But concerned with a more serious engine problem giving the repair history. Drove it today and it’s now lurching and has a really rough idle. What other recourse do I have? Can I request reversal of the sale? Appreciate any thoughts and/or advice.

 

[D.J.]

Hi guys,

So I just recently traded my 2018 GT base for a certified GT1 with clean history report. Test drive seemed fine. But following day passenger door mirror began malfunctioning. Annoying but not the end of the world. Scheduled service with my local Kia dealer and had oil changed. After chance they fired it up and noted a misfire. Pulled cylinder 4 plug which was cracked. They did a bit more digging and discovered that the coil in that cylinder had been replaced 3 separate times. So now I’m unsure what to do. I’m planing on having them replace all six plugs. But concerned with a more serious engine problem giving the repair history. Drove it today and it’s now lurching and has a really rough idle. What other recourse do I have? Can I request reversal of the sale? Appreciate any thoughts and/or advice.

What is the warranty status of the vehicle?

Did you not notice the misfire when you brought the car in for the mirror?

It sounds like the misfire was there but you didn't observe any symptoms when you brought in for a mirror malfunction?

 

[Royalstorm]

What is the warranty status of the vehicle?

Did you not notice the misfire when you brought the car in for the mirror?

It sounds like the misfire was there but you didn't observe any symptoms when you brought in for a mirror malfunction?

Yeah, I didn’t notice anything super obvious other than it’s pickup maybe being a little more sluggish t compared to my GT. Definitely no lurching. Then the tech came out to tell me that he turned on the car after changing the oil and noted the misfire which then led to pulling the plug, etc. they swapped the plug to a different cylinder and stated that it seemed to run fine though earned me it may become a problem, which it now has. I didn’t notice anything yesterday while pushing it a fair amount but today even with mild acceleration it is lurching definitely not normal. So not sure if the coil in cylinder 4 is still a problem and now I have developed a second cracked plug? I’m waiting for Kia to get the plugs at which time they will replace all 6 and fix the mirror. I know cracked plugs are not uncommon but a history of replacing a single cylinder coil three separate times seems really fishy. I also wonder if whoever owned it before had it chipped and that’s why it’s having issues.

Also when they pulled the cylinder 4 plug with the crack, it had a #6 written on it almost like they were moving plugs around to diagnose a problem. Pics attached.

 

[D.J.]

I also wonder if whoever owned it before had it chipped

You can never know the real answer to this question, so there is no point wondering.


For replacing the same coil 3 times on the same cylinder - that easily could have been a misdiagnosis... Where they erroneously replaced the coil, and it didn't resolve the issue at that time.


These misfires and lurching, does this set an engine light?

 

[Royalstorm]

You can never know the real answer to this question, so there is no point wondering.


For replacing the same coil 3 times on the same cylinder - that easily could have been a misdiagnosis... Where they erroneously replaced the coil, and it didn't resolve the issue at that time.


These misfires and lurching, does this set an engine light?

No engine light yet, though I gingerly drove home after the lurching started and didn’t push it anymore, switching to eco mode.

 

[Rodtheviking]

Return it, if you can.

 

[D.J.]

Return it, if you can.

Is that, actually a thing that can be done?

Doesn't the dealer just fix the issue and send the customer on their way?

 

[bfglitch]

May or may not be able to return. It all depends on where you live and the laws on preowned/used cars. I believe in my state in the US we have 30 days by law UNLESS the car is listed "As Is".

 

[D.J.]

May or may not be able to return. It all depends on where you live and the laws on preowned/used cars. I believe in my state in the US we have 30 days by law UNLESS the car is listed "As Is".

Surely you can't just return it due to an easily repairable issue though... !

Wouldn't there have to be pretty serious issues warranting a completely return?

 

[moinmoin]

No engine light yet, though I gingerly drove home after the lurching started and didn’t push it anymore, switching to eco mode.

This won't go away....so instead of driving gingerly, gun the car until you get a steady CEL, I mean, make sure you have a CEL when restarting the car.
Then go to you friendly mechanic who handled your previous cars and ask him to kindly check the code and tell you which cylinder is effected.
With that knowledge, go to you dealer and ask them to check and fix the car. Their eventual response will tell you whether they are on the up-and-up.
In the meantime , drive your car normally, you will even be able to push her occasionally. If you are loosing power, pull over, turn off the car and wait a minute. Then start her up again and proceed. It will be OK.
Ask me how I know I am currently driving with a CEL and when it is convenient for me to take it to the dealer, it will be my fifth coil and plug set that will need to be replaced, having driven about 53K km.
Good Luck!

 

[Royalstorm]

This won't go away....so instead of driving gingerly, gun the car until you get a steady CEL, I mean, make sure you have a CEL when restarting the car.
Then go to you friendly mechanic who handled your previous cars and ask him to kindly check the code and tell you which cylinder is effected.
With that knowledge, go to you dealer and ask them to check and fix the car. Their eventual response will tell you whether they are on the up-and-up.
In the meantime , drive your car normally, you will even be able to push her occasionally. If you are loosing power, pull over, turn off the car and wait a minute. Then start her up again and proceed. It will be OK.
Ask me how I know I am currently driving with a CEL and when it is convenient for me to take it to the dealer, it will be my fifth coil and plug set that will need to be replaced, having driven about 53K km.
Good Luck!

