2008 Kia Rondo Body & structure Problems

After hearing a popping in my front end for two days I took my car into my mechanic. He took a look at it and said he’d never seen anything like it before. My stabilizer bar had completely ripped apart from my subframe. He said the metal was as thin as a few pieces of paper and there was rust. He contacted Kia to see if there were any campaigns on my car and there was one for an anti corrosion coating that was not applied. I took my car to my local Kia dealership and they were not interested in helping and said they couldn’t even look at it for diagnosis for at least a month and even then didn’t know if they would cover it. I am 38 weeks pregnant and have two small children and my mechanic said it was a major safety issue to drive it as is. I contacted Kia corporate and they informed me that it would be covered but I would have to get it diagnosed at a dealership first or pay for it out of pocket. I’ve contacted every dealership within two hours of me and they have all said they can’t help or haven’t gotten back to me. Kia says they can’t be of more help because each dealership is independently owned.

NHTSA ID

11543589

Incident

Sep 4, 2023

TAKATA RECALL-THE AIRBAGS ARE NOT WORKING FOR PASSENGER. THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS DO NOT WORK FOR THE WINDOWS. AND ONE MORE THING. THE HANDLES TO OPEN THE DOORS ARE MADE OF PLASTIC AND EASILY BREAK, SO YOU CAN NO LONGER OPEN THE DOORS.

NHTSA ID

11184614

Incident

Sep 7, 2016

Mileage

75,000 mi

STEERING SYSTEM HAS EXPERIENCED A THUMPING GRIND ON REVERSE TURNS WHEN STEERING WHEEL IS FULLY ENGAGED. REPAIRED MULTIPLE TIMES BY LUBING STOPS. BRAKE CALIPERS DO NOT ENGAGE PROPERLY AND HAVE BEEN REPLACED NUMEROUS TIMES. AIR CONDITIONING DRAIN LINE IS LOCATED DIRECTLY ABOVE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE CRADLE MOUNTING EXCESS CONDENSATION HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH THE CRADLE AND BROKEN APART. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 65,000 MILES.

NHTSA ID

11110886

Incident

Jul 11, 2018

Mileage

65,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RONDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S DOOR FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KIA DULUTH (1701 W MICHIGAN ST #2, DULUTH, MN 55806), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. IN ADDITION, THE REAR PASSENGER DOOR FAILED TO OPEN FROM INSIDE OR OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURES. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11092458

Incident

Jan 31, 2018

Mileage

50,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RONDO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH IN THE RAIN, THE STEERING LOST POWER WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED AFTER THE WATER DRAINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPLASH GUARDS WERE NOT KEEPING THE WATER OFF THE BELTS. THE MECHANIC FURTHER DIAGNOSED THAT THE SPLASH GUARDS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,000.

NHTSA ID

10839566

Incident

Feb 28, 2016

Mileage

108,000 mi

DURING AN INSPECTION OF THE UNDERCARRIAGE ON MY KIA, AN AUTO MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT MY OIL PAN HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND ENGINE OIL WAS SEEPING THROUGH THE METAL. THE COST OF PARTS AND LABOR FOR A REPLACEMENT IS APPROXIMATELY $250. THE SERVICE MANAGER OF THE AUTO REPAIR GARAGE STATED THAT IN HIS EXPERIENCE THIS WAS NOT AN UNCOMMON PROBLEM WITH SOME KIA AND HYUNDAI MODELS. IN MY OPINION, THIS IS A MAJOR MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THAT IS, THE METAL USED TO MANUFACTURE A CRITICAL PART ON THE ENGINE (MINE IS 2.4 LITER/4 CYLINDER) IS DEFECTIVE EITHER IN COMPOSITION OR GAUGE. I'VE OWNED VEHICLES FOR OVER 40 YEARS AND, PRIOR TO THIS, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF AN OIL PAN RUSTING THROUGH. AS BACKGROUND, I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE NEW. I'M RETIRED AND I DO NOT DRIVE REGULARLY (NO COMMUTE). ALTHOUGH I LIVE IN MAINE WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED LIBERALLY ON ROADS, I HAVE AVOIDED DRIVING IN WINTER STORMS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10670090

