Recalls: Kia BD Cerato
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Kia BD Cerato
2018-19 Kia BD Cerato: tow bar wiring harness
In December 2019, recall campaign A00028 was issued for Kia BD Cerato vehicles that were fitted with a tow bar trailer wiring harness and available for sale from 27 December 2018 to 9 December 2019. Due to incorrect wiring, all lights on the trailer could become inoperative when the ignition was off, including the hazard and brake lights. If the hazard or brake lights became inoperative, other road users may not see the stopped vehicle – this increased the risk of a collision and injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. To fix, the trailer wiring harness was to be repaired. For further information, please see PRA 2019/18024.
2022 Kia BD Cerato: label may be missing from vehicle jack
In July 2022, recall campaign 221077 was issued for 2022 Kia BD Cerato vehicles. In these vehicles, the label with the required safety information and instructions may not have been affixed to the vehicle jack as required. This could result in inappropriate use of the vehicle jack and, in such circumstances, the raised vehicle could fall off the jack – this posed a risk of serious injury or death to persons in the area. Due to the missing label, the supplied jack may not comply with the mandatory standard for vehicle jacks, AS/NZS 2693:2007. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005472.
2020-22 Kia BD Cerato 2.0 MPI: piston rings and potential engine failure
In July 2025, recall campaign 251031 was issued for 2020-22 Kia BD Cerato vehicles with 2.0-litre multi-point injected (MPI) petrol engines. In some of these vehicles, the piston rings may not meet manufacturing specifications, and this could cause engine damage. In turn, this could cause engine damage, the vehicle to stall and/or engine oil to leak. These conditions increased the risk of a collision and vehicle fire, also increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants and other road users. For the recalled vehicles, the engine was to be inspected and, if damaged, replaced. During the inspection, an Engine Control Unit (ECU) software update was also to be applied as an additional data monitoring tool to detect early signs of engine failure. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-006395.
Problems and faults: Kia BD Cerato
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
Problems and faults: Kia BD Cerato
2018-23 Kia BD Cerato GT with 1.6-litre Gamma II GDI Turbo engine: oil consumption and piston slap
For 2018-23 Kia BD Cerato GT vehicles with 1.6-litre “Gamma II” GDI Turbo petrol engines, there have been reports of:
- excessive oil consumption, i.e. more than 1 litre per 1000 km; and
- loud “knocking” or “tapping” noises from the engine, especially when cold (i.e. piston slap).
These symptoms were typically caused by cylinder bore scoring, where manufacturing defects enabled the piston skirts to rub against the cylinder walls, causing damage, increased clearances and oil to bypass the piston rings and enter the combustion chamber. If the engine lost oil pressure, it could seize.
To fix, the engine needed to either be rebuilt or have the cylinder block replaced. To verify this condition, Hyundai dealers require an oil consumption test where the dealer would seal the dipstick and monitor the oil level over 1,000 kilometres. Owners of these vehicles are encouraged to regularly check their oil levels.
Johnson Winter Slattery has initiated a class action against Kia in respect of these engines. See https://www.kiaiengineclassaction.com.au/ for details.
2019-24 Kia BD Cerato GT: shuddering or jerky gearchanges
Kia BD Cerato GT vehicles are fitted with a seven-speed dry dual-clutch transmission. For these vehicles, owners may experience “shuddering”, jerky gear changes or a significant delay in power deliver when accelerating from rest or crawling in traffic. In stop-start traffic, “creeping” (i.e. letting the car roll forward without applying the accelerator) causes the clutches in the DCT to slip and generate excessive heat. Over time, this leads to the glazing of the clutch plates or premature wear of the actuator. For software-related problems, Kia dealers could perform a “clutch relearn” or update the transmission control logic. But for physical wear, the clutch pack or actuator may need to be replaced. Owners are advised not to drive the Kia Cerato GT as though it has an automatic transmission, i.e. avoid “creeping” and having clean “take-offs” to minimise clutch slip.
2018-24 Kia BD Cerato: touchscreen delamination and failure
The touchscreens in Kia BD Cerato vehicles may delaminate – this can be seen from “bubbles” or a peeling appearance under the glass. This can cause “ghost touching” where the screen acts as if it’s being pressed, or the touch function to fail completely. This was caused by the adhesive which was used to bond the screen layers braking down when exposed to high temperatures and humidity – common conditions for cars parked outdoors in Australia. If the vehicle was within its seven-year warranty, a Kia dealer could replace the entire head unit or the screen assembly. If the vehicle is out of warranty, some owners seek specialist repairers who can just replace the digitizer layer (i.e. the adhesive layer) which is cheaper than a full factory replacement.
