Since there are a more and more forum members complaining about their Rondo pulling to the right I think its deserves it's own thread. Also, any Rondo owner that is having this problem and goes on the internet and google's it will likely find us and we will have new members.
To recap, I have been experiencing our Rondo pulling to the right since Day 1 of ownership. In hindsight, I wish I picked this up on the test drive but my mind was concentrating on other things. I wouldn't expect a new car to pull so I was not looking for it. The attempts to fix the pulling problem have been:
1st trip - check air pressure, rotate tires, check suspension components
2nd trip - check air pressure, balance tires, check suspension components
Before the 3rd time back to the dealer I purchased new winter tires and steel rims hoping that if it was a tire issue this would tell me. The softer winter tires exaggerated the pulling problem instead of helping it.
3rd trip - check air pressure, check suspension components, perform 2 wheel alignment, adjust toe specs. Not only is the Rondo still pulling but now my steering wheel is off center. Advised that camber and caster setting are fixed and not adjustable on the Rondo.
4th trip - tried another dealer, road test, check air pressure, check suspension components, performed 4 wheel alignment, found way off spec, adjusted to spec. Problem still not resolved.
5th trip - meeting with the regional parts and service manager on the first week of February.
6th trip - Met with regional rep. He agreed the Rondo was pulling. Took Rondo back to shop to put on alignment machine to get a reading. A head on the alignment machine was not reading and a reading could not be read. As of 3/24/2008 alignment machine still out of commission. It has been five months of ownership and 11,000 kms driven, no resolution yet.
7th trip - The Rondo was put on the alignment machine to get a reading of all 4 tires (4 wheel alignment). It was found out of spec (surprise!) and some adjustment was made. Rondo was road tested and pulled was still there. There is a service bulletin now out on this in Canada. The technician had to modify the hole where the strut assembly mets the steering knuckle to allow for a camber/caster adjustment. Pain staking task because they can only remove a very small amount at a time because too much and they would have to replace the parts. Once they remove some they have to reassemble the front end and take another alignment reading as so on. They did not have enough time on this trip to do it and it goes back to the dealer on April 1st and the Regional Rep is taking it himself. The Rondo also now has a rattle in the front right passenger side in the front end. They also want to put the factory OEM tires and rims on the vehicle before they attempt this and I am providing that to them.
8th trip - they modified the steering knuckle bolt hole where the strut is bolted to. This allowed for a slight adjustment to bring the right side to a slight negative setting. This counters the left side adjustment and it appears to have solved the problem. Still unsettled that I had to go through this much to get my car to drive as it should. At least it is solved now.
So far members who have complained about pulling to the right have been:
Narvo (me) - 2008 EX V6 7P (Manufacture date July 2007)
Chitti - 2007 LX V6 7P
Dmac93 - 2007 EX V6 5P
Winterpeg - 2008 EX V6 7P
Scotsman - 2007 EX V6 Luxury 7P (Manufacture date November 2007)
Cool Rondo - 2007 EX V6 7P
dmfoley - 2007 LX V6
str8ace - 2007 Rondo EX V6 5P
BernieD - 2007 EX V6
Isu - 2007 EX V6
datsunguy - 2007 EX V6 7P
riderprider - 2007 EX V6 (Manufacture date April 2007)
paholler - 2007 LX V6 (Manufacture date Jan 2007)
cjfin - 2007 EX V6
gojoshgo - 2007 I4 7P
rangav - 2007 I4 7P
OregonBruin - 2007 I4 5P
RudyMtl - 2008 Kia Rondo EX-V6
Notice that it is mostly V6 owners.
You can find discussion about this problem on these threads:
http://www.kia-forums.com/kia-carens...y-opinion.html
http://www.kia-forums.com/kia-carens...ull-right.html
http://www.kia-forums.com/kia-carens...ty-claims.html
I am posting this because I would have appreciated this information when I was looking at buying our Rondo. Not trying to be malicious, just providing relevant information to future purchasing decisions.
WARNING TO PROSPECTIVE RONDO OWNERS
If you are looking at buying a Rondo, especially the V6 models, test to see if it pulls to the right. If you purchase a Rondo and find out it does it is very difficult to get it resolved.