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Kia RondoModel year report

2009 Kia Rondo Problems

Complaints
72filed with NHTSA
Median mileage
84,000miles, 55 complaints with mileage
Recalls
2campaigns on record
Trend
FallingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.
NHTSA crash rating
—overall rating starts with 2011 models
EPA fuel economy
22 mpgcombined, 2.4L 4-cyl FWD · 20 city / 27 hwy

Sources: NHTSA records for the 2009 Kia Rondo (complaints, recalls, investigations), NHTSA crash tests, EPA fuel economy. Report an error

What owners report

Owners of the 2009 Kia Rondo most often describe losing power steering, and sometimes braking, when driving through water, puddles or heavy rain, with dashboard warning lights appearing at the same time. A second cluster of complaints concerns a persistent air bag warning light, and owners also report broken seat belt buckles, brake and brake-light switch problems, and occasional fuel and stalling issues. Many of these appear in the sample at moderate to higher mileage, and several owners say the dealer could not reproduce or diagnose the condition.

  1. Steering

    Power steering cuts out in rain or through puddles

    Mentioned in 36 of 60 sampled complaints

    Owners describe the steering wheel suddenly becoming very hard or impossible to turn, often with a loud squeal or grinding noise underneath, followed by warning lights on the dash. It occurs most often when driving through puddles, in heavy rain, or in wet or slushy conditions, and usually clears after a few seconds or after stopping and restarting. Several complaints say the dealer could not reproduce it or found nothing wrong, and some owners report belts, a tensioner or the power steering pump were replaced without solving it; others mention turning off the air conditioner and regaining steering. Reported from roughly 9,000 to 140,000 miles, most often between about 60,000 and 125,000 miles, and almost always in wet conditions.

    What to check: During a test drive, ask whether the car has shown steering loss in rain and check service records for power steering belt, tensioner or pump repairs. A wet-weather drive is the best test if you can arrange one.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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!!!!”

    NHTSA complaint #10579732, filed 2014-04, 84,000 miles

    “Just like the recall of 07-08 Rondo models my air bag light has come on and fails to reset. I believe the recall should be extended. Light came on while car was stationary and started for a trip to the store.no photo the airbag light comes on each time the car is started. There is no airbag error code stored in the computer.”

    NHTSA complaint #10959925, filed 2017-03, 103,000 miles
  2. Air bags

    Air bag warning light stays on

    • 13 complaints (18%)
    • median 84,000 mi at 6.8 yrs old (11 state mileage)
    • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
    • filed 2010–2018

    Owners report the air bag warning light coming on and staying on without any crash or warning, sometimes intermittently at first. Complaints mention dealers replacing the passenger seat sensor, the steering wheel air bag unit and the clock spring, and in some cases the light returned after repair. Some owners were quoted a diagnostic fee just to read the codes, and a few complaints describe air bags not deploying in a collision. Reported from very low mileage up to about 115,000 miles, with many clustered between roughly 80,000 and 100,000 miles.

    What to check: Turn the key and confirm the air bag light goes out after the bulb check, and ask whether any seat sensor, clock spring or air bag module has been replaced.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “My airbag light has come on and I have not been in any accident and I am taking it to to the dealer. Why it should go on I don't know. There has been no reason for this issue to take place. It all happened yesterday, I put my seat belt on and started my car and the airbag light kept go on and off and now is staying on when the car is in drive.”

    NHTSA complaint #10969278, filed 2017-03, 10,000 miles

    “Nothing unordinary happened. However I believe it may have been around the time I had a new battery installed in my car. It went from one day to the next, where all of a sudden the airbag light can on and hasn't gone off since. I've had no accident, no major repair, nothing out of the ordinary. Now, I'm looking to take it to the Kia dealer, who wants to charge me $120 just to get codes and determine why the light is on. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10745912, filed 2015-08, 98,000 miles
  3. Brakes

    Brake and brake-light switch problems, brake shudder

    • 12 complaints (17%)
    • median 120,000 mi at 11.0 yrs old (9 state mileage, few)
    • filed 2014–2023

    Owners report brake light switches and the pedal stopper breaking, which leaves brake lights stuck on, the ESC warning light on, and in one case the shifter able to move out of park without the brake applied. Other complaints describe the steering wheel shaking under braking at highway speed and brakes that feel weak or lock up, sometimes in wet weather. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 150,000 miles.

