Recall Alert: 2006-08 Kia Optima, 2007-08 Kia Rondo

Kia is recalling two of its vehicles to address issues related to a faulty driver-side airbag mechanism, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

On certain 2006-08 Kia Optima midsize sedans and 2007-08 Kia Rondo hatchbacks, the supplemental restraint system's clock spring contact assembly may become damaged over time. If this occurs, the driver-side airbag electrical circuit may malfunction, preventing the airbag from deploying when needed. In the event of a malfunction, the airbag warning lamp on the instrument panel will illuminate.

The recall affects Optimas built from Sept. 29, 2005, through Jan. 29, 2008, and Rondos made from Sept. 13, 2006, through March 21, 2008. (You can find the vehicle's build date on a label affixed to the driver-side doorjamb.) A total of 145,755 vehicles are being recalled.

Kia will notify owners in March, and dealers will replace the clock spring assembly for free. Owners can call Kia at 800-333-4542 or NHTSA's vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236 for more info.

Kia Discontinues Rondo Small Minivan

No one at Cars.com loved the Kia Rondo. Except me.

For some reason, the little jelly bean-shaped minivan won me over. I was allured by the low price (starting under $15,000), optional third row and the sheer amount of space. It certainly wasn’t the ride or the interior quality. But for $15,000, you got a lot of car. It felt a lot more solid than the Mazda5, which excelled when it came to a nice interior. And the Mazda5 is better-looking, too.
 
Now I discover via Autoblog that Kia's U.S. website is saying “all good things must come to an end,” that the Rondo is no more. There was never a 2010 model year of the Rondo, and it seems there will be no 2011, 2012, etc.
 
A few new 2009 Rondos are on dealer lots. Cars.com's national inventory shows just 69 vehicles, ranging from $12,895 to $24,955. Kia is offering up to $2,000 cash back and another $1,000 either in loyalty cash or competitor cash back. It looks like the sub-$13,000 listing includes some combination of incentives in that price.

However, it’s very likely that Kia dealers would be happy to move the last of these little guys to make way for the Sportage, which it seems Kia is trying to move people toward. If you have fond memories of the Rondo, especially if you own one, let us know about them in the comment section below.

Recall Alert: Nearly 140,000 Kia Vehicles

Kia has issued a recall for 139,844 Kia vehicles from the 2006 and 2007 models years, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Affected models include the Amanti, Rondo, Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, all of which could potentially have been built with damaged stop-lamp switches.

This could result in the brake lights not illuminating during braking, or continuing to illuminate after the brake pedal has been released. Also, the shifter may jam in the Park position, the electronic stability control light may illuminate the “ESC Off” indicator, and depressing the brake may not deactivate the cruise control. Any of these malfunctions could create a dangerous driving situation.

Dealers will replace the stop-lamp switch free of charge. Owners can contact Kia’s customer center at 800-333-4542 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236.