← New search

2009 Kia Rondo

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2009 Kia Rondo do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 72.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

55 reports with mileage · 17 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Steering. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 10 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

What owners actually said

72 reports
84,000 miles · Apr 14, 2014
Steering

EVERYTIME IT RAINS OR I GO OVER A PUDDLE MY POWER STEERING LOCKS UP ON ME AND I CANT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE READ SO MANY STORIES OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER RONDOS LIKE MINE.. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED YET??? I ALMOST GET IN A WRECK EVERYTIME IT RAINS!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY THAT IT HAS NOT HAD A RECALL YET!!!! …

Read full complaint

EVERYTIME IT RAINS OR I GO OVER A PUDDLE MY POWER STEERING LOCKS UP ON ME AND I CANT MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE READ SO MANY STORIES OF THIS HAPPENING TO OTHER RONDOS LIKE MINE.. WHY HAS THIS NOT BEEN RECALLED YET??? I ALMOST GET IN A WRECK EVERYTIME IT RAINS!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY CRAZY THAT IT HAS NOT HAD A RECALL YET!!!! *JS

NHTSA ODI #10579732

50,000 miles · Jul 3, 2013
SteeringCrash

THIS STARTED ON 10/2012, AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING WHENEVER I TRIED TO DRIVE IN RAIN SINCE. IVE HAD TO WAIT TO TRY TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG BECAUSE I COULDNT AFFORD TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT . IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE AND I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO THE STORE AND WENT TO TURN THE CORNER AND THERE WAS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE STEERI…

Read full complaint

THIS STARTED ON 10/2012, AND HAS BEEN HAPPENING WHENEVER I TRIED TO DRIVE IN RAIN SINCE. IVE HAD TO WAIT TO TRY TO SEE WHAT IS WRONG BECAUSE I COULDNT AFFORD TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT . IT WAS RAINING OUTSIDE AND I LEFT MY HOME TO GO TO THE STORE AND WENT TO TURN THE CORNER AND THERE WAS A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE STEERING WHEEL FROZE, JUST COMPLETELY SEIZED ON ME AND I DROVE RIGHT INTO THE CURB OPPOSITE THE ROAD. I HAD A CHILD IN THE CAR WITH ME AND IT WAS TERRIFYING! NOW, I CANNOT DRIVE AT ALL IN THE RAIN OR EVEN IF THERE'S PUDDLES ON THE ROAD! I SEE THAT THERE'S OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME ISSUE, EVEN SOME HAVING WRECKS ON THE FREEWAY! WHY ISNT THIS A RECALL ISSUE!? IT IS HURRICANE SEASON HERE, AND ITS BEEN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DEALER WITH ALL THE RAIN EVERY DAY, NOR DO THEY ALLOW YOU TO JUST DROP OFF YOUR CAR AND LEAVE IT UNLESS ITS TOWED IN WHICH I CANNOT DO. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY OWN CAR AND DONT HAVE A LOT OF MONEY TO FIX IT SINCE IM ON DISABILITY. PLEASE HELP *TR

NHTSA ODI #10523067

64,998 miles · May 3, 2013
Equipment Adaptive/mobilityPower TrainSteering

IN JANUARY 2013 MY CARE BEGAN TO MAKE A WHINNING NOISE. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF DUE TO MY CARE ONLY BEING FOUR YEARS OLD. I THEN PAID $650 FOR PARTS AFTER I LEARNED THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (MY CAR WAS OVER 60,000 MILES). MY MECHANIC THEN STATED T…

