KIA Borrego Reliability by YearBest & worst years, problems & recalls — NHTSA data

I absolutely love my kia borrego and have been trying to find a way to give the car back and end payments on it because I can't afford to put parts on it anymore. I'm on disability and can't seem to find the real issue after thousands of dollars in failed attempts. My transmission has not been shifting and if it does shift, it's sudden and aggressive. It will rev up higher than normal and if you continue holding the gas at all it will jerk you as you are driving. It has nearly caused me to swerve or be hit by anyone following. It feels like someone hits the car from behind very hard. Not only is it scary, it is aggressive and could cause whiplash or harm to my children. On 3 occasions I have been driving and my seat belt has randomly popped off on the driver seat and twice in the passenger seat. It's awful I have to plan where I will park or my route because my car randomly shuts off while driving which is dangerous on the curvy roads where I live and the car mostly doesn't shift at all while driving after all the money I've wasted trying to have it fixed. This car was the best thing that I have ever owned until it became a dangerous, unreliable nightmare.

The contact owns a 2009 Kia Borrego. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the front passenger’s and the front driver’s side seat belts unlatched independently without warning. The contact latched the seat belts, but the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. On another occasion while turning off the vehicle, the contact noticed that the key and the ignition were hot, but no warning light was illumined. The dealer was contacted and stated that there was no recall for the failure. On another occasion, the contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the vehicle shifted into neutral independently without warning. The dealer was contacted and stated there was no recall for the failure. Additionally, while attempting to unlock the driver’s side door, several attempts were needed before the door unlocked. The contact also stated that the failure also occurred while exiting the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 160,000.

After recall for brake light switch was performed at dealership on 7-12-2022 brake light switch sticks causing brake lights to be illuminated randomly. Brake lights stay lit after being parked and may also be lit during operation. This may cause a safety issue if following drivers cannot determine when brakes are applied. Dealership has not rectified this problem. Problem never existed before the recall was performed.

I was driving in traffic with stop light coming up hit my brakes to slow down because of cars in front of me, I had no brakes/ no warning lights on dash. I pumped my brakes and was able to stop before hitting car in front of me. Local shop said master cylinder so I took it to local shop that repairs my car the last few years, they replaced Kia master cylinder, still no brake, replaced Kia brake booster, still no brakes, sent master cylinder back and reordered another new kia one it was put on and no brakes, had it towed to shop in Charlotte NC , no codes reading for problem so they said it must be the module accuator assembly. No mechanic knows what's wrong with my brakes because nothing can relay to their diagnostic machines. I have spent over about 13 hundred dollars so far and there is no way to find out what's wrong other than replace the entire brake system from wheels inward to the brake assembly and up to the booster and master cylinder because the brake assembly is not relaying any codes. I could of been in a bad accident because of my brakes failing.

THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT UNFASTENS WHILE DRIVING AND THE RIGHT REAR AND CENTER SEAT BELTS WILL NOT FASTEN WHETHER DRIVING OR SITTING STILL. THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PROPEL FORWARD FULLY WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS PRESSED TO INCREASE SPEED WHILE IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY.

WHILE DRIVING STEP ON BRAKES TO SLOW AND ALL WARNING LIGHTS RELATED TO BRAKES LITE UP AND CAR SHIFTER WAS STUCK IN DRIVE OR NEUTRAL. THIS HAS HAPPENED MANY TIMES THE LIGHTS COME ON AND OFF . HAD CAR CHECKED AND NOTHING COULD BE FOUND AS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS COME ON. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS THIS CAR IS USED BY WIFE AND CHILDREN DAILY. WITH ALL THINGS CONSIDERED WE HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THAT MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD SIMILAR ISSUES AND INCLUDES ABS MODULE,TRANSMISSION MODULE SPEED SENSOR, OR THE MAIN MODULE WHICH IS TROUBLING WHAT DO WE DO TAKE A GUESS WHAT TO REPLACE. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. AS ALL OF THE PARTS LISTED HAVE A HEAVY PRICE TO HAVE CHANGED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA BORREGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ECU WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE WAS JERKING AND FAILED TO SHIFT GEARS AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DELAND KIA (2322 S. WOODLAND BLVD, DELAND, FL 32720, (386) 734-7800) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ECU MODULE AND STOP LAMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE WAS SIMILAR TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 13V114000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 25,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL, SINCE NEARLY BRAND NEW, WILL NOT RAISE OR LOWER AT TIMES. THIS IS DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY FOR SHORTER DRIVERS. IF THE AIRBAG WERE TO BE DEPLOYED THIS WOULD RESULT IN POSSIBLY FATAL HEAD/NECK INJURIES. THE STEERING WHEEL STAYS IN THE FULLY TILTED POSITION, EVEN WHEN DRIVING.