Incident

Jan 3, 2015

Mileage

99,600 mi

BOTH REAR DOOR HANDLES PART BROKE AND HAD NO WAY OF GETTING IN OR OUT. IT'S THE PART INSIDE THE DOOR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10648539

Incident

Oct 10, 2014

Mileage

61,000 mi

KIA; THERE IS A STRONG CONCERN ABOUT THE DOOR LATCH RELEASE INSIDE THE DOORS THAT IS MADE OF PLASTIC AND I THINK COULD BE CHANGED TO A PULL SYSTEM TO OPEN THE DOORS, I HAVE 2 OF THEM THAT HAVE NOT WORKED SINCE LAST JULY 2012 AND I HAD ONE THAT THE CHILD LOCK WAS ON AND YOU COULD NOT OPEN THE DOOR FROM EITHER SIDE AND IF THE PERSON HAD TO GET OUT BECAUSE OF A FIRE OR FLOODING YOU COULD NOT GET OUT. I NOW HAVE TO ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW TO OPEN THE DOOR OR REACH THROUGH THE FRONT DOORS TO OPEN THEM. I THINK THE HEAT IS THE PROBLEM WHEN THE SUN BAKES THE CAR DOOR AND IF SOME ONE TRIES TO OPEN THE LOCKED DOOR IT TWISTS THE RELEASE INSIDE THE DOOR AND THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, THIS HAS HAPPENED TO BOTH OF THE REAR PASSENGER DOORS. THEY ARE STILL NOT FIXED BECAUSE I DON'T HAVE A BOOK ON THE VEHICLE BECAUSE THEY DON'T SELL THEM AND CAN'T AFFORD TO TAKE IT IN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10610149

Incident

Jul 10, 2012

Mileage

95,423 mi

HUSBAND DRIVING , CAR STOPPED SUDDENLY, HE HIT BRAKES , BRAKES FAILED, AND REAR ENDED CAR IN FRONT, WHO THEN HIT CAR IN FRONT, WHO THEN HIT CAR IN FRONT. 1 OR 2 PEOPLE INJURED AND WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL. WE ARE SORE, BUT WILL SURVIVE. WAS RECALL ON PART THAT WAS REPLACED ,FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH. SWITCH WAS REPLACED IN SEPT. 2013 AND ACCIDENT WAS 11-12-13. HAD MECHANIC CHECKED AND CODES C1513 AND C1616 CAME UP. HAVE BEEN TOLD THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED BRAKE FAILURE. CONCERNED THAT A PART THAT WAS REPLACED ONE MONTH BEFORE ACCIDENT, HAD FAILED AGAIN. PEOPLE WILL BE INJURED OR WORSE KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. BEEN SPEAKING TO MAN IN CANADA VIA INTERNET, WHO HAS EXACT SAME VEHICLE, SAME YEAR, SAME MAKE, WHO ALSO HAD BRAKE FAILURE. SPOKE WITH KIA, THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE OTHERS ARE INJURED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10586635

Incident

Nov 12, 2013

Mileage

33,122 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10250242

Incident

Nov 28, 2008

Mileage

32,000 mi

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 WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND KIA THEY TOLD US THAT THE NOISE WASN'T A DEFECT BUT PART A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE MODEL AND THAT IT IS NOT A SUBSTANTIAL IMPAIRMENT TO THE VALUE, SAFETY, OR USE. THE BROCHURE ON THE RONDO CLAIMS THAT THE RONDO "IS EQUIPPED WITH A RANGE OF STRUCTURAL AND TECHNOLOGICAL REFINEMENTS THAT REDUCE CABIN NOISE AND ROAD VIBRATION TO DELIVER A QUIET RIDE." I CAN HEAR THE WIND NOISE OVER THE RADIO. NEEDLESS TO SAY MY WIFE AND I ARE VERY UPSET. MY WIFE HATES THE CAR THAT WE BOUGHT FOR HER TO DRIVE. WE ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE THEY CAN'T DETERMINE WHAT IS CAUSING THE NOISE. WE ALSO HAVE TWO CHILDREN UNDER TWO AND THE RECENT LINK BETWEEN AUTISM AND WHITE NOISE MAKES US FEARFUL OF PLACING THEM IN THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10240188

Incident

Jun 16, 2008

Mileage

18 mi