2009 Kia Rondo problems
NHTSA has received 105 complaints about the 2009 Kia Rondo, and 30% of them involve steering. After that come air bags (13%) and brakes (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 105 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Steering 30% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 5 and 0
- Injuries and deaths
- 5 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 87,000 miles 79 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 5 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 2 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 4 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 18 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 29 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 8 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 10 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Among the 79 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 87,000 miles. For steering specifically, the median reported mileage is about 85,000 miles (27 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 5 complaints mention a crash; 5 injuries reported.
It is also covered by 2 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
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.
My son & his friend were hit on the passenger side by a young man who intentionally ran a red light. He hid my son so hard that our 2009 kia rondo flipped 3 times and not one of the driver side airbags deployed. They did deploy on the passenger side only. The car has since been destroyed by the insurance company, however I still have pictures. I think this should be checked in other rondos so no one else has to endure what my son who was driving did.
Tl* the contact owned a 2009 kia rondo. While driving 40 MPH, the contact crashed into a parked vehicle on the side of the road. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained bruises to the chest and ribs that required medical attention. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot and deemed destroyed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN and failure mileage were not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2009 kia rondo. While driving at an unknown speed, the steering wheel seized without warning. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The failure recurred three times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000. Updated 1/15/16
Drivers side seat belt will not lock when trying to put it on; while stationary and in park. Takes several attempts, and lots of jiggling, to get it to engage. It sometimes comes unhooked when driving down the road. The middle back seat belt is frozen and unusable. When I had a similar problem with my 1989 toyota corolla years back, the dealer told me federal law specified the manufacturer was responsible for replacing seat belts that were failing, even without a recall, for the life of the car.