10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
69,428 miles

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« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #4

Mar 242013

Rondo 4-cyl

  • 16,500 miles
Our engine blew up- specifically, the crankshaft broke through the 3rd cylinder. Vehicle was serviced by our Kia dealership in the middle of March - oil/filter change and inspection. The next week we left on vacation to Florida for a cruise. Vehicle was stored at a long term storage facility for the week. About 10 hours into our return road trip, we checked the oil level. Car was almost 2 quarts low. We added an additional quart. There is no indication on the dash that anything is wrong with the engine or the oil. We continued on our way. Another 5 hours into our trip, we are driving along with the cruise control set. The engine starts making loud knocking noises, I am unable to disengage the cruise control even though I am frantically pressing the brake. The engine is revving louder and louder until we hear a loud bang and the entire car looses power. We are past our 100,000 mile warranty with Kia. However, there are two factors at play here that can be contributed to the car damage: 1.) the oil was low after only 2-3 weeks after an oil/filter change. I believe the service technician may have some culpability here by not adding enough oil or not tightening a cap, etc. It doesn't make sense that the oil was low. 2.) I recently found out that there was a recall on the brake light for our 2007 Kia Rondo. That it may cause an inability to disengage the cruise control. In addition to my husband, we had another couple in the car with us who can attest to my frantic actions to disengage the cruise control. My online research has shown that Kia had a major problem with blown motors. They no longer make the engine for our vehicle. To fix this vehicle, it would have to be retrofitted with a current motor. This is very expensive. Obviously there is a reason why those motors aren't in production anymore. Why haven't they recalled these engines?

- Lenexa, KS, USA

problem #3

Mar 082013

Rondo 4-cyl

  • 77,000 miles
I was driving my 2007 Kia Rondo at highway speed with the cruise control on when the engine speed revved up dramatically-as if the transmission had disengaged. Stepped on the brakes, cruise disengaged and engine slowed. Around the same time, noticed the ABS and ESC off lights would come on intermittently, stay on, then not come on. At slow speed turns after the car set for a while, the ABS would engage on dry pavement (without light) and car did not slow normally. Went to dealer, who said the issue was a brake light switch, which was replaced and vehicle taken for a test drive. When I picked the car up, both the ABS and ESC off lights were off, but came on within minutes of leaving the lot. Later that night, ABS started acting up again-once without even stepping on the brake pedal. Taking the car back to dealer tomorrow to see what is going on. Only learned of stop light switch recall by web search.

- Taylorville, IL, USA

problem #2

Nov 152012

Rondo

  • 95,500 miles
The engine is faulty if they demand that only oem oil filters can be used otherwise engine will break and warranty will not cover it. My story: My 2007 Kia Rondo: So my check engine light goes on the other day. I take it my Kia dealer and they say it's code 90011 - camshaft positioning sensor error. They tell me that there is a "Kia bulletin" out about non-oem oil filters causing this error and that I should only be using oem filters. So, they change my oil and put on the new oem filter. They then tell me that should fix the problem, but if light comes back on to bring it back in. I left excited the light was off, and then I am not kidding - 1.3 miles later on the freeway home, all hell breaks loose in my engine! it threw a rod and oil spewed out everywhere. So, towed it back. They tell me how sorry they are. I tell them I still have 5K miles left in warranty. They tell me I need to show proof of all oil changes and bring them the receipts. I can only track down 9 oil changes for the last 5 years. I methodically changed the oil every 4K miles, many of them I did myself. Did I think to save the walmart receipts for oil and filters? noper. Long story short, they denied my claim for the following reasons: 1. there is a "Kia bulletin" that came out recently that says I should have only been using oem Kia filters and I did not. 2. I could not produce enough receipts to prove that between self oil changes and otherwise were done every 3K miles. Even if I did get the receipts, they don't sell Kia oem filters at walmart or autozone, big O, etc. So I am left with $7K still owing on a car that needs a $5200 engine. God bless South Korea! P.S.S. when the dealer first change my oil, they said the oil was really quite clean and could tell I take care of the engine!!

- Bountiful, UT, USA

problem #1

Aug 122012

Rondo

  • 108,000 miles
Driving on the highway was about to exit off when my Kia Rondo stopped out of nowhere. The engine just went then I looked back to see if the was any oil that came out and there was oil spilled on the exit ramp.

- Mount Vernon , NY, USA