10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
3 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
56,490 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2008 Kia Rondo engine problems

engine problem

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2008 Kia Rondo Owner Comments

problem #11

Jun 102020

Rondo

  • 187,025 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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.

- Euclid, OH, USA

problem #10

Aug 162020

Rondo

  • miles
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.

- Euclid, OH, USA

problem #9

Aug 132015

Rondo

  • 65,000 miles
While starting the car, the car suddenly accelerates. This has happened multiple times, lucky no one has been injured. Also sometimes, the vehicle stalls, steering doesnt move, brakes are jammed. Once I shut the car and restart again, it sometime work normally.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #8

Mar 182015

Rondo

  • 8,900 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I was pulling into driveway when I started to back up to straighten myself up so that I could pull straight up into the driveway. And when I took my foot off the pedal, the pedal was stuck causing me to accelerate at about 60mph. My car went over a tree stump resulting in me crashing into the neighbors house. While this was happening, the brakes would not properly work.

- Hazel Crest, IL, USA

problem #7

Dec 062013

Rondo 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 63,500 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Rondo. The contact stated that while entering a parking space, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a power cable unit. The front passenger suffered injuries to the right hand. A police report was filed of the incident. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for further inspection of the acceleration failure. The failure and current mileage was 63,500. Updated 01/09/14 updated 03/05/14

- Charlotte , NC, USA

problem #6

Jun 012010

Rondo

  • 13,378 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Rondo. The contact stated that when braking to a stop, the vehicle would surge forward without warning. The contact stated that he had to shift into park for the vehicle to completely stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis however, they were unable to diagnose or duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 13,378. The current mileage was approximately 41,131.

- Bexley, OH, USA

problem #5

Jun 132012

Rondo 6-cyl

  • 87,289 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The brake lights on my 2008 Kia Rondo have not been working consistently. I have been told by several individuals who were driving behind me in the past few days that my brake lights are "out". however, they did work when I checked at one point after the warning and then another driver told me the same thing. I replaced the lights and now they do not work at all. I have checked the fuses and the fuses have not blown. I have seen a "recall" for an earlier year Kia. The same thing is happening to my Kia. My Kia should be included in the "recall". this could cause a serious crash. I have no idea if the lights will work or not. Right now, they do not. Kia has too, too many problems with its vehicles to even argue against my point. This is far from the only dangerous issue that I have with my Kia. At this point, I am simply fed up. I called Kia motors and spoke to a customer service representative and asked how to make a formal complaint because I received two "voluntary service campaign" notices; one for the air bag and one for the rear cross-member of the car. I am facing problem after problem with this car. The other issues are surging of the car without pressing on the gas and even while pressing on the brake and the air conditioner failing right after the warranty ended. Kia needs to be reprimanded and forced to fix these cars. Additionally, it is a serious conflict of interest to have Kia customer service employees responsible for sending notifications of problems with Kia cars to the nhsta. Who oversees that this is done honestly by the car companies?

- New Albany, OH, USA

problem #4

Oct 112011

Rondo

  • 65,100 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Rondo. The contact stated that the stomp lamp switch malfunctioned and and as a result, none of the brake lights illuminated. In addition, the cruise control function would not disengage when activated and the ESC off warning light illuminated remained illuminated. The dealer inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the stomp lamp switch malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. No repairs were performed. The current mileage was 65,200. The approximate failure mileage was 65,100.

- Kissimmee, FL, USA

problem #3

May 112009

Rondo 6-cyl

  • 2,000 miles
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.

- Roanoke, VA, USA

problem #2

Dec 122010

Rondo 4-cyl

  • 69,000 miles
There were things leading up to the incident that I was not aware of as a problem as the ESC light would go on, but then it would turn off and I was always told that I don't have a problem with anything unless the light goes on and stays on, so I never had it checked. The other night as I was driving down the road I had my 2008 Kia Rondo in cruise control. When I needed to break, the car slowed down a little, but the automatic cruise control continued to accelerate my car. The practice of applying the break did not turn off the cruise control and I continued to accelerate. Only when I hit the cancel button on the column did the cruise control turn off. When I got to the location I needed to go to I could only get the car to go from drive into neutral. It would not go back into park and let me take the keys out of the car. When I went back home this stopped and everything went back to normal. Upon calling the dealership with what was going on, they asked if I ever had the break switch replaced. I said no. They said it sounded like that was what it was, but if it were under recall, I would have gotten a notice. They said they would take care of it anyway. I looked and saw that the 2007 Rondo had a recall with the exact same thing my car has been experiencing. When I got to the dealership I was told that because I now had 69,000 miles on my car, that they would have to charge me to replace the switch. But, had I gone in before 60,000 they are just replacing them automatically in all Rondo vehicles. It feels to me that they are trying to get around another recall, but trying to make money on those of us who drive long distances at work and are now having problems.

- Broadalbin, NY, USA

problem #1

May 192010

Rondo

  • 60,200 miles
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Rondo. While driving at approximately 35 mph approaching a traffic light, the contact engaged the brakes but the vehicle did not slow down. The vehicle continued to accelerate. The contact stated she engaged the brakes harder and crashed into the vehicle in front and that vehicle continued to move forward. No police report was filed the vehicle. The contact stated the failure occurred previously before and the dealer adjusted the throttle. The vehicle had not been repaired for this failure. The failure and current mileage were approximately 60,200.

- Bidwell, OH, USA

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