Problems · by component
2009 Kia Rondo steering problems
31 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2009 Kia Rondo cite steering, 43% of all 72 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
31
43% of all complaints
Crashes
1
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the steering
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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…”
“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.”
Showing 6 of 31 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 28, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.