Read full complaint

IN JANUARY 2013 MY CARE BEGAN TO MAKE A WHINNING NOISE. I TOOK MY CAR TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATED THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF DUE TO MY CARE ONLY BEING FOUR YEARS OLD. I THEN PAID $650 FOR PARTS AFTER I LEARNED THIS WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY (MY CAR WAS OVER 60,000 MILES). MY MECHANIC THEN STATED THAT HE HAD SEEN SEVERAL CARS WITH THE SAME MAKE/ MODEL WITH THE SAME ISSUE & THAT FROM HIS EXPERTISE THIS WAS GOING TO BE A DOMINO EFFECT OF PROBLEMS. HE ADV ME TO TAKE THE CARE TO KIA DEALERSHIP TO SEE IF THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO DO MORE DUE TO THE CAR WAS ONLY FOUR YEARS YOUNG. SO I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP IN CONORD, CA & THEY ADV ME THAT THE AIR COMPRESSOR WAS THE ISSUE GAVE ME AN ESTIMATE OF $1400 TO REPAIR. PARTS EMPLOYEE STATED THAT THERE WHERE NO RECALLS OR PROBLEMS WITH ANY OTHER CARS OTHER THAN MINE SO FAR (AFTER I ASKED HAS THIS EVER BEEN RECALLED). KIA PARTS EMPLOYEE ADV ME TO CALL AROUND TO GET THE PARTS ESTIMATES AFTER I TOLD HIM $1400 WAS TOO MUCH TO PAY FOR A CAR THAT KIA SHOULD HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR. I CALLED AROUND FOR PARTS & WAS ADV THAT BASED UPON THE AGE OF MY CAR THIS PAR SHOULD STILL BE WORKING. I FILED A COMPLAINT WITH KIA BASED OUT OF SACRAMENTO & WAS TOLD THEY WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS ALOT OF PEOPLE CAME TOGETHER TO FILE A LAW SUIT. NEEDLESS TO SAY RIGHT NOW I'M AT LOSS OF WORDS WITH KIA AS A COMPANY, THEIR LACK OF EMPATHY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY I WOULD NEVER ADV ANYONE TO PURCHASE A KIA & I NEED TO BE REIMBURSED AS I'M CURRENTLY MAKING MONTHLY PAYMENTS IN ADDITION TO PAYING FOR REPAIRS ON THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10510553

72,000 miles · Aug 20, 2012
Engine And Engine Cooling

AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM - THE AC CLUCH HAS BEEN WINING AND WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED AT 72,000. IT IS NOW OUT OF WARRENTY 60,000/5 YEARS. $715 TO REBUILD CLUTCH OR $1100 FOR NEW AC COMPRESSOR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10471510

77,000 miles · Feb 20, 2012
Electronic Stability Control (esc)Exterior LightingPower Train

THIS MODEL CAR HAS AT LEAST THREE HEADLIGHTS. I HAVE REPLACED THE MAIN HEADLIGHTS NOW 4 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 - 7 MONTHS. NOW THE TRANSMISSION HAS LOCKED UP MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PUT THE CAR INTO PARK OR PAST NEUTRAL. THE ESC OFF LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN OBSERVED ON THE 2007 MODEL OF THIS CAR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10448553

50,000 miles · Mar 27, 2011
Seat Belts

2009 KIA RONDO LX - 2 BROKEN SEAT BELT BUCKLES IN BACK SEAT - THE SEAT BELT CASING ON DRIVER SIDE BACK SEAT COMPLETELY CAME OFF; THE MIDDLE SEAT BELT BUCKLE CASING IS CRACKED AND INOPERABLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10393006

9,000 miles · Feb 8, 2011
Fuel System, Gasoline

FUEL SMELL IN VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, FUEL SEEPAGE FROM INJECTORS ONTO THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MULTIPLE DEALERS BUT THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. THE DEALERS COULD NOT FIND A LEAK OR SMELL ANY GAS FUMES. AS OF TODAY, VEHICLE STILL HAS THE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10381157

Mileage unknown · Nov 24, 2010
Power Train

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION JERKS/LUNGES WHEN IT SHIFTS AT SPEEDS LESS THAN 50 KM/HR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10367762

14,000 miles · Aug 31, 2010
Air BagsCrashInjury

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AN OPPOSING VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND SIDE REAR BUMPER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE LEVEL OF FORCE INVOLVED IN THE CRASH. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT AND REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND SUFFER…

Read full complaint

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AN OPPOSING VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND SIDE REAR BUMPER. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY WITH THE LEVEL OF FORCE INVOLVED IN THE CRASH. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANT AND REAR PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND SUFFERED FROM WHIPLASH. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

NHTSA ODI #10353023

Mileage unknown · Oct 22, 2009
Electrical System

WATER/MUD GETS INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT DURING HEAVY RAIN. A DAY AFTER DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN, I OPENED THE HOOD, AND THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COVERED WITH A LAYER OF MUD. THIS INCLUDED THE ENGINE, WIRING, AND MOST ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. I HAVE NEVER, IN 37 YEARS AND NEARLY ONE MILLION MILES OF D…