    Recall 13V1140001 related service bulletin

    What to check: Check that the brake lights go out when the pedal is released and that the shifter will not leave park without the brake, and ask whether the stop lamp switch campaign work was done on this vehicle.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “Complaint: I've had my car a little under 2 years, and I continuously have a problem with the brakes and steering. I've gotten my brakes fixed at least 4-5 times since I had the vehicle. It does not drive or brake correctly when cold but mostly when it's raining or wet outside. I don't know what to do about this issue. I'm afraid of my own vehicle when driving in rain, puddles, etc. Because it doesn't stop with urgency or stay in control when I go over even small puddles. …”

    NHTSA complaint #10943996, filed 2017-01, 125,000 miles

    “Twice in the last two weeks, while driving in the rain, both the power steering and the brakes failed. The steering wheel would not turn at all, no matter how hard I tried. The brakes were completely inoperable. After 5-10 seconds, the power steering and the brakes would work again. The worst incident ocurred while attempting to turn in a busy intersection; thank god no one was hurt. The other incident was in a school crossing zone, while children were walking or bicycling to school. We are afraid to drive the car until it can be repaired.”

    NHTSA complaint #11271169, filed 2019-10, 60,947 miles
  4. Electrical system

    Seat belt buckles break or will not latch

    Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe front and rear seat belt buckles that crack, fall apart or fail to latch, including third-row buckles that come apart completely and a middle-row belt that locks and will not release. Owners say the car cannot be safely occupied in those positions and that the dealer told them replacement was their responsibility. Reported from about 43,000 to 144,000 miles, most often in the 50,000 to 115,000 mile range.

    What to check: Buckle and release every seat belt, including the third row, and inspect the buckle casings for cracks.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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. Kia has told me it's my responsibility. …”

    NHTSA complaint #11209304, filed 2019-05, 140,000 miles

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #10393006, filed 2011-03, 50,000 miles
  5. Fuel system

    Fuel pump, fuel smell or stalling

    Mentioned in 5 of 60 sampled complaints

    Complaints describe a fuel smell inside the car with seepage near the injectors, a fuel pump that stopped delivering fuel without warning, rapid fuel consumption, and stalling when water reaches the fuel intake area. Owners report dealers being unable to find the leak or smell, and one owner was told the vehicle was not covered by a recall. Reported from very low mileage up to about 144,000 miles, spread fairly evenly.

    Recall 08V459000

    What to check: Ask whether the fuel pump recall work was completed, check for a fuel smell around the engine bay after a drive, and ask about any history of hard starting or hesitation.

    2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

    “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.”

    NHTSA complaint #10381157, filed 2011-02, 9,000 miles

    “The gas is being sucked down so fast that I'm only getting 6 miles to a half a tank of gas. This appears to be a common problem with this car and yet Kia says they are unaware of any problems related to this model or year. The mechanics have been unable to find the cause of the problem.”

    NHTSA complaint #10897799, filed 2016-08

Buying note. Ask specifically about power steering behavior in rain and about any air bag or seat belt repairs, since those dominate owner reports for this model year. A wet-weather test drive and a check for completed recall work on the brake light switch and fuel pump will tell you a lot before you buy.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.

NHTSA recorded 72 consumer complaints for the 2009 Kia Rondo. 55 of the complaints include a mileage, and 16% of those were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the median is 84,000 miles. Of all complaints, 5 involved a crash, 5 an injury, according to the filers. NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns and 28 technical service bulletins for this model year.

Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years). Model years 2008–2023 of the same vehicle that have at least 25 complaints are compared, and a model needs at least 3 of them.

Which parts are reported most

Complaints can name more than one part, so the counts add up to more than the total. Select a part to see its complaints, recalls and bulletins.

Also reported: Other or unknown (3), Suspension (3), Vehicle speed control (2), Engine cooling (1), Equipment (1), Forward collision avoidance (1).

Example complaints

Steering: “When I drive in wet conditions, sometimes the steering wheel is inoperable for a few seconds. I've seen many other people say they've experienced the same issues with their vehicle and Kia claims that there's nothing wrong with the vehicle. This is an issue that could cause injury or death. This needs to be addressed and they need to be recalling these vehicles before something very bad happens.”

NHTSA complaint #11343358, filed 2020-08, 93,000 miles

Air bags: “I was on the tollway in the right lane it was raining out a truck on the left side of me lost control hit into me and I ran into the light pole head on none of the air bags deployed I had my seatbelt on.”

NHTSA complaint #10627369, filed 2014-08, 28,000 miles

Brakes: “Any time there is water on the road my car loses steering and braking capabilities. Doesn't mater if it is a small puddle or a large one. Instrument panel lights come on and a loud squealing noise happens. I took the car to be looked at and they said the shield is in place and this shouldn't be happening. I bought the car in 2010 and it started doing this in 2013.”

