Your vehicle report
2009 Kia Borrego
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 88
- Received Sep 2009 to Jul 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Seat belt fails to latch or retract12 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbags fail to deploy in crashes6 complaints · 6.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Headlights dim or fail at night6 complaints · 6.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #23V692000Kia 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.
- Recall #13V114000Kia 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.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 8 crashes, 0 fires, 3 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 12 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 5 |
| 2011 | 9 |
| 2012 | 5 |
| 2013 | 9 |
| 2014 | 11 |
| 2015 | 6 |
| 2016 | 6 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2018 | 5 |
| 2019 | 9 |
| 2020 | 4 |
| 2021 | 5 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 2 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 88 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 12 | 14% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 6 | 6.8% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 6 | 6.8% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 5 | 5.7% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 4 | 4.5% | – | |
| Engine stalls and loses power while driving | 4 | 4.5% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 4 | 4.5% | – | |
| Gear shifter fails to register Park | 4 | 4.5% | – | NHTSA recall #13V114000 |
| Tires blow out or tread separates | 3 | 3.4% | – | |
| Steering wanders or pulls at highway speed | 3 | 3.4% | – | |
| Anti-lock brakes fail or lock up | 3 | 3.4% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 3 | 3.4% | – | NHTSA recall #13V114000 |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #23V692000October 13, 202322,768 vehicles affected
structure: body: roof and pillars
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.
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.
NHTSA recall #13V114000April 1, 2013980,377 vehicles affected
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. 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.
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.
NHTSA recall #12V245000May 31, 201221,912 vehicles affected
service brakes, hydraulic: pedals and linkages
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.
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.
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2009 Kia Borrego.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN