Kia has an ugly issue that stems back to 2003 and thats the dreaded AC Compressor Clutch Pulley Bearing problem. The Bearings fail prematurely in tons of Kia vehicles with Kia Sorrento’s having this problem as far back as 2003. Its an issue Kia Should have but never fixed when it started revamping its line of cars while still using badly manufactured parts internally while making the rest of the cars sparkle. I am sure the Audi guy that went to KIA is rethinking his involvement with the redesigns now…

I love my 2010  Kia Forte Koup but not the noise this failed bearing makes. It kinda of sounds like a slowly dying cat when I accelerate. This problem started last summer on a trip to NYC area but when I brought my car in somehow the Kia mechanics missed it. I was in for another issue at the time, a contact switch which intermittently disabled my horn… Not good.

Then there were a couple of recalls done for the Forte Koup  and that intermittent switch thing was one of them. I tried to schedule my recalls with an oil change but kept having scheduling issues with Lev Kia in Framingham, MA.

I finally got my car in there and they did the recalls service, changed the oil and then told me that the noise I heard was gonna cost 520.00 to fix. I told them that the noise had been there since last summer, and they declined to agree. Needless to say I wasnt very pleased. I also wasn’t pleased that they put the wrong oil in my car ( I use synthetic ) and when I inquired about a 2nd oid change they said they could wave labor but that I would have to pay for the new oil and filter… Really LEV Kia?

Fear not however. If you google Kia AC Compressor clutch bearing issue you will find a host of cars with this problem as well as how to videos on how to fix the issue there are posts on you tube and kits you can buy on ebay. There are even posts on the Kia Fourms. So help is out there you just need to look for it. 

My dealership LEV KIA has probably the most contentious service staff in all of Kia,  and when I get my Koup fixed it certainly won’t be done by them. 

I have been talking with Sarah primarily with Customer Care and the East regional office of Kia. (in New Jersey)  She was asked to intervene when tweets and inquiries went unanswered at @kia and @kiacustomercare and for calls placed at the Irvine Corporate offices. I also don’t think social media is their Forte either, which is somewhat ironic. 

I am currently searching for a reasonable priced solution and if I find one I will update this posting.