2009 Kia RONDO problems and owner complaints

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 64,998 miles reported. Look up ODI 10510553 at NHTSA ↗

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 …

Owner-reported narrative. 50,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10523067 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH DURING INCLEMENT CONDITIONS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10594789 at NHTSA ↗

2009 KIA RONDO HAS POWER STEERING AND ALTERNATOR FAILURE DURING RAIN STORMS. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY LOSES POWER STEERING, THE BRAKE AND BATTERY LIGHTS APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD, AND CAR SOMETIMES SHUTS OFF. THE CAR WILL RESTART, BUT MAKES A HIGH-PITCHED SCREECHING NOISE TEMPORARILY. IT SEEMS TO HAPPEN MOSTLY WHEN THE CAR IS TURNING. I HAVE NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT YET, BUT IT WORRIES ME TO DRIVE IT IN THE RAIN (IT EVEN DOES IT SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A PUDDLE). I'VE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON DIFFERENT FORUMS, INCLUDING KIA.COM FORU…

Owner-reported narrative. 92,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10604973 at NHTSA ↗

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 PR…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10289397 at NHTSA ↗

SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP IN NC - IT WAS RAINING AND I DROVER OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER, I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN IN THE PROCESS AND ALL LIGHTS TURNED ON ON DASH - IT SLOWED MY CAR DOWN ALMOST TURNED OFF. AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON (STILL ON). CAR TURNED BACK ON BUT EVERYTIME IT RAINS - I AM AFRAID BECAUSE MY CAR STALLS AND IT STOPS DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF WATER. THIS IS DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF I AM ON THE HIGHWAY. I CALLED THE KIA SHOP AND THEY FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH MY CAR AND I HAVE TO PAY TO GET THE AIRBAG LIGHT FIXED. …

Owner-reported narrative. 87,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10824658 at NHTSA ↗

WHEN IT IS RAINING AND IT SEEM IT ONLY HAPPENS WHEN MY FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE GETS WET FROM PUDDLES IN THE ROADWAY. THE BATTERY LIGHT AND AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON AND THE POWER STEERING GOES OUT. MY CAR DOES NOT STALL AND AFTER PUMPING THE BRAKE SOME TO DRY OUT THE BRAKE THEN THE LIGHTS GO OUT ON THE DASH AND I GET THE POWER STEERING BACK. FROM THIS LIST OF OTHER HAVING THE VERY SAME ISSUE KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS. THIS JUST STARTED WITHIN THE PAST 9 MONTHS AND I HAVE HAD THE CAR SINCE 2010. KIA CAN'T KEEP IGNORING THIS ISSUE.

Owner-reported narrative. 76,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11022875 at NHTSA ↗

MALFUNCTIONING TRANSMISSION SOLENOID THAT THE KIA FACTORY REP TOLD US "WHEN IT FAILS, THE TRANSMISSION WILL GO INTO SAFE MODE AND YOU CAN BRING IT BACK". MY CONCERN IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN (FACTORY REP WORD, NOT MINE) IT FAILS, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN IF MY WIFE IS DOING 65MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. THE SOLENOID EMITS A VERY LOUD BUZZ THAT CAN BE HEARD FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET THAT WAS NOT THERE WHEN WE TEST DROVE THE CAR, AND IT WAS NOT THERE FOR ABOUT THE FIRST THREE WEEKS WE OWNED IT. IT STARTED AS AN OCCASIONAL BUZZ, AND IS NOW THERE AT ALL TIMES …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10289391 at NHTSA ↗

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

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10367762 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED TO PUMP FUEL TO THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER (GRIECO HONDA LOCATED AT 1880 HARTFORD AVE, JOHNSTON, RI 02919; [phone removed]) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FUEL PUMP UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT [phone removed] AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 144,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 144,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11004311 at NHTSA ↗