Seeking Advice on Troubleshooting 2017 Kia Optima: Black Smoke, Flickering Check Engine Light, Power Drop, and Fuel Efficiency Issues

Hey! I dealt with something strikingly similar with my 2015 Kia Sorento. My level of car expertise would probably fall into the some experience category, so take my input with a pinch of salt. The symptoms you're describing seem like they might be related to the engine control unit, rather than just the charge air temp sensor. When I had these issues, my vehicle just wasn't running right - black smoke and everything. I took it to my trusted workshop and they found out the Evaluation Electronics (engine control unit) was defective. This was causing all the erratic behavior and impairing the performance. To get it fixed, it cost me about 1000 Euro. It wasn't cheap, but it sure as hell beat seeing black smoke puffing out my tailpipe! What's your engine size, by the way? The fix might vary depending on that. And are there any additional issues you've noticed? This would help me to share a few more details and guide you better. Cheers!

Hey there! Appreciate your suggestions truly helpful. The engine size on my Optima is 2.4L. As far as I have noticed, the issues are pretty much what I listed. No extra probs to tack on luckily. Also, I got the last service done very recently at around 45900 KM, so I'm kinda surprised to see these issues cropping up already. But I guess I'll have it checked out for the engine control unit. Sounds like it's time to have a chat with my mechanic, you're really a lifesaver! I'll update once I get more info from the workshop. Cheers for the advice!

No worries happy to help! Your 2.4L's a solid engine, so it's a bit of a surprise it's giving you grief so soon after a service. Since you've recently done the service, I'd definitely recommend speaking with the service center or your mechanic about these issues in detail. It's better not to ignore these signals as they might turn into costlier repairs in the long run. And keep in mind, it might not just be the control unit - your trouble could be caused by a combination of things. But based on your symptoms, the ECU is a good place to start. Waiting to hear about what your workshop finds. Hopefully, it's nothing too serious or costly! Meanwhile, if you need any more advice, feel free to ask. We're in this together, after all! Cheers!

Hey, seriously can't thank you enough. It’s really great to have someone to consult with who can understand these car matters and give solid advice grounded in experience. I'm absolutely going to talk to my service center about this. I completely agree, better to catch these things early to avoid a heftier bill down the line. I'll definitely keep you posted on what the workshop find and might take you up on your offer for more advice. Yes, we're definitely in this together, feels good to know that! Cheers!