NHTSA complaint #11030756, filed 2017-10, 65,000 miles

Electrical system: “While driving 30 MPH, through a puddle, the car lost all ability to steer. Power felt as if it shut off for approximately 1 minute. Not the first time this has happened. Can you please investigate or do recall for whatever parts need to be replaced???”

NHTSA complaint #10692564, filed 2015-03, 95,000 miles

Mileage when problems were reported

16% of the 55 complaints with a mileage were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles; the middle half falls between 65,000 and 100,000 miles.

5%0–104%10–257%25–5015%50–7542%75–10025%100–1502%150+
Share of complaints by mileage when the problem was reported, in thousands of miles (55 complaints with mileage). Red bars: under 50,000 miles. Bucket widths differ. Median: 84,000 miles.

Complaints by year filed

Trend: falling. Complaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% lower than in the 3 years before.

’09’11’13’1512’17’19’21’23
Complaints by year the complaint was filed with NHTSA. Red bars: the last 3 full calendar years used for the trend. The current year (2026) is partial.

Crash test ratings

NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2009 Kia Rondo. Frontal results are shown driver / passenger; rollover shows the star rating and NHTSA's estimated risk of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

VersionOverallFrontalSideSide poleRollover
Rondo · sedan FWDnot rated5 / 5———

Ratings before the 2011 model year come from an older, less demanding test and are not comparable with ratings for 2011 and later.

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings), nhtsa.gov/ratings.

Fuel economy and running cost

EPA ratings for each 2009 Kia Rondo version. Annual fuel cost is the EPA's estimate at its current fuel prices for 15,000 miles a year (55% city driving).

VersionEngineTransmissionCityHwyComb.Fuel / yr
Rondo FWD2.4L 4-cyl4-speed automatic202722$3,050
Rondo FWD2.7L 6-cyl5-speed automatic182621$3,200

Source: U.S. EPA and Department of Energy, fueleconomy.gov. Ratings are for comparing vehicles; real-world mileage varies with driving and conditions.

Recalls and investigations

Recall details for the 2009 Kia Rondo → · Check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls

Technical service bulletins

TSBs are manufacturer notes to dealers about known repair procedures. They are not recalls and do not by themselves mean a vehicle has a fault. 28 on record; the latest 10 are shown.

See all 28 bulletins →

Other model years of the Kia Rondo

YearComplaintsMedian miRecallsCrash ★MPGScore (50 = typical)Trend
2010985,4502—22—Not enough data
20097284,0002—22Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
20089769,5003—22Not compared (fewer than 3 comparable model years)Falling
200711768,7503—22Not compared (before 2008)Falling

All Kia Rondo model years · Best and worst years by complaints

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Kia Rondo?

Owners of the 2009 Kia Rondo most often describe losing power steering, and sometimes braking, when driving through water, puddles or heavy rain, with dashboard warning lights appearing at the same time. The issues reported most often: Power steering cuts out in rain or through puddles; Air bag warning light stays on; Brake and brake-light switch problems, brake shudder.

How many NHTSA complaints does the 2009 Kia Rondo have?

NHTSA recorded 72 consumer complaints for the 2009 Kia Rondo as of Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

What part of the 2009 Kia Rondo is reported most often?

Steering is named most often, in 31 complaints (43% of the total), followed by air bags with 14.

Has the 2009 Kia Rondo been recalled?

NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns for this model year. To check a specific vehicle, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2009 Kia Rondo get?

The EPA rates the 2009 Kia Rondo (Rondo, 2.4L 4-cyl) at 22 mpg combined, 20 city and 27 highway, with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,050 at 15,000 miles a year. Other engine and drive versions are rated differently.

At what mileage are problems with the 2009 Kia Rondo reported?

Among the 55 complaints that include a mileage, the median is 84,000 miles and the middle half falls between 65,000 and 100,000 miles; 16% were filed for vehicles with under 50,000 miles.

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 30, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate. Crash ratings are from NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program. Fuel economy is from the EPA and DOE (fueleconomy.gov).

Complaint counts come from NHTSA’s public complaint database; we count each complaint once. The source records for this vehicle are on nhtsa.gov. Scores and trends are our own summaries of that data, described in the methodology. This page is not legal, safety or repair advice: for a specific vehicle, check its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and ask a qualified mechanic. See an error? Tell us.