. What causes grinding o r unusual noises from the starter when starting the Kia Stonic, especially after long use?

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. What causes grinding o r unusual noises from the starter when starting the Kia Stonic, especially after long use?

Some Stonic drivers hear grinding noises, o r feel that starting is rough starter drive doesn’t engage smoothly o r gear teeth are noisy. Could this be due to wear in the starter’s pinion gear, misalignment with the flywheel ring gear, o r damage to the flywheel itself? Are there known parts quality issues OEM vs aftermarket that make this worse, particularly under Pakistani road/heat/dust conditions?

Talha Kyanii asked on 20 Sep 2025 16:39:04 pm

1 Answer

21 views |

Gari Master - on 20 Sep 2025 16:43:25 pm

What owners report / what is known:

In Lahore and other hot cities, many Stonic owners say that while driving in heavy traffic with AC, the temperature gauge rises higher than normal. Once on the highway, the temperature s back to safer levels.
Gari

The issue seems worse when ambient temperatures exceed ~40‑45°C.
Gari
+1

Although coolant level is often fine and no visible leaks are present, the trouble appears when airflow is low traffic and AC load is high.
Gari
+1

Likely causes:

The radiator fan o r its relay may not be engaging properly o r may be underpowered, so in traffic where the car is not moving quickly the fan has to do more of the work. If it’s weak o r the relay is faulty, cooling s off.
Gari

Radiator / AC condenser blockage from dust, dirt, insects etc., restricting airflow to the radiator and reducing cooling efficiency.
Gari

A thermostat that opens late o r gets stuck, which delays the flow of coolant when the engine is hot.
Gari

Use of low quality o r diluted coolant which cannot take heat as well under high load. Coolant boiling o r inefficiency lowers capacity to dissipate heat.
Gari
+1

What to do / remedies:

Test/verify radiator fan action in idle traffic does it turn on at the correct temperature?.

Clean/pressure‑wash radiator and condenser fins front grill to remove blockage.

Replace thermostat if suspect if it doesn’t open properly.

Use good quality coolant, with right coolant‑to‑water ratio as per Kia’s spec.

Regular inspections especially before the hot season, every ~20,000‑30,000 km, as owners suggest.