Kia Optima Forums banner

Creaking roof - day three?!

6K views 24 replies 14 participants last post by  williamhood 
#1 ·
I've read much about the creaking panoramic roofs. i finally grew tired of this and took the car in to have it fixed under warranty. It has been three days. Is this the typical time it takes? I called this after noon, and they told me another day or two?!

Anyone have any insight to this?

Chris
 
#6 ·
Mine creaks EVERYTIME i pull out of our driveway... annoying but it's a lot a glass. One the things I am growing tired of with this car. It's just a lot of moving parts and let's "firm" than steel.
 
#7 ·
For those with the noise - do you go up or down driveways with your car diagonally? Like to avoid scraping?

I noticed on my car, when I go up/down driveways straight where both wheels hit the bump at the same time, there is no creaking. But, when I go diagonally, and just one wheel hits first, lifting the car up by that one wheel seems to flex the roof and make a creak noise etc.

I just wonder if the issue gets way worse for those with, say, lowered suspension that always hit any bump at a diagonal and tweak the frame/pano roof each time when the first wheel lifts the whole front of the car from the side like that?
 
#9 ·
yep, in and out at an angle to avoid scraping, it's the twist that doing it for sure.
 
#10 ·
I've owned two EXs with Pano roofs. The 2011 never creaked at all, but my 2013 was bad. I creaked badly with the glass closed, open and tilted.

I had to explain how others had gotten theirs fixed when I dropped it off because they had never dropped a headliner to fix one before. A few hours later they called me said that they dropped the headliner and the bolts were loose. They said it was done and it was 1000% better.

Since then, the tilting class has developed some very mild creaking, but only when it's closed. I just tilt the roof open or turn the radio on and I don't notice it. I haven't had time to see if they can adjust it. Thankfully it's not the whole assembly again. That was horrible.
 
#13 ·
She's back after 5 days in the shop. They put about 20 hours into the car they claim. I am rather certain they pulled the headliner twice as they seemed to indicate that they test dove the car after the third day and the creaking was still there. Numerous calls to KIA tech support, etc. It no longer creaks, but they told me they do not know how long this will stay that way! What? So, I am happy for now. I am with DINO2K, this is the first and last KIA I will own. Mileage is terrible, and I am considering suing KIA if they do not make good to me. I am around 15-20% below stated MPG. Now that they have settled with the feds, they need to step up to us owners.
 
#15 ·
I don't know that blaming KIA entirely for pure physics is entirely their fault. As I bet the non-pano roof Optimas don't creak the same as they shouldn't without all the joints/panels that are part of that roof. MPG, that's another story...
 
#16 ·
CWoptima11 -How can one not blame KIA? It is their design. Cars over come physics the moment you get into them, from opening the door to stepping on the accelerator. This is a design flaw. They just landed a washing machine on a comet moving at 34,000 miles per hour. This must be easier than that!
 
#17 ·
How much did said "washing machine" cost? You and I didn't purchase a high ticket vehicle.
Did it creak on day one? nope....

Btw the washing machine is only "standing" on 2 of it's 3 legs.... ;)
 
#18 ·
At first the dealer replaced my headliners and after a month the creaking sound came back and brought it back to them and they put some grease in it, they told me it needs some grease time to time...
 
#20 ·
This is my second KO with panoramic sunroof and I have nev er heard a creek . As for MPG they all tell white lies and are tested in perfect lab conditions . I am currently experiencing a very cold stretch of weather and with the heat and electric seat and steering wheel heaters on my MPG has tanked .I also live where i am constantly in hilly conditions . >You are going to sue try a class action if you can find an ambulance chaser who end up getting most of the money if they win.
 
#23 ·
My issue is this regarding the headliner/pano creak. If I spend 30k or 90k on a car you don't put in features that are subpar or lead to occupant discomfort. If the pano was not right they should have held off on using it. Panos are not new to the automotive industry, and being so, they should be pretty much perfect from the factory.

As far as the mileage, it is big to me, and probably others. I look at this stuff when I buy a car. Had I known I was not going toe average the stated MPG I would not have purchased the car. Perhaps i am older than most on this forum, but I purchased the Kia base upon manufacturer promises - good MPG in this case. They have now admitted to and paid fines stating they over stated the MPG. They should be held responsible to the consumer as well as the carbon credits they needed to offset for the government for a ten of $100M. Imagine going to your doctor and he says well I did my best, but your insurance only paid me X, but Frank's insurance paid me Y,s o he received a better outcome. Crazy!

Chris
 
#24 ·
This is a classic case of YRMV and it crosses all brands, even with Toyota and Honda (to a lesser extent). Oftentimes it worse with the "fine German engineered automobiles" and surly worse with a "beautifully designed (poorly executed) British SUV".

I have owned 2 EXs with Panos and closing in on 120k miles between them. The fist one never creaked during the 65k miles I owned it and the second one started creaking after 5-6k miles. They took care of the problem and I have no complaints with my car since then. I'm not saying the Optima (or my 2008 Sonata, my wife's 2008 Sonata, or her 2012 Elantra, or 2007 Santa Fee) are perfect cars, they have been no worse than the many Toyota's I've owned and way better than the, 00 Nissan Maxima, 04 Subaru Forester, and 02 Land Rover Freelander we have owned.

Both of my Optimas have exceeded MPG estimates. My wife's Elantra has been hitting the estimates for the most part and she is receiving a rebate from Hyundai for overstated MPGs. If you can't get the close to the estimated MPG while driving under optimal conditions, then I would press KIA to help resolve the issue.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I too have the creaking Pano-roof and just live with it. It seems worse with the sun shade open and when its very, very cold out. Doesn't really bother me too much or I'd have it looked at.

FWIW: My Optima after being fully broken in got ~33MPG running at 65MPH to 70MPH, in ECO mode and AC on using cruise control with three adults and their luggage between TN and Myrtle Beach. That was my average to/from and I carefully measured it using the classic method (miles driven/gallons in) and NOT the car computer (which was ~2MPG higher). That was with the OEM stock tires at that time. Now with the much higher rolling resistance FireHawk tires, I'd likely get 1-2MPG less than that on a similar trip. Now as a daily driver to/from work (40 miles round trip) on back roads (not highway speeds) but with some stop-n-go traffic, I average ~23MPG.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top