NHTSA Complaint #10430329 — 2011 KIA SPORTAGE

THE ELECTRONIC STEERING ON MY 2011 SPORTAGES CAUSES A PROBLEM DURING TRAVEL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. ALL CARS WILL SLOWLY DRIFT TO THE SIDE WHEN DRIVING ON A FLAT STRAIGHT ROAD BUT NORMALLY IT ONLY REQUIRES A SLIGHT PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO CORRECT AND IT IS ACCOMPLISHED SO EASILY AND SEAMLESSLY THAT YOU DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT. THE PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING ON MY 2011 SPORTAGE IS IN HOW IT REACTS TO THESE SUBTLE STEERING WHEEL CORRECTIONS AT EXPRESSWAY SPEEDS. THE PROBLEM IS NOT APPARENT IN CITY STOP AND GO TRAFFIC AS YOU ARE DISTRACTED BY OTHER DRIVING ACTIONS WHILE NEGOTIATING TRAFFIC. WHEN HOWEVER YOU DRIVE ANY SIGNIFICANT DISTANCE ON AN EXPRESSWAY THE PROBLEM BECOMES VERY APPARENT. WHILE DRIVING YOU CAN GENTLY MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL ABOUT INCH IN EACH DIRECTION (1/2 INCH TOTAL) BEFORE A HIGHER RESISTANCE IS FELT AND THE TIRE CHANGES DIRECTION. IN OTHER WORDS WHEN THE CAR BEGINS TO DRIFT A SLIGHT PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY TRANSLATE TO TIRE MOVEMENT. IT FEELS LIKE THERE IS EXCESSIVE STICKING SOMEWHERE IN THE STEERING SYSTEM THAT RELEASES AS YOU INCREASE PRESSURE ON THE STEERING WHEEL. BECAUSE THE INITIAL TIRE MOVEMENT IS A SMALL STEP RATHER THAN SMOOTH LINEAR MOVEMENT, IT OFTEN IS TOO MUCH, AND YOU HAVE TO CORRECT WITH OPPOSITE STEERING WHEEL MOVEMENT. THE AFFECT IS THAT ON A LONG DRIVE YOU SPEND AN INORDINATE AMOUNT OF TIME MAKING STEERING WHEEL CORRECTIONS TO KEEP THE CAR GOING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN REPORTED BY A NUMBER OF 2011 SPORTAGE OWNERS AS CAN BE FOUND KIA-FORUM.COM. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE FACTORY CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES HAVE BEEN INVOLVED AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO FIX IT HAVE DECIDED THAT NOTHING IS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. *TR