We’ve had our 2022 Kia EV6 GT-Line long-term tester for half a 12 months now, and the EV simply went in for its first notable service appointment. Sure, electrical automobiles want service, too.
Kia’s regular upkeep schedule requires service each 12 months or 8,000 miles, whichever comes first. Our tester is shortly approaching the 8,000-mile mark, so we determined to get it in to the native seller. Now, there have been a number of motives for this service. For one, the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005 winter tires we procured for the EV6 simply arrived, and we needed to get them mounted. The one actual motion merchandise Kia suggests at 8,000 miles is to rotate the tires — past this, it’s simply inspection of varied put on bits — so a brand new set of rubber leaves that drawback solved. We’ll report again on the EV6’s winter efficiency with these Blizzaks as soon as Michigan decides to bless us with some snow — it’s been an unseasonably snow-less 12 months to date.
Along with the winter tires, the Kia Entry app lately knowledgeable us of an open recall on our EV6. It’s one we wrote about final 12 months, and it impacts each the EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. The recall states {that a} voltage fluctuation may happen whereas the automobile is off and within the parked place that might in the end end result within the momentary disengagement of the parking mechanism and doubtlessly trigger the automobile to roll away. Our EV6 at all times stayed put when parked, however one software program replace later, and it’s positive to remain that means. So far as recollects go, this one was about as painless a course of as could possibly be, because the seller up to date the automotive’s software program whereas it mounted and balanced the brand new tires.
Past the recall, we had one shock on the dealership. Kia knowledgeable us that EV6s with the premium Meridian sound system are being up to date with an “amp logic enchancment.” After crawling the boards, it seems that quite a few EV6 homeowners have gone to the dealership for the same software program replace. A lot of the complaints from of us on-line focus on an absence of quantity to the rear audio system. In probably the most excessive circumstances, EV6 homeowners have had their amplifiers changed to treatment points with the audio system. We’ve by no means been overly impressed with the Meridian audio system in our EV6, however it by no means exhibited issues sufficient that we needed it inspected by the seller.
Similar to the recall, the amp logic enchancment was a software program replace, and it was utilized after the mounting and balancing of tires was full. Kia goes by way of a collection of exams with the audio system afterwards to make sure the system is functioning correctly, and our automotive obtained a clear invoice of well being. In all, we spent $132 (all going towards the winter tires being mounted and balanced) and a few hours hanging out in our native Kia dealership’s shockingly good buyer ready space. Significantly, it was a nicer ready space than the BMW dealership provided throughout city that we simply obtained again from a short while in the past.
The following upkeep interval is at 16,000 miles, when Kia suggests you substitute the local weather management air filter. To get to the primary main service, you’ll want to attend 4 years, at which level Kia suggests you flush and substitute the brake fluid together with inspecting the discount gear fluid. At this level, we’d usually have one oil change below our belt with a long-term take a look at automotive, with that value being within the $100-$200 vary relying on the automobile. Our EV6 hasn’t value us something greater than what we’d anticipate from swapping onto winter tires, so let’s hope it stays that means for the remaining take a look at time.
