The 2008 Kia Rondo has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns affecting an estimated 1,132,812 vehicles. Recall repairs are always free at any authorized dealer. Owners have filed 139 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the air bags. Last updated July 5, 2026.
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled…
Consequence
Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional…
Remedy
Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
AIR BAGS12V0140002012-01-17145,755 affected
Defect
KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JANUARY 29, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 KIA RONDO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, THROUGH MARCH 21, 2008. THE CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY FOR THE DRIVER'S…
Consequence
IF THE CLOCK SPRING DEVELOPS HIGH RESISTANCE, IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE DRIVERS AIR BAG WILL NOT DEPLOY AND WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PROPERLY PROTECT THE DRIVER, INCREASING THE RISK OF INJURIES.
Remedy
KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.
KIA IS RECALLING 6,680 MY 2008-2009 RONDO LX AND EX VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A 2.4 LITER ENGINE. THE FUEL PUMP MAY NOT OPERATE PROPERLY RESULTING IN NOT ENOUGH FUEL GETTING TO THE ENGINE. POOR ENGINE STARTING, ENGINE HESITATION, AND OTHER IMPAIRMENT MAY RESULT, AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT MAY ILLUMINATE.
Consequence
UNUSUALLY SEVERE IMPAIRMENT WHILE DRIVING COULD EXPOSE THE DRIVER TO THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FUEL PUMP SUB-ASSEMBLY WITH AN IMPROVED PART. THE RECALL BEGAN ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Complaints by component
AIR BAGS
18
8crashes9injuries
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
16
ENGINE
11
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
11
3crashes1injuries
STEERING
8
1crashes
SUSPENSION
8
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
2crashes
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
6
1injuries
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE
5
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
4
Total complaints139
What owners report
Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal
information removed.
“The contact owns a 2008 kia rondo. The contact stated that while driving approximately 24 mph, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop immediately as intended. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic…”
“After hearing a popping in my front end for two days I took my car into my mechanic. He took a look at it and said he’d never seen anything like it before. My stabilizer bar had completely ripped apart from my subframe. He said the metal was as thin as a few pieces of paper and there was rust.…”
“After hearing a popping in my front end for two days I took my car into my mechanic. He took a look at it and said he’d never seen anything like it before. My stabilizer bar had completely ripped apart from my subframe. He said the metal was as thin as a few pieces of paper and there was rust.…”
“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 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 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 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 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.”
Defect investigations
InvestigationDP22003 Opened 2022-09-12 · closed 2023-12-12
Loss of Motive Power
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter dated July 13, 2022, petitioning the Agency to initiate a safety defect investigation into loss of motive power allegations attributed to oil drain pan assembly failures on certain Hyundai Motor America, Inc. and Kia America, Inc. vehicles…
Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL,
FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2008 Kia Rondo as of
July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page
contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.