MY DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT DOES NOT LATCH ALL OF THE TIME. IT WILL POP OFF WHILE DRIVING. THIS SEEMS VERY DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE. I AM ALSO HAVE TROUBLE WITH MY ANTENNA AROUND MY IGNITION SWITCH. IT DOESN'T DETECT MY KEY ALL OF THE TIME WHICH MEANS THAT MY CAR DOES NOT START EVERY TIME I PUT THE KEY IN IT. IT MIGHT TAKE A FEW ATTEMPTS. I JUST PUT ABOUT $5000 INTO THIS CAR OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND WAS HOPING TO BE DONE FOR A LITTLE WHILE. THE TECHNICIANS HAVE SHARED THAT NEITHER OF THESE ISSUES ARE OF MY DOING. THE CAR IS SIMPLY NOT READING MY KEY AND MY SEATBELT IS DEFECTIVE.

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR HOME FROM CHURCH WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT SUDDENLY CAME ON. I HAVE NOT HAD AN ACCIDENT OR ANYTHING, IT JUST CAME ON WITH NO REASON

WHEN I RETURNED TO THE PLACE I LEFT. I STOPPED AND TRIED TO MOVE GEAR SHIFT INTO PARK. IT WOULD NOT GO PAST NEUTRAL. I COULD SHUT OFF ENGINE, BUT KEY WOULD NOT RELEASE FROM IGNITION AND THE ACCESSORY, SUCH AS RADIO AND SOME LIGHTS STAYED ON. I WAS ABLE TO PRESS THE SHIFT LOCK RELEASE BUTTON AND THEN ABLE TO PUT INTO PARK.

MY MOTHER AND I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE 6/27/20 AND IT WAS IN THE AFTERNOON. WELL I DROVE IT HOME AND IN THE WAY HOME THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. AND THE LIGHT FOR THE TIRES. I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT FIRST OF ALL THAT ALL THE TIRES WERE DIFFERENT TIRES. AND ALL DIFFERENT KINDS OF TREADS. BUT THEN THE VEHICLE KEPT GETTING WORSE AND WORSE. THE MORE I DROVE IT THE HARDER IT WAS TO HOLD IN THE ROAD. THEN IT STARTED RAINING. I THOUGHT SERIOUSLY THAT I COULD DIE WITH THIS AS BAD AS IT WAS. AND TO TOP THAT OFF I TRIED TO TURN ON THE WIPERS AND THEY STARTED FALLING ABOUT FROM BEING DRY ROTTED. I WAS SCARED TO DRIVE . FOR MYSELF AND FOR OTHERS. SO THEN I TRIED TO CONTACT THE DEALER AND HIS DAUGHTER ANSWERED THE PHONE AND I ASKED TO TALK TO WHO SHE REFERRED TO AS HER FATHER. AND SHE SAID HE MAY NOT BE IN ALL DAY AND I TOLD HER THAT THERE WAS SERIOUS ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. SHE SAID SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME BACK. I WAITED TILL WHEN THEY ALMOST CLOSE AND NO ONE CALLED . I TRIED TO CALL BACK AND THEY WOULD NOT ANSWER. AT WHICH TIME MY MOTHER GOT ON THE PHONE WITH HER CREDIT CARD PEOPLE AND ASKED THEM TO STOP THE PAYMENT ON THE VEHICLE AND THEY AGREED. AND TOLD US TO MAKE SURE THE VEHICLE GOT BACK UP THERE TO THEM. HONESTLY THAT WAS THE SCARED AS I EVER BEEN DRIVING SOMETHING. BUT I GOT IT BACK TO THEM. IT'S ONLY BEEN THE 3 DAY WHEN ALL THIS UNFOLDED. NOW THEY ARE SAYING THAT THEY ARE GONNA TREAT IT LIKE A REPOSSESSION. AND THREATENING MY 77 YEAR MOTHER. AND THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF THEIR BUSINESS. MY MOTHER TOLD THEM THE VEHICLE WAS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZZARD LEAKING ANTIFREEZE AND IT WAS DANGEROUS TO MY LIFE CAUSE IT WAS A WONDER THAT I DIDN'T GET KILLED THE LITTLE I DROVE IT. SHE DROVE BEHIND ME IN THE VEHICLE ON THE WAY BACK AND SEEN HOW THE VEHICLE WAS ALL OVER THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA BORREGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 72 MPH, THE SUN ROOF GLASS SHATTERED WITHOUT IMPACT. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO KIRBY KIA OF VENTURA (6424 AUTO CENTER DR, VENTURA, CA 93003) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. THE DEALER OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT FILED TWO CLAIMS WITH THE MANUFACTURER THAT WERE DENIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.