Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2009 Kia Rondo submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 31 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.
The 25 most recent of 31, in the owner's own words
No compression in cylinder 3 due to oil drainage in spark plug panel caused Loss of motive power and Almost a wreck so to vehicle shutting down on the interstate . As I look I see that this is in investigation already and needs to be took into consideration as soon as possible if our lives really matter to Kia as your customers . So very sad how the engines and fuel systems are on kias
EVERY TIME I GO THROUGH A SMALL PUDDLE I LOSE CONTROL OF STEERING THE VEHICLE. IT HAS HAPPENED BACKING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY NUMEROUS TIMES, LASTS A FEW MINUTES AND THEN I REGAIN CONTROL OF STEERING. FORTUNATELY, IT'S HAPPENED ON MY STREET FOR THE MOST PART. LAST WEEK, SEPTEMBER 16, 2020, I WAS ON A VERY BUSY MAIN ROAD WHEN I WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN INTO A SHOPPING CENTER. I TURNED RIGHT, WENT THROUGH A SMALL PUDDLE, AND LOST CONTROL OF STEERING. FORTUNATELY THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND ME SO I SHIFTED BACKWARDS AND TRIED TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL WITH NO LUCK. I REPEATED GOING BACKWARDS AND AFTER A FEW ATTEMPTS THE STEERING FUNCTION CAME BACK. I'VE HAD THE DRIVE BELT REPLACED SO THAT CAN'T BE THE PROBLEM. I'VE RECENTLY HAD AN ALIGNMENT, TWO NEW TIRES INSTALLED, AND TIRES ROTATED. NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT ANY ISSUES. I TAKE MY VEHICLE TO THE SAME REPAIR SHOP AND HAVE HAD EVERYTHING CHECKED OUT. I KNOW THE VEHICLE IS OTHERWISE FUNCTIONING WELL. I WAS ON-LINE SEARCHING TO SEE IF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO OTHER PEOPLE. THERE ARE NO RECALLS BUT I THINK THIS IS A SERIOUS ENOUGH PROBLEM THAT KIA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND CORRECT.
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.
WHEN IT IS RAINING OR AFTER RAIN IF THERE ARE STILL PUDDLES IN THE ROAD, WHEN THE CAR GOES THROUGH ANY PUDDLES THE STEERING LOCKS UP FOR AT LEAST 45 SECONDS. I HAD MY DAUGHTER LEARNING HOW TO DRIVE AND THIS HAPPENED TO HER. I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT PUTTING MY CHILD AT RISK LIKE THIS ESPECIALLY WITH THE PRICE OF THIS CAR. I'VE HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND IT STILL DOES THIS. MY ESC LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE I GOT THE CAR. SO ANY TIME I HIT THE SMALLEST BUMP OR WHEN TRYING TO STOP ON A BUMPY ROAD OR ON SNOW OR ICE, THE CAR LOCKS UP. THE BRAKES GO OUT AND ITS LIKE EVERYTHING IN THE CAR LOCKS UP FOR A FEW SECONDS. IT IS TERRIFYING ESPECIALLY WHEN TRYING TO STOP AT A LIGHT. I HAVE NEVER IN MY LIFE EXPERIENCED SO MANY ISSUES IN A VEHICLE BEFORE OWNING A KIA RONDO. I HAVE HAD THE WHOLE FRONT END SUSPENSION REPLACED, NEW TIRES AND RIMS AND A MONTH LATER THE CAR IS WOBBLING AGAIN.
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.
SEVERAL TIMES WHEN IN RAINY CONDITIONS THE CAR HAVE LOST THE POWER STEERING, MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE, ENGINE AND BATTERY LIGHTS TURN ON. VERY SCARY AND DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR AT ALL. ONLY OPTION IS TO STOP THE CAR, TURN IT OFF AND WAIT TILL IS OPERATIONAL AGAIN. IT HAPPENED WHILE HITTING PUDDLES OF WATER OR IN HEAVY RAIN. I DID CONTACT KIA ABOUT IT AND THEY ONLY SAID THERE IS NOT A RECALL.
ANY TIME THERE IS WATER ON THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING MY CAR LOSES STEERING AND BRAKING CAPABILITIES. DOESN'T MATER IF IT IS A SMALL PUDDLE OR A LARGE ONE, EVEN IF JUST DAMP ON ROAD. INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS COME ON AND A LOUD SQUEALING NOISE HAPPENS. LIKE THE CAR IS STALLING. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY MECHANIC TO BE LOOKED AT AND THEY SAID THE SHIELD IS IN PLACE AND THIS SHOULDN'T BE HAPPENING THEY PLACED THE BELT TENSIONER AND THE PROBLEM IS STILL HAPPENING. THIS HAS HAPPENED NUMEROUS TIMES.
PASSING THROUGH WATER PUDDLES OR DRIVING IN THE RAIN THE STEERING LOCKS UP. I HAD THE POWER STEERING BELT REPLACED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL EXISTS. I HAD IT LOCK UP WHILE MAKING TURNS. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS.
STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN DRIVING THROUGH A RAIN PUDDLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED 4 TIMES IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS HAS HAPPENED WHILE GOING STRAIGHT AND TURNING.
ON THREE OCCASIONS WITHIN THE PAST TWELVE MONTHS, I HAVE COMPLETELY LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. THE WHEEL BECOMES ALMOST UNMOVABLE (I AM A STRONG, ADULT MALE). ON ONE OF THESE OCCASIONS, THE WEATHER WAS DAMP AND THE ENGINE ALSO STALLED. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO MUSCLE AND COAST THE CAR ONTO THE SHOULDER WHERE I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND DRIVE AWAY. ON THE REMAINING TWO OCCASIONS I WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN THE POWER STEERING CEASED TO WORK. TERRIFYING AND DEADLY. LATEST EVENT WAS MAY 9, 2018.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ENGINE STALLED AND THE POWER STEERING SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND IT RETURNED TO NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.
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.
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.
MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF POWER STEERING CUTS OUT IN WET CONDITIONS WITH BATTERY LIGHT AND ANOTHER LIGHT ILLUMINATING. ONCE THE LIGHTS GO OFF, POWER STEERING IS REGAINED. IT IS MY DAUGHTERS CAR AND NOW WE I DON'T LET HER DRIVE WHEN IT RAINS OR IF IT IS WET OUT. KIA STATES THERE IS NO RECALL OR TSB FOR WHAT I AM EXPERIENCING. HOW IS THIS NOT A SAFETY CONCERN? EACH OCCURRENCE THE CAR HAS TO BE STOPPED AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THIS HAS ALMOST CAUSED A CRASH MULTIPLE TIMES. WHEN MAKING A TURN HAVE TO SLAM ON BREAKS TO THE STOP TO REGAIN HEADING CONTROL.
MULTIPLE TIMES DURING HEAVY RAIN MY CAR WOULD LOOSE POWER STEERING. THE BATTERY AND EMERGENCY BREAK LIGHTS WOULD COME ON. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR (EL CAJON, CA) AND THEY SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. THIS TYPICALLY HAPPENED WHEN TURNING OR DRIVING THROUGH LARGE PUDDLES. STEERING SHAFT WOULD LOCK UP AND ON OCCASION A HIGH PITCHED SQUEALING SOUND COULD BE HEARD. VERY UNSAFE AND VERY SCARY!
2009 KIA RONDO - 115,000 MILES. FOR THE PAST 2-3 MONTHS, THE STEERING LOCKS UP WHEN I GO THROUGH RAIN PUDDLES, FIRST MAKING A LOUD NOISE UNDERNEATH, THEN LOOSING POWER. TWO LIGHTS APPEAR ON THE DASHBOARD. I HAVE FOUND IF I TURN OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER, THE PROBLEM CORRECTS ITSELF. THIS HAS TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE AIR CONDITIONER OR AIR COMPRESSOR. WE JUST WENT THROUGH TROPICAL STORM HERMINE AND THIS WAS A CONSTANT PROBLEM. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BY THE DEALER - SUCH AS A RECALL TO GET THIS FIXED BEFORE THE CAR CRASHES AND I HAVE NO CONTROL.
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. I DON'T THINK I SHOULD PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT I DID NOT BREAK. SINCE I HAVE HAD MY CAR - IT HAS DONE THE ABOVE AT LEAST 4 TIMES AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT IS STILL ON.
LOST POWER STEERING AFTER GOING THROUGH A PUDDLE TODAY DURING A RAINSTORM. I WAS GOING ABOUT 25MPH WHEN I STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN THE ATTEMPT TO TURN RIGHT ONTO A CURVED RIGHT UPHILL. IT LASTED A FEW SECONDS A CHARGER LIGHT WENT ON BUT THAT ALSO LASTED A FEW SECONDS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. UPDATED 1/15/16 *CN
IN OCTOBER 2014, MY CAR LOST POWER STEERING WHEN GOING THROUGH PUDDLES. I GOT THE ALTERNATOR BELT REPLACED AND IT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IN JUNE 2015, IT OCCURRED AGAIN. I TOOK IT TO LOKEY KIA IN CLEARWATER, FL TO FIX THE PROBLEM (ALONG WITH AN AIR BAG ISSUE PROBLEM) AND THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS AN AC COMPRESSOR PROBLEM (THEY DID NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM) AND THE AIR BAG ISSUE WAS DUE TO THE CLOCK SPRING. I DID NOT HAVE IT REPAIRED THAT DAY AND CAME HOME AND REPORTED IT ON THIS WEBSITE. I GOT A CALL FROM KIA CORP. OFFICE OF PRODUCT LIABILITY SAYING THAT THEY CALLED BECAUSE OF MY COMPLAINT HERE. (I ONLY REPORTED THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM HERE, NOT THE AIR BAG ISSUE.) IN THE END, KIA PAID TO HAVE THE AIR BAG PROBLEM FIXED AND NOT THE POWER STEERING CLAIMING THAT THE AIRBAG ISSUE WAS A "SAFETY" ISSUE AND THEY WERE REPAIRING IT FOR FREE IN "GOODWILL." THEY WOULD NOT REPAIR FOR FREE OR REDUCE THE COST OF THE POWER STEERING PROBLEM BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE AND THE PROBLEM I ORIGINALLY REPORTED HERE!! HOW IS LOSING MY POWER STEERING NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE? I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY CAR IN THE RAIN, ESPECIALLY WITH MY GRANDKIDS IN THE CAR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH THROUGH A PUDDLE OF WATER, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A RECURRING FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING BELT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA RONDO. WHENEVER THE VEHICLE DRIVES THROUGH WATER AND HAS A SPLASH, THE BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND THE POWER STEERING FAILS FOR A FEW MINUTES. INITIALLY, THE CONTACT THOUGHT THE FAILURES WERE CAUSED BY HEAVY RAIN AND LARGE BODIES OF WATER; HOWEVER, THEY OCCURRED ANY TIME THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH WATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
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??? *TR
WHEN CONDITIONS ARE WET, POWER STEERING FREEZES UP. DANGEROUS. TOOK TO DEALER, EVERYTHING IS FINE, BUT IT IS STILL DOING IT. WHAT IS THE RESOLUTION? THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL. *JS
EVERY TIME I WENT THROUGH A PUDDLE TODAY THE PARKING BRAKE/BRAKE FLUID LIGHT AND THE CHARGING SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT WOULD COME ON. IT ALSO LOST POWER STEERING WHILE THIS HAPPENED. IT LASTED ONLY A FEW MOMENTS BUT WITH TRAFFIC AND KIDS IN THE BACK, A FEW MOMENTS IS LONG ENOUGH. THIS HAPPENED WITH EVERY PUDDLE AND EVEN ON THE FREEWAY WHEN WATER SPLASHED UNDERNEATH!! *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.
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