Read full complaint

WATER/MUD GETS INTO ENGINE COMPARTMENT DURING HEAVY RAIN. A DAY AFTER DRIVING IN HEAVY RAIN, I OPENED THE HOOD, AND THE RIGHT (PASSENGER) SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS COVERED WITH A LAYER OF MUD. THIS INCLUDED THE ENGINE, WIRING, AND MOST ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. I HAVE NEVER, IN 37 YEARS AND NEARLY ONE MILLION MILES OF DRIVING, HAD THIS SORT OF INTRUSION INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF ANY VEHICLE I HAVE OWNED. OUR FEAR IS NOT ONLY THE POSSIBILITY OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, BUT OF THE SLOW FAILURE OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, CAUSING SERIOUS PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FIRE, IN THE FUTURE. THE KIA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME TO TALK TO THE FACTORY REP, WHICH I DID ON OR ABOUT 7/30/09. THE REPS REPLY WAS A STANDARD 'DON'T WORRY ABOUT'. HE SAID ALL SHIELDS WHERE IN PLACE, AND HE WOULD HAVE THE SERVICE DEPT CLEAN IT UP FOR ME AND APPLY A HEAVY COAT OF SILICONE SPRAY TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I SEE THIS AS A BAND-AID TO A POTENTIALLY SERIOUS FIRE PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10289397

Official recalls

2

13V114000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Apr 1, 2013

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

08V459000 · Fuel System, Gasoline:storage

Sep 11, 2008

KIA IS RECALLING 6,680 MY 2008-2009 RONDO LX AND EX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.4 LITER ENGINE. THE FUEL PUMP MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY RESULTING IN NOT ENOUGH FUEL GETTING TO THE ENGINE. POOR ENGINE STARTING, ENGINE HESITATION, AND OTHER IMPAIRMENT MAY RESULT, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: UNUSUALLY SEVERE IMPAIRMENT WHILE DRIVING COULD EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP SUB-ASSEMBLY WITH AN IMPROVED PART. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

DP22003 · Loss Of Motive Power

Opened Sep 12, 2022 · Closed Dec 12, 2023

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021. The Petitioners cited examples of complaints indicating that the subject vehicles were experiencing rapid loss of engine oil due to oil drain plug back outs, resulting in loss of motive power and/or catastrophic engine damage. Additional complaints were provided which alleged that the oil drain pans lack sufficient structural integrity and are susceptible to cracking. The petition itself can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI number 11481745. On September 12, 2022, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Defect Petition (DP22-003) to evaluate the Petitioners’ request. The Petitioners have provided additional complaints within four supplemental letters dated January 31, 2023, March 21, 2023, May 23, 2023, and August 4, 2023. ODI’s evaluation included the review and analysis of the complaints and supporting information submitted by the Petitioners, as well as additional complaints submitted directly to NHTSA which referenced either the oil drain plug or a crack in the oil pan. After reviewing the available data, ODI has not identified evidence that would support opening a defect investigation into the oil drain pan assemblies of the subject vehicles. Based on a review of the available information, a loss of motive power resulting from an oil drain plug back out has not occurred between the initial sale of a vehicle and the completion of its first oil change. If during an oil change service, a technician fails to remove the existing drain plug gasket before installing a new gasket, it is likely that a proper seal between the drain plug and the oil pan will not be made. An improper seal between the drain plug and oil pan could lead to the backing out on the drain plug, resulting in the sudden loss of oil while driving. Additionally, the provided examples of oil pan cracks were localized to the immediate vicinity of the oil drain plug and/or appeared to be the result of direct-contact with a tool during servicing.  There is no information to support that a vehicle-based defect exists relating to the oil pan assembly, and instead the documented incidents are related to the failure to follow the proper maintenance procedures during oil change service. In October 2023, Hyundai published a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) that provided detailed instructions for oil change service on its gasoline powered vehicles, specifically highlighting the need to remove and replace the existing drain plug gasket prior to reinstalling the drain plug. After a thorough review of the material submitted by the petitioner, the information already in NHTSA's possession, and the potential risks to motor vehicle safety implicated by the petitioners' allegations, NHTSA does not believe that a formal investigation is warranted. Therefore, the petition is denied. A Federal Register Notice (FRN) further detailing NHTSA’s reasons for denial of the petition will be published. The reference numbers for the complaints to NHTSA cited by the petitioner can be found in the petition submission documents in the public file for DP22-003. To review those complaints and the additional complaints ODI added to its evaluation which are cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.