Owner-reported complaints naming the engine system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2008 Kia Rondo submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 16 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
MY VEHICLE REVES UP HIGH WHEN I START IT AND WHEN I'M ON THE HIGHWAY IT WOULD JUST CUT OFF AND THERE'S GAS FUMES I SMELLINSIDE MY KIA, IT ALSO HESITATES WHILE DRIVING.
MY RONDO SPEEDS UP WHILE I'M DRIVING IT ON THE ROAD, AND IT SMELLS OF GAS INSIDE MY RONDO, IT RUNS HIGH WHEN I START IT AND THERE'S A HESITATION BEFORE IT DRIVES.
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. WHEN I REFUEL MY VEHICLE IT HAS DIFFICULTY RESTARTING. OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, IT HAS STARTED TO STALL. LOOKING AT FORUMS I FOUND QUITE A FEW PEOPLE WITH THE SAME "ISSUE" BUT NO SOLUTIONS. I HAVE HAD MY VEHICLE ON A DIAGNOSTIC MACHINE AND IT COMES BACK WITH AN EVAP CODE. THE CODES HAVE BEEN CLEARED BUT COME RIGHT BACK ON. I SEE THE FUEL PUMP HAS BEEN RECALLED, I HAVE HAD MY CAR SINCE THE FALL OF 2009 AND TO MY KNOWLEDGE I HAVEN'T HAD THIS REPAIRED, BUT FOR SOME REASON THIS DOES NOT SHOW UP WHEN I DO THE RECALL SEARCH. HAS IT ALREADY BEEN REPAIRED PRIOR TO MY PURCHASING THE VEHICLE?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RONDO. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING AND SHUT OFF. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. A PASSERBY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE FUEL PUMP OR ALTERNATOR MAY HAVE FAILED. THE PASSERBY BANGED ON THE FUEL TANK A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THE VEHICLE RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED. THE CONTACT RESEARCHED THE FAILURE ONLINE AND FOUND MANY UNKNOWN RECALLS ON OTHER VEHICLES. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CALL THE MANUFACTURER, BUT ALL LINES LED BACK TO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK WITH A LIVE REPRESENTATIVE. THE CONTACT CALLED BILL DODGE KIA (3 SAUNDERS WAY, WESTBROOK, ME 04092, (207) 854-3200) AND THEY INITIALLY HUNG UP ON HER. THEY LATER STATED THAT THEIR WEBSITE WAS DOWN AND PROMISED A CALL BACK. THE CONTACT HAD NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.
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.
DID OIL CHANGE REGULARLY, IT HAS 905908 MILES, WHILE DRIVING OIL LIGHT CAME PULLED OVER, LOOK AND NO OIL STOP , STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND BOUGHT OIL,ADDED OIL TO CAR, THEN MAKING NOISE TO IT TO DEALER AND NEEDS A NEW ENGINE , TOOK CAR HOME , ON WAY OIL LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN LOOK AND NO OIL, DOESN'T LEAK AND NO OIL BURN OUT, BUT MO OIL AGAIN. ADDED OIL JUNKING CAR.
