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2009 Kia Borrego

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Limited comparison data

There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

71 reports with mileage · 17 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 16 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 12 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports

Seat Belts complaints

11 reports
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Mileage unknown · Mar 14, 2024
Electrical SystemEngineSeat Belts

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…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11577331

160,000 miles · Sep 7, 2023
Latches/locks/linkagesPower TrainSeat Belts

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 tur…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11543202

195,500 miles · Apr 3, 2021
Fuel/propulsion SystemSeat BeltsService Brakes

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.

NHTSA ODI #11406202

Mileage unknown · Jan 17, 2021
Electrical SystemSeat BeltsUnknown Or Other

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 ATTEMP…

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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.

NHTSA ODI #11388536

Mileage unknown · Apr 1, 2019
Seat Belts

MY SEAT BELT POPS OUT ALL THE TIME. THE FRONT DRIVERS SEAT AND MIDDLE ROW MIDDLE SEAT SEAT BELT BOTH DO IT.

NHTSA ODI #11193006

123,000 miles · Dec 17, 2018
Seat Belts

DRIVERS SEATBELT DOES NOT STAY LATCHED. POPS OPEN DRIVING DOWN ROAD WITHOUT TOUCHING IT. IT HAPPENS DRIVING STRAIGHT ON HIGHWAYS CITY STREETS GOING STRAIGHT AND TURNING. IT HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM FOR AT LEAST A YEAR NOW.

NHTSA ODI #11162056

64,000 miles · Dec 29, 2015
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RANDOMLY DISCHARGES AND DISCONNECTS. WE BEGAN TO BE ABLE TO FEEL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN PUTTING IT ON WHEN IT WOULD LATCH VS WHEN IT WOULDN'T PROPERLY AND SECURELY LATCH. SOMETIMES IT WOULD TAKE 3-5 ATTEMPTS TO MAKE THE BELT FEEL SECURE. OFTEN TIMES, IT WOULD LATER UNLATCH AND COMPLETELY DISCONNECT. THIS HAPP…

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DRIVER'S SEAT BELT RANDOMLY DISCHARGES AND DISCONNECTS. WE BEGAN TO BE ABLE TO FEEL THE DIFFERENCE WHEN PUTTING IT ON WHEN IT WOULD LATCH VS WHEN IT WOULDN'T PROPERLY AND SECURELY LATCH. SOMETIMES IT WOULD TAKE 3-5 ATTEMPTS TO MAKE THE BELT FEEL SECURE. OFTEN TIMES, IT WOULD LATER UNLATCH AND COMPLETELY DISCONNECT. THIS HAPPENED RANDOMLY; AT STOP LIGHTS, PARKING LOTS, ON THE HIGHWAY, ETC. IT WOULD ALSO DISCHARGE AND DISCONNECT IF TUGGED ON. FOR EXAMPLE, LEANING FROM DRIVER'S SIDE OVER TO PASSENGER'S SIDE TO REACH SOMETHING.

NHTSA ODI #10816910

101,000 miles · Dec 29, 2015
Seat Belts

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA BORREGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SOME OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY WITHOUT FIRST DEPRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON ON THE SEAT BELT. ONCE THE SEAT BELT WAS LATCHED, IT BECAME UNLATCHED AGAIN WHEN THE CONTACT MOVED SLIGHTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MA…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA BORREGO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SOME OF THE SEAT BELTS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT LATCH PROPERLY WITHOUT FIRST DEPRESSING THE RELEASE BUTTON ON THE SEAT BELT. ONCE THE SEAT BELT WAS LATCHED, IT BECAME UNLATCHED AGAIN WHEN THE CONTACT MOVED SLIGHTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

NHTSA ODI #10816723

93,000 miles · Dec 6, 2014
Seat Belts

DRIVER'S SEAT BELT DOES NOT LATCH PROPERLY. IT WILL DISENGAGE AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT PRESSURE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10662512

65,000 miles · Aug 20, 2014
Seat Belts

THE LOCKING MECHANISM RELEASES UNDER MODERATE PRESSURE (PULL). OCCURS AT ANY SPEED, INCLUDING WHILE PARKED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10626893

Official recalls

3

23V692000 · Structure:body:roof And Pillars

Oct 13, 2023

Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2009-2014 Borrego vehicles. The headliner plates may not be secured properly, which can result in the plates detaching in the event of a side curtain air bag deployment.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: A headliner plate that detaches during a crash may strike an occupant, increasing their risk of injury.

Remedy: Dealers will secure the headliner plates, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 30, 2023. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC286.

13V114000 · Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch

Apr 1, 2013

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 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

Consequence & remedy

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 movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

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.

12V245000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:pedals And Linkages

May 31, 2012

KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2009 BORREGO VEHICLES, MANUFACTURED FROM MAY 2, 2008, THROUGH JANUARY 20, 2009, EQUIPPED WITH NON-ADJUSTABLE BRAKE PEDALS. CERTAIN PEDAL MOUNTS MAY HAVE A FIBERGLASS COMPOSITION THAT ALLOWS THEM TO BREAK OFF IN A COLLISION WHERE THE IMPACT HAS NOT IMMOBILIZED THE VEHICLE, WHICH WOULD THEN ALLOW THE VEHICLE TO ROLL.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THIS OCCURS, THE DRIVER WOULD NEED TO STOP THE VEHICLE WITH THE PARKING BRAKE OR EXPERIENCE A POSSIBLE SECOND IMPACT, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.

Remedy: KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE BRAKE PEDAL MOUNT, FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JUNE 15, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE CENTER AT 1-800-333-4542.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.