I was driving on a four lane 35mph straight road and the steering became difficult to impossible--the wheel seemed to almost lock up. I slowed down considerably and managed to gt off on the right side of the road. I came to a stop, and tried to start up again because I was close to home. It began to steer again and I took it home. The vehicle was taken into the local Kia dealership and they…
2009 Kia Borrego steering problems
moderate 9 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $700 · see steering across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
9
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$700
When does it fail?
Of the 9 steering complaints filed for the 2009 Kia Borrego, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
No new NHTSA steering complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 14 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
What owners are reporting 1 most recent
Had steering trouble with your 2009 Kia Borrego?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the steering problem on the 2009 Kia Borrego?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 9 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $700 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the steering typically fail?
Across the 8 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most steering failures cluster between 28,000 and 64,570 miles, with the median around 29,452. A quarter of owners report trouble before 28,000; a quarter make it past 64,570. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $700 for steering repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to steering?
No active recalls currently cover steering issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2009/Kia/Borrego.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.