Kia Service FAQs About Check-Ups

If you have a faulty transmission, you might want to head to your local Temple Hills, MD, Kia Service Center, which has all the right tools and knowledge to diagnose and fix the problem. Learn the signs that this part of your car is in disrepair, so you know when to head right over and talk to a mechanic. Need Transmission Repair? You Haven't Visited the Kia Dealer in a While If you can't remember the last time you visited the dealer for routine maintenance, then some of the parts of your car may be in disrepair. We recommend heading right to the dealer to have them thoroughly check over your car and fix anything that's not in the best shape. more You Struggle to Shift Gears If you're having problems with this part of your car, then you'll probably find it hard to shift gears. If you drive a manual, the gearshift might pop out of place, or you may have to push hard to get into gear. You may also have to try really hard while driving an automatic car, depending on the type of shifter you have. You could also find that when you shift gears, your car shifts right back to the gear you were in previously. You Have a Leak If you spot any red or brown fluid under your vehicle, then there's a high probability that your car has sprung a leak that's going to impact your gearbox. You may start having trouble shifting gears or staying in gear because of the leak. Always keep an eye out around your vehicle by checking the ground for leaks so you can get them repaired as soon as you notice them. You Keep Slipping Out of Gear If your system is slipping gears, then there's an underlying issue that you need to address. You might find that your car jumps into the wrong gear for a moment before slipping into the gear you're aiming for. This can be dangerous if it happens on a crowded road, so you should visit the dealer as soon as the problem occurs. You Experience Rough Shifting You might find your car jerks when you change from one gear to the next. This is an unnatural response to a gearshift, so it's a sign that you need to get the system checked out by a professional. If you're having any of the problems we talked about above, then schedule a service appointment online or visit DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills. Make sure you stop by regularly so we can keep your car's parts in excellent health for you.

The strong smell of gas is very unpleasant, and it's even worse if you smell it coming from your car. When your Kia works as smoothly and efficiently as it was designed, you should never smell gas. A gas smell is automatically a sign that something has gone wrong. Fortunately, your Kia dealer in Temple Hills, MD, can repair the problem. These are some of the reasons your car smells like gas. Advice From Your Kia Dealer: Why Your Car Smells Like Gas Damaged Converter Efficient combustion in our engine requires a precise 14:1 mixture of air to fuel. This might seem strange, but the huge amount of air is essential for the spark plugs to ignite correctly. Combustion generates toxic gases and also contains fuel residue. Once combustion has been completed in a cylinder, the gases and other residue are dumped into the catalytic converter. more The catalytic converter converts the fuel residue and gases into harmless chemicals. The converter chemicals then pass out of the exhaust pipe. Your converter can wear out through age or can be damaged by engine problems like a high fuel-air ratio. A damaged converter won't convert the residue, and you'll smell gas from the engine and tailpipe. We'll examine your converter, and we can install a replacement if necessary. Worn Fuel Pressure Regulator As we saw above, your engine requires a precise mixture of air and fuel for combustion. Air enters through the radiator grille and passes into the air filter, where any debris is removed. The clean air then passes into the intake manifold. Fuel is pumped into the intake manifold through the fuel injectors. The fuel pressure regulator is responsible for the amount of fuel that enters the manifold. Your Kia's computer determines the correct balance of air to fuel and instructs the regulator to supply the required quantity of fuel. A worn or damaged regulator could supply too much fuel. If the fuel level in the manifold is too high, some of its fumes will escape and can waft into your cabin. We can test your regulator and replace it with a new one if required. Loose or Damaged Gas Cap The gas cap has two main functions. It's responsible for maintaining the correct pressure in the fuel system, and it prevents fuel fumes from escaping the tank. The fuel system must operate at a set pressure to ensure that fuel is always delivered to the cylinders at the correct rate. Your gas cap is designed to provide an air-tight seal, but wear and tear can damage the cap or its seals. If this happens, you'll likely smell fuel in your cabin, the check engine light will illuminate, and your fuel efficiency will drop. Our technicians can easily replace a damaged cap or its seals to help fix this problem. If you smell gas from your Kia, call our service department immediately at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills.

Kia vehicles are well-known for being affordable and reliable, but like any car, the paint job on your Kia is vulnerable to chips, scratches, tree sap, and more. Fortunately, when you finalize your new car purchase at your local Kia dealer, you can ask for car treatments that can protect your car paint. Some Tips on How to Protect Your Kia Car Paint To protect your Kia paint job, you may want to opt for the Kia Total Paint and Wheel Protection package. This package is offered to new cars and sometimes certified-used cars. The paint protection portion of this package will protect your paint against acid rain, grime, salt, exhaust fumes, and UV rays. more When you ask for this protection plan, your car will be taken to the service center, where technicians will apply a hydrophobic layer to your paint job, wheel trims, and headlamps. The protective layer creates a chemical water-beading surface that is easy to clean and helps guard against the most common threats to your paint job. What Other Tips Can Protect Your Paint? Whether or not you opt for the paint protection package, you can make simple changes as a car owner to protect your paint. You can make a habit of avoiding parking under trees or parking your vehicle in a carport to avoid tree sap and UV rays. Using a car cover can also offer physical protection from the elements, particularly if you don't drive your car often. Some drivers may also consider adding wax paste or liquid that is safe for your existing clear-coat protection. How Else Can Your Local Kia Dealer Help You Preserve Your Car? In addition to the Total Paint and Wheel Protection package, your local dealership can also hook you up with more protection packages. The Term Care Select Package will help protect your car from unexpected occurrences that may damage parts of your vehicle that are not already under warranty. Specifically, this package will apply to mechanical failure for items such as batteries, headlights, brake pads, belts, light bulbs, and windshield wipers. The Term Care Select Platinum Plus protection plan adds additional coverage perks, such as up to $200 per tire or wheel replacement, electrical coverage for fuses, and wheel alignment. The Kia Drive OneCard is a membership plan that provides key replacement, 24-hour roadside assistance, trip interruption, and lockout protection services. Keeping dirt, grime, acid, and other harmful substances off your car is the key to enjoying a new-looking Kia for years. Be sure to ask about car protection plans when you buy a new vehicle at DARCARS Kia of Temple Hills!