Sudden "engine failure" might be fuel level sensor issue - Was: Help ! Kia Stinger Died On the road.

[MerlintheMad]

I am wondering if this is an isolated problem or a general issue. I suppose we only have to wait and see if it happens to others.

I've been on here for months and read a ton of posts going clear back to the "early days" of last year. This is the one and only time I've heard of the sending unit hanging "fire" like that. So, not remotely a "general issue", safe to say.

 

[max2382]

I've been on here for months and read a ton of posts going clear back to the "early days" of last year. This is the one and only time I've heard of the sending unit hanging "fire" like that. So, not remotely a "general issue", safe to say.

Yea I agree, I haven't seen any so far. I hope it stays this way.

 

[WildBill]

I am wondering if this is an isolated problem or a general issue. I suppose we only have to wait and see if it happens to others.

I've seen and replied to a post about erratic fuel level here. I think I've seen one on FB too. Not saying that it is widespread but the OP would probably be helping others out to start a properly named thread about the issue and the solution.
Glad it wasn't something too serious!

 

[MerlintheMad]

I've seen and replied to a post about erratic fuel level here. I think I've seen one on FB too. Not saying that it is widespread but the OP would probably be helping others out to start a properly named thread about the issue and the solution.
Glad it wasn't something too serious!

The worst that can result is a defunct catalytic converter. But the cause of running out of gas was a warranty issue that was covered. Kia would not cover that, and then say that they won't replace the CC because he ran out of gas.

 

[WildBill]

I'm not following you here Merlin. All I'm saying is that I have heard of others saying they had a half a tank one minute and nothing the next or vice versa.

The name of this thread will not draw people with this issue to it and they won't know that there is a solution.

I'm just trying to help people from running out of gas. I think the catalytic converter deal is a bit of a farce. But regardless, I would not want my vehicle to misfire when running out of fuel.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I think the name of the thread is very attention getting.

Are catalytic converters cheap? We sure can't drive without them. So the caveat from the warranty manual and the owner's manual "do not run out of gas or else" is valid when talking about Kia paying for a damaged CC. Nobody wants their car to go into the shop anyway, for anything. Running low on gas should, by my wife's wisdom, be a conscious awareness thing. If your miles don't add up to the "I have half a tank left", then gas up at once and proceed to Kia to get the anomaly seen to.

 

[Brian B]

Where in Colorado are you? Grand KIA is less than 5 minutes away from me. I've been there once. Not sure if I would ever go again. I actually drive all the way up to Longmont (I-25 KIA) for my car now.

Im in the Westminster / Arvada city Line off of 88th. Grand KIA was the closest Dealer when the trouble started. That dealership was a bit... old to put it nicely and the sales side was dam near worthless. Im shocked the small service side was on top of it in terms of updates and repair work.

 

[Brian B]

I'm not following you here Merlin. All I'm saying is that I have heard of others saying they had a half a tank one minute and nothing the next or vice versa.

The name of this thread will not draw people with this issue to it and they won't know that there is a solution.

I'm just trying to help people from running out of gas. I think the catalytic converter deal is a bit of a farce. But regardless, I would not want my vehicle to misfire when running out of fuel.

Your right It may be necessary to create a new thread with the Fuel tank issue and how it was solved, that way people can reference it once spot the same issues I had and notify there local service of the problem.

 

[WildBill]

Here is the thread I was referring to. His only posts were about this issue so it obviously concerned him enough to join and post.

 

[Norm W.]

Update !

I'm back on the road with the Stinger, I was driving yesterday afternoon ! So what happened ?
After the dealership first called me their first assumptions was around the fuel pump since the pressure testing was reading 0 psi.

But it wasn't the fuel pump system... Further investigation into the fuel pump and fuel tank revealed that the tank had nearly no fuel it. How did that happen if the fuel gauge was reading just under half a tank and some 140 miles of range left ?

The answer is the fuel sending unit in the fuel tank became stuck on what was described as a wire that wasn't properly clipped in to the tank( I dont know why there is that wire in the tank but the floating fuel level device became stuck on it and wouldn't go below the half a tank fuel level giving us false fuel level readouts.

So I was driving around thinking I have half a tank left but in reality I was on fumes. ![werd]

Good on the KIA tech for really Diging into this finding the issue, taking it all apart and putting it all back to together before the service center closed for the day. less then 7 hours total , I got my car back the same day with a property functioning fuel tank now [driving]

I have to say I underestimated the service center of that kia dealership ship. From a very old/small frumpy looking KIA dealership, there service guys were on point (Grand KIA of Colorado

Wow, that's sounds like the same thing that happened to me. I've been keeping track on my mileage a will take it in if the problem arises again

 

[CDv6]

I think it's funny that my wife's minivan has the same engine as my Stinger. Lol.

Time for some minivan mods!

 

[eflyguy]

I've changed the thread title. LMK if anyone thinks it could be worded differently.

The potential for damage to the cat. is over-exaggerated. It would be from excessive heat, and would take time to show up, which is hard when you're out of fuel. Oh, and by the way, it would simply reduce the effectiveness of the cat., i.e. start to pollute more, not "damage" the power-producing components of the engine. "Pollute" is (in case you hadn't guessed) another overused term.

I have the same engine in my 2015 Sorento. I beat the living crap out of it regularly and it is still as strong as the day I bought it.

 

[Brian B]

I've changed the thread title. LMK if anyone thinks it could be worded differently.

The potential for damage to the cat. is over-exaggerated. It would be from excessive heat, and would take time to show up, which is hard when you're out of fuel. Oh, and by the way, it would simply reduce the effectiveness of the cat., i.e. start to pollute more, not "damage" the power-producing components of the engine. "Pollute" is (in case you hadn't guessed) another overused term.

I have the same engine in my 2015 Sorento. I beat the living crap out of it regularly and it is still as strong as the day I bought it.

Well done changing the tile: Maybe Something in the Title of "Fuel Gauge Errors" Or "Fuel Tank defects "Was:Help! Kia Stinger Died On the road.
that way people can link it to issues they may be having with those components ?

 

[Norm W.]

Update !

I'm back on the road with the Stinger, I was driving yesterday afternoon ! So what happened ?
After the dealership first called me their first assumptions was around the fuel pump since the pressure testing was reading 0 psi.

But it wasn't the fuel pump system... Further investigation into the fuel pump and fuel tank revealed that the tank had nearly no fuel it. How did that happen if the fuel gauge was reading just under half a tank and some 140 miles of range left ?

The answer is the fuel sending unit in the fuel tank became stuck on what was described as a wire that wasn't properly clipped in to the tank( I dont know why there is that wire in the tank but the floating fuel level device became stuck on it and wouldn't go below the half a tank fuel level giving us false fuel level readouts.

So I was driving around thinking I have half a tank left but in reality I was on fumes. ![werd]

Good on the KIA tech for really Diging into this finding the issue, taking it all apart and putting it all back to together before the service center closed for the day. less then 7 hours total , I got my car back the same day with a property functioning fuel tank now [driving]

I have to say I underestimated the service center of that kia dealership ship. From a very old/small frumpy looking KIA dealership, there service guys were on point (Grand KIA of Colorado) good work from them

 

[Norm W.]

Waiting till my tank is half full according to milage to see what the Gauge reads. If there is a problem I'll notify the dealer with your suspicions. Thanks for the info .