CarComplaints.com Notes: Well, that didn't work. After one unsuccessful year of Borrego sales in the USA Kia ditched the SUV and replaced it two years later with the 2nd-generation 2011 Sorrento.

2.8

hardly worth mentioning
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
52,693 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.

2009 Kia Borrego drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

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2009 Kia Borrego Owner Comments

problem #11

Mar 012012

Borrego

  • 25,000 miles

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

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.

- New Smyrna Beach, FL, USA

problem #10

Mar 022021

Borrego

  • 136,350 miles
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.

- Deptford, NJ, USA

problem #9

Jul 302020

Borrego

  • 85,000 miles
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.

- Mt. Pleasant, SC, USA

problem #8

Feb 012019

Borrego

  • 68,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2009 Kia Borrego. While the vehicle was parked in a parking lot, the contact was unable to shift into reverse. The contact was able to shift into drive and drove to his residence. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed to evergreen Kia (located at 9205 S western ave, Chicago, il 60643, (800) 211-3116) where it was diagnosed that the ABS module and crankshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure continued. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 68,000.

- Evergreen Park, IL, USA

problem #7

May 252019

Borrego

  • miles
The transmission gets stuck in 4th gear and won't shift out of 4th gear you have to slam the gear shift into a gear for it to respond. Have to disconnect the battery and let the computer reset for it to start acting right. This problem has been going on for 2 days and gets aggravating.

- Fayetteville, GA, USA

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problem #6

Jun 012018

Borrego

  • 108,000 miles
While sitting in my car with the key in the ignition listening to the radio it would start up. It would start up in park and it would start up and neutral and it sounds like the starter armature is engaging and won't stop and gauging in neutral and stop I don't have to be in the vehicle for it to start all on its own why does start on its own it very easily can you be bumped into drive and take off down the road if I leave it in neutral or park now it sounds horrible and it sounds like you're trying to start the vehicle when it's already running so the only way for me to get the off and going now is to start the vehicle in neutral bye just sitting there soon as you start side drop it into drive and I hit the road never seems to happen while in gear but it always happens now in park and neutral. On top of that it has a code for a bank sensor in the second bank B bank or whatever and it is retarded and advanced in timing. The timing seems to be erratic and all the sensors have been replaced and it is not possible to get it smogged this year because the check engine light doesn't go off due to the timing I'm guessing. While in drive it seems to want to jump if I put it in neutral it's okay and doesn't jump until something happens and then the starter kicks on.

- Manteca, CA, USA

problem #5

Jul 022016

Borrego

  • miles

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

When letting car warm up for a couple of minutes. Put into reverse the Kia jerks hard so you pull out put into drive rpms go up but but car not moving. The put a rebuilt transmission in but still have problems with the same issue. Kia did an update, but still doing the same thing. But Kia wants me to pay a diagnostic free and told them it doesn't happen all the time. It's very dangerest not shifting and no power. Complained to vandevere Kia and paying a fee again stating they couldn't find anything.

- Akron, OH, USA

problem #4

Dec 032016

Borrego

  • 14,000 miles
After starting the car then moving the shifter in to drive. As I get the shifter in the reverse position going to drive.. the car jerks forward like I have my foot on the gas.. it is very startling. Goes in reverse fine.. but when I move onto it drive it starts to move slow and rpms go up but it's moving forward.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

problem #3

Aug 222016

Borrego

  • 96,270 miles
This past Tuesday, August 23, 2016, the transmission shifting became erratic, in particular, and among other issues, holding on to 3rd gear and refusing to up shift or down shift properly. There were a few times in which when accelerating from a stand-still ' a stop light and/or 4-way-stop intersection, for example ' the vehicle would not shift up from 1st gear or would start on 3rd gear and would not down shift down to 2nd nor up shift to 4th. Bizarre and dangerous to say the least, as it was a stop-and-go traffic situation. On two other occasions, while driving at over 35 mph or so, the engine would shift very abruptly from 3rd to 4th gear, and then would down shift back to 3rd gear. The second time this happened I pulled to the side of the road to shut down the car. I did not know what to so after five minutes or so I restarted the vehicle and headed home. Upon extensive research, I have found that this is a well-known issue, documented by many Kia Borrego V8 owners, and one that has not been classified as a recall, even though it seems to be a defective component issue and it has led to many unsafe and dangerous driving situations. I have found many complaints on this particular Kia Borrego V8 model throughout Kia owners' forums and even on the NHTSA website. I also found online the Kia technical service bulletin 035 [rev1, 3/7/11], which documents the issue to a T. I have since written an extensive letter to Kia, explaining the problem and giving them reference links. Hopefully they take action and the ideal thing would be to classify this issue as a recall and have Kia replace the defective part and pick up the tab. It is maddening that a known issue with what seems to be a *defective* component is overlooked and customers are left hanging with a ridiculously expensive tab. Please see attached tsb.

- Chicago, IL, USA

problem #2

Feb 052016

Borrego

  • 29,000 miles
The contact owns a 2009 Kia Borrego. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 mph, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to accelerate as all of the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was shifted into the park position and when the contact attempted to shift the vehicle back to the drive position the vehicle failed to shift. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed the electrical system failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.

- Springville, TN, USA

problem #1

May 212010

Borrego 6-cyl

  • 18,000 miles
The transmission shifts up to fourth gear as I slowly accelerate to up to 40 mph reducing the RPM to as low as 1,300. This quick shifting up through the gears does not match vehicle speed resulting in the RPM being too low to accelerate with the pace of traffic. This causes vehicles behind me to almost crash into the rear of my car due the slowing rate of my acceleration caused by the transmission shifting up to quickly and engine bogging down. Conversely, while on freeway entrance ramps gaining speed, the transmission will shift up to fifth at a consistent pace until I reach 50 miles per hour then it will shift back down to fourth although I have not depressed the accelerator pedal for a faster pace. This happens consistently as do the quick shifts at lower speeds.

- West Richland, WA, USA

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