Most common 2008 Kia Rondo problems
Share of the 97 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Rondo complaints by model year
Best Rondo years: 2010, 2009. Years to avoid: 2007, 2008. Compare all years →
2008 Kia Rondo recalls (3)
Exterior lighting › Brake lights › Switch
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.
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.
Air bags › Frontal
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.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage
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.
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.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Kia Rondo:
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 spanning Model Years (MY) 2005-2021.
What 2008 Kia Rondo owners say
Fuel & propulsion system all 22 →
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Kia Rondo. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle suddenly stopped moving and shut off. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. A passerby inspected the vehicle and stated that the fuel pump or alternator May have failed. The passerby banged on the fuel tank a couple of times and the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was driven to the contact's home and was then towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel pump failed. The contact researched the failure online and found many unknown recalls on other vehicles. The contact attempted to call the manufacturer, but all lines LED back to roadside assistance; therefore, the contact was unable to speak with a live representative. The contact called bill Dodge Kia (3 saunders way, westbrook, me 04092, [phone]) and they initially hung up on her. …
My check engine light is on. When I refuel my vehicle it has difficulty restarting. Over the course of the last couple months, it has started to stall. Looking at forums I found quite a few people with the same "issue" but no solutions. I have had my vehicle on a diagnostic machine and it comes back with an EVAP code. The codes have been cleared but come right back on. I see the fuel pump has been recalled, I have had my car since the fall of 2009 and to my knowledge I haven't had this repaired, but for some reason this does not show up when I do the recall search. Has it already been repaired prior to my purchasing the vehicle?
Air bags
Brought my car to Kia dealership upon re-call 6/2012 to replace clock spring assembly. 12/28/2015 - brought car to same Kia dealership and found that the clock spring assembly had to be replaced again since the air bag light continues to stay on. Called Kia same day to let them know that the assembly had to be replaced and that they should be responsible for payment. They stated that it was not under warranty and since the dealership replaced the original assembly during the re-call, I would have to pay the cost for the defective assembly that was replaced during re-call with the newly installed assembly on 12/29/2015. I believe it is the Kia corporations responsibility to absorb payment for the defective clock spring assembly that controls deployment of the driver side air bag. I will have to pay $271.00 plus tax in order for the dealership to release my car. …
I was involved in 2 separate vehicle collisions in my 2008 Kia Rondo on 2 separate occasions. I was sitting in the stopped vehicle when another vehicle crashed into the passenger's side door/rear of the vehicle. The second vehicle was traveling at an unknown speed upon impact. The air bags failed to deploy on both occasions. As a result, I sustained neck and back injuries. The vehicle was drivable and not towed, but driven to a dealer/private mechanic. The failure could not be replicated. The air bags were not repaired or recalled at time of either incident/accident. The air bag light illuminated after first accident and was on at time of second accident. The dealer/manufacturer was contacted about this issue and I was advised there was no air bag recall at this time. The vehicle was repaired for structural damages caused by the accident. …
Engine & cooling
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Kia Rondo. While driving at an unknown speed, the vehicle suddenly stopped moving and shut off. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. A passerby inspected the vehicle and stated that the fuel pump or alternator May have failed. The passerby banged on the fuel tank a couple of times and the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was driven to the contact's home and was then towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the fuel pump failed. The contact researched the failure online and found many unknown recalls on other vehicles. The contact attempted to call the manufacturer, but all lines LED back to roadside assistance; therefore, the contact was unable to speak with a live representative. The contact called bill Dodge Kia (3 saunders way, westbrook, me 04092, [phone]) and they initially hung up on her. …
During an inspection of the undercarriage on my Kia, an auto mechanic informed me that my oil pan had rusted through and engine oil was seeping through the metal. The cost of parts and labor for a replacement is approximately $250. The service manager of the auto repair garage stated that in his experience this was not an uncommon problem with some Kia and Hyundai models. In my opinion, this is a major manufacturing defect. That is, the metal used to manufacture a critical part on the engine (mine is 2.4 liter/4 cylinder) is defective either in composition or gauge. I've owned vehicles for over 40 years and, prior to this, I've never heard of an oil pan rusting through. As background, I purchased this vehicle new. I'm retired and I do not drive regularly (no commute). …
2008 Kia Rondo engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.4L 4-cyl | 4-speed automatic | FWD | 19 / 26 / 22 |
| 2.7L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | FWD | 18 / 26 / 21 |
EPA ratings. Class: Wagon.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Kia Rondo a good car?
Based on 97 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Rondo rates use caution: 1.5× as many complaints as a typical year of the Rondo at the same age. It is one of the Rondo years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Kia Rondo?
The fuel & propulsion system — 22 complaints, 23% of all complaints for this model year, most often about storage. Next are the air bags (18) and engine & cooling (16).
How many recalls does the 2008 Kia Rondo have?
There are 3 recalls for the 2008 Kia Rondo, the most recent from April 1, 2013 (switch). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Rondo?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2010 and 2009. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2007 and 2008. See the full Kia Rondo years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Kia Rondo problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 70,000 miles; 26% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.