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
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE ENGINE TIMING/ COMPUTER BEING IMPACTED INSTANCE HAPPEN JUNE 19, 2013 CAR FAILED NJ INSPECTION COST TO REPAIR $782.85. *TR
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON ASSOCIATED WITH CVVT ASSEMBLE/TIMING AND THE COMPUTER IN THE ENGINE. *TR
2008 KIA RONDO. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO GASKET/ OIL PAN PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, HE WAS INFORMED THERE WAS A SMALL LEAK IN THE OIL PAN GASKET AND IT WOULD BE CORRECTED DURING THE NEXT SERVICE, SINCE THE OIL HAD ALREADY BEEN CHANGED. DURING THE SERVICE, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OIL PAN WAS POROUS AND BECAUSE THE CONSUMER WAS NOT THE ORIGINAL OWNER, IT WOULD NOT BE CORRECTED AND IT WAS NO LONGER COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.*JB
I WAS AT A RED LIGHT AND THE CAR WAS STARTED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. I DID MENTION THIS ISSUE WHEN I HAD THE NEXT OIL CHANGE AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE TO MY KNOWLEDGE. NO OFFER OR ANY ASSISTANCE WAS REFERRED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE MILEAGE AT THE TIME WAS ABOUT 70,000. THIS INCIDENT HAS OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES, BUT I AM MORE CONCERNED ABOUT THE SPUTTERING NOISE AND A HESITATION WHILE STARTING VEHICLE AFTER REFUELING. THIS COULD ALSO PUT YOU IN DANGER OF BEING STRUCK FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THESE OCCURRENCES ARE WORSE, WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. THESE OCCURRENCES OF REVVING IDLE SPEED, UNEXPECTEDLY, MAY OCCUR ONLY ONCE IN TWO MONTHS OR THEY MAY OCCUR TWO OR THREE TIMES IN ONE WEEK. *TR
AS WARM WEATHER IN KENTUCKY ENDED (2011) WE NOTICED THE AIR NOT BEING COOL. THIS YEAR (2012) WHEN IT BECAME HOT ENOUGH TO TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONER WE RECEIVED NOTHING BUT HOT AIR. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO HAVE RADIATOR FLUSHED AND COOLANT PUT IN. THEN FREON WAS ADDED. THAT'S WHEN THE VERDICT CAME IN AS BEING THE COMPRESSOR WAS NOT WORKING. WHY WOULD THERE BEEN A COMPRESSOR THAT GOES OUT IN A 2008 KIA? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA RONDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ONCE STARTED, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 57,000.
ACCELERATOR IS "DRIVE BY WIRE". THE ENGINE EXPERIENCES HESITATION, WHEN TAKING OFF FROM A STOP, ABOUT 50% OF THE TIME, WHEN THE AC IS ON. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE BEGINS TO ACCELERATE, THEN THE ENGINE DROPS TO IDLE SPEED, EVEN WHEN YOU DEPRESS THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR. THIS CAN CAUSE YOU TO BE STRUCK BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC, WHEN YOU ARE ENTERING A HIGHWAY OR ROADWAY. USUALLY THE VEHICLE WILL THEN TAKE OFF UNEXPECTEDLY SCREECHING THE TIRES, WHEN THIS OCCURS. BUT, SOMETIMES, WHEN IT DOES BEGIN TO ACCELERATE AFTER ONE OF THESE OCCURRENCES, IT WILL VERY SLOWLY BEGIN TO PICK UP SPEED, AS IF IT IS STARVING FOR GAS. THIS COULD ALSO PUT YOU IN DANGER OF BEING STRUCK FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THESE OCCURRENCES ARE WORSE, WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU ARE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP AND PUTTING VERY LITTLE PRESSURE ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THE CAR TAKES OFF ABRUPTLY, SQUEALING THE TIRES AS IF YOU HAD DEPRESSED THE PEDAL TO THE FLOOR SUDDENLY. WHEN THE PAVEMENT IS WET, THIS WILL CAUSE THE TIRES TO SPIN AND THEN THE ENGINE WILL DROP TO AN IDLE, LEAVING YOU SUSCEPTIBLE TO BEING STRUCK FROM ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE DEALER HAS TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE, EVEN AFTER THE "MECHANIC" RODE WITH ME AND SAID HE COULD FEEL IT ACCELERATING IN STEPS. THESE OCCURRENCES OF DROPPING TO IDLE SPEED, UNEXPECTEDLY, MAY OCCUR ONLY ONCE IN TWO MONTHS OR THEY MAY OCCUR TWO OR THREE TIMES IN ONE WEEK. HOTTER OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE SEEMS TO CAUSE THE PROBLEM TO WORSEN. *KB
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
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 NEVER HAD 31 MPG AT ALL AS WELL AS HIGHWAY AVERAGE MPG OF 26. SO I THINK THAT KIA A LOT OVERSTATED THE HIGHWAY MPG. *TR
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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