Wow, you tolerate far more than I would! Again, I think I’ll proceed with a complete spark plug swap and cross my fingers that does the trick. Car is under CPO warranty though I highly doubt they will cover the other plug swap work. That said, it seems like the mist efficient way to “clean slate” the problem as any recurrent issues would have to be coil or something else.

 

[SuicideSaints]

I’m not sure what state you’re in but several states have a 3-30 day window (depending on state law) to void the contract and get you’re vehicle back. Read your sales contract and the stipulations should be on there.

If it’s under the KIA CPO warranty they should take care of it. May take them awhile to figure out but it should be on their dime. If you’re worried about it, for a free my dealer kicked out the bumper to bumper to 100k miles to match the power train warranty, through KIA for $1200 dollars. Maybe see if you can add a warranty on if it’s not too late.

Other than that. I’d try to get it to throw a code so it’ll at least tell you what’s going on.

 

[Royalstorm]

I’m not sure what state you’re in but several states have a 3-30 day window (depending on state law) to void the contract and get you’re vehicle back. Read your sales contract and the stipulations should be on there.

If it’s under the KIA CPO warranty they should take care of it. May take them awhile to figure out but it should be on their dime. If you’re worried about it, for a free my dealer kicked out the bumper to bumper to 100k miles to match the power train warranty, through KIA for $1200 dollars. Maybe see if you can add a warranty on if it’s not too late.

Other than that. I’d try to get it to throw a code so it’ll at least tell you what’s going on.

I live in Wisconsin so I think it’s only 3 days. Unfortunately I bought the car at a different dealership 3 hours away so not convenient to travel back there though fortunately my local Kia dealership and service department have been awesome and I trust them to do good work. Just frustrated by the chain of events.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Wow, you tolerate far more than I would! Again, I think I’ll proceed with a complete spark plug swap and cross my fingers that does the trick. Car is under CPO warranty though I highly doubt they will cover the other plug swap work. That said, it seems like the mist efficient way to “clean slate” the problem as any recurrent issues would have to be coil or something else.

I've dealt with this exact same thing for six months (now cured, hopefully, going on two weeks). Our "family" mechanic said a couple of very useful things (backing up what @moinmoin said): first, a CEL is triggered by a level of poorly burned gas; the sensor is back by the catalytic converter; so, a CEL only means that you're running dirty. Second, when you get a fouled/cracked plug you have to change the boot, because it becomes corroded and cannot be cleaned, and that corrosion messes with the smooth flow of the spark and ruins any replacement plug. On the Stinger, the boot and coil come together, and the dealership said each coil/boot costs $100. They are covered to the limit of the bumper to bumper warranty, i.e., 60K miles/five years: after that the cost is on us. (Only moving, mechanical parts come under the powertrain 100K miles/ten years warranty, nothing electrical is included.)

 

[Royalstorm]

Good info. Thank you! Would you recommend requesting that cylinder 4 coil and boot be replaced again? And what about the cylinder they moved the cracked spark plug to (they apparently swapped the plugs from cylinder 4 and a different after they found the cracked one)? Will having the cracked plug moved to a different cylinder foul up that coil and boot too?

 

[MerlintheMad]

Good info. Thank you! Would you recommend requesting that cylinder 4 coil and boot be replaced again? And what about the cylinder they moved the cracked spark plug to (they apparently swapped the plugs from cylinder 4 and a different after they found the cracked one)? Will having the cracked plug moved to a different cylinder foul up that coil and boot too?

According to my mechanic, a cracked plug will foul the boot and ruin it. It sounds like your engine has been playing "musical sparkplugs", and that means any or all of the boots could be compromised, which on the Stinger also means coilpacks. If you've been in and out with this song and dance, if it were me, I'd just cut to the chase and replace plugs and boots/coils with all new, i.e., start over. If you knew the history of this car intimately you could modify that approach, but it sounds like you're in the dark as to the engine's history.

 

[Royalstorm]

According to my mechanic, a cracked plug will foul the boot and ruin it. It sounds like your engine has been playing "musical sparkplugs", and that means any or all of the boots could be compromised, which on the Stinger also means coilpacks. If you've been in and out with this song and dance, if it were me, I'd just cut to the chase and replace plugs and boots/coils with all new, i.e., start over. If you knew the history of this car intimately you could modify that approach, but it sounds like you're in the dark as to the engine's history.

Yeah, I get that. I’m guessing neither the CPO warranty nor my extended warranty will cover any of this?

 

[MerlintheMad]

Yeah, I get that. I’m guessing neither the CPO warranty nor my extended warranty will cover any of this?

I hope so. Isn't that what extended warranties are for?

 

[SuicideSaints]

My understanding this is covered under the power train. I understand asking us but what is the dealer saying? They should know pretty quick if it’s covered for quoting purposes.

 

[SuicideSaints]

How many miles are on your vehicle. If you’re under 60k it should be under the original bumper to bumper as well.