Kia Carnival - loss of power up hill

SSWEILEM

MEMBER
2003 KIA CARNIVAL
6 CYL
2WD
AUTOMATIC
105,000 MILES

Hello,

My 2003 Kia Carnival really struggles to go uphill. The minivan seems to run really well other than when we go uphill. If I start going uphill with the car at a full stop, the car really struggles depending on the size of the hill. For really steep hills the car cannot make it up. If I go up the hill with the car already in motion, it seems to drive just fine.

Thank you for all your help.

7 Replies

KHLOW2008

MECHANIC
41,815 POSTS

Have you ensured the transmission is in the correct gear when starting from a stopped position? A transmission fault can cause that.

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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 AT 11:17 AM

SSWEILEM

MEMBER
4 POSTS

Thanks for the reply khlow2008, I did put the gear into first gear and tried to go up the hill, but the car would just lag. By putting the gear into first, is that ensuring that the transmission is really in first gear?

Thanks again.

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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 AT 11:57 AM

KHLOW2008

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Yes, when shifting to 1, it would be in first gear but if the trans is in limp mode, it would most likely be in 3rd.

Have you tried to retrieve for trouble codes?

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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 AT 12:22 PM

SSWEILEM

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4 POSTS

I think you may be right about putting the car in first gear, but it going into the 3rd. Sorry for the ignorance, but retrieve the trouble codes is what? Is that the device that they attach to the engine or CPU that shows what issues are within the car?

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Tuesday, May 17th, 2011 AT 3:00 PM

KHLOW2008

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Yes, that is what I meant. The engine/transmission computer would store trouble codes within if any error had been detected and a scan tool would be able to retrieve the trouble codes and understand what had gone wrong.