Common Problems with the
2005 SsangYong (KGM) SsangYong Rodius

The Mercedes-Benz-derived 2.7-litre five-cylinder OM612 common-rail diesel engine suffers from combustion gas blow-by past fatigued copper injector seal washers. Escaping diesel combustion gasses bake into a rock-hard black carbon crust around the cylinder head and injector bodies. If left unchecked, the injectors seize into the aluminium head, leading to misfires, diesel fumes in the cabin, and multi-thousand-pound extraction bills.

With an unladen mass exceeding 2,100kg and gross vehicle weight over 2,750kg, the Rodius puts immense stress on its front double-wishbone suspension. The front lower control arm bushes, lower ball joints, and anti-roll bar drop links deteriorate prematurely on bumpy UK roads. Wear causes severe steering vagueness, tramlining in motorway ruts, clunking over speed bumps, and heavy inner shoulder tyre wear that frequently causes UK MOT test failure.

The Rodius utilizes a secondary drum-in-hat parking brake mechanism integrated inside the rear disc rotors. Holding a 2.2-tonne unladen vehicle causes the long twin handbrake operating cables to stretch over time, resulting in excessive pedal or lever travel and insufficient holding force. Furthermore, moisture and road grime penetrate the unsealed rear brake shoe compensator mechanism, causing the shoes to stick and overheat the rear discs during motorway cruising.