2008 Kia RONDO: complaints, problems and recalls

MY WIFE AND I RECENTLY BOUGHT A BRAND NEW KIA RONDO WITH 18 MILES ON IT. WE PAID CASH FOR THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO AVOID EXPENSIVE INTEREST PAYMENTS. WHILE DRIVING THE CAR HOME FOR THE FIRST TIME MY WIFE NOTICED THAT THE WINDOWS MAKE A WHISTLING NOISE LIKE THE WINDOW IS CRACKED OPEN. ANY TIME THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN OVER 30 MPH THE NOISE CAN BE HEARD. THE VERY NEXT DAY MY WIFE MADE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE DEALERSHIP COULDN'T TELL WHAT WAS WRONG WITH IT SO THEY OPENED A CASE WITH KIA. AFTER 3 MONTHS OF GOING BACK AND FORTH WI…

Owner-reported narrative. 18 miles reported. Look up ODI 10240188 at NHTSA ↗

THE CAR VIBRATES AND MAKES LOUD NOISE WHEN ROLLING DOWN ANY OF THE REAR WINDOWS. *TR ,

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250242 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2008 KIA RONDO LX (V6) WHICH HAS AROUND 6300MILES. I AM THE FIRST OWNER AND DROVE IT FOR THE LAST 6 MONTHS. EVEN EPA FUEL ECONOMY ESTIMATES ARE 18 MPG (CITY : 14 TO 22 MPG) AND 26 MPG (HIGHWAY: 21 TO 31 MPG) AT THE WINDOW STICKER, THEY WERE NOT REALISTIC. I DO NOT COMPLAIN ON CITY MPG AND IT IS 19-20 MPG IN AVERAGE BUT IN HIGHWAY MPG, IT WAS VERY DISAPPOINTING. I HAD SEVERAL TRAVELS WHICH TAKE 2 HOURS AT THE SPEED OF 65-70 MPG. EVERY TIME, IT WAS 21-22 MPG IN AVERAGE. THE BEST ONE WITH 65 MPH USING CRUISE CONTROL WAS 23.2MPG. I HAVE NE…

Owner-reported narrative. 6,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10261468 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RONDO LX. THE TRANSMISSION IS STALLING AND GRINDING THE GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER APPROXIMATELY SIX TIMES. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED SINCE THERE MONTHS AGO WHICH IS WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE KIA MANUFACTURER SENT A LETTER TO THE DEALER TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION AND THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE IT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150.

Owner-reported narrative. 150 miles reported. Look up ODI 10266630 at NHTSA ↗

I TOOK MY 2008 RONDO IN TO STEVEN KIA ON 4/10/2009 BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON. THEY STILL HAVE NOT FIXED MY CAR AND IT HAS BEEN IN THEIR SHOP FOR OVER 60 DAYS. THEY SAY THE ENGINE HAS DEFECTIVE PARTS. I WANT TO KNOW IF KIA WILL GIVE ME A CAR THAT IS NOT DEFECTIVE OR RETURN MY PURCHASE COST. IF THIS CAR IS DEFECTIVE THEN I WANT TO GET ANOTHER CAR. I BOUGHT IT FOR MY DAUGHTER AND I NO LONGER TRUST THAT SHE WILL BE DRIVING A SAFE VEHICLE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 17,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274051 at NHTSA ↗

HEADLIGHTS SHINE AT A SHORT ANGLE DOWN TO THE ROAD WITH A DISTINCT HORIZON LINE CAUSING A VERY SHORT VISIBILITY DISTANCE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. THE ISSUE IS NOT AS BAD IN CITY DRIVING WHERE THERE IS AMBIENT LIGHT OR STREET LIGHTS, BUT IN THE COUNTRY, IT IS DANGEROUS WITH HILLS, CURVES, AND CREATURES OF THE NIGHT. DRIVING WITH LIGHTS ON HIGH-BEAM HELPS, BUT INTERFERES WITH VISIBILITY OF ON-COMING DRIVERS. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10278052 at NHTSA ↗

SEVERE VIBRATION AND SHAKING FELT IN STEERING WHEEL AND SEAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED OVER 50 MPH. DEALERSHIP HAS BALANCED WHEELS, RESURFACED ROTORS, WORKED ON BRAKES, AND IS STILL UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 20 miles reported. Look up ODI 10278076 at NHTSA ↗

AIRBAG AND PASSENGER SEATBELT WARNING LIGHTS REMAIN ON AT ALL TIMES. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE SEVERAL TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE ONLY A MINOR NUISANCE, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT WHEN THE LIGHT IS ON, THE AIRBAG IS INOPERABLE AND WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN AN ACCIDENT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 10,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10278081 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-09-11 (September 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: 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.

Reported: 2012-01-17 (January 17, 2012)

KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JANUARY 29, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 KIA RONDO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM (SRS) MAY BECOME DAMAGED THROUGH USAGE OVER TIME. IF THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY BECOMES DAMAGED, THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT WILL EXPERIENCE A HIGH RESISTANCE CONDITION POTENTIALLY CAUSING THE DRIVER'S AIR BAG TO NOT DEPLOY.

Consequence: IF THE CLOCK SPRING DEVELOPS HIGH RESISTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.

Remedy: KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Reported: 2013-04-01 (April 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: 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.