NHTSA Complaint #10553479 — 2012 KIA OPTIMA

10549868 CONTINUED: ANOTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE THE STEERING PROBLEM FOLLOWS. WHEN I MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT TO RIGHT, BACK AND FORTH EVER SO SLIGHTLY, ALL WORKS FINE. STEERING IS EASY AND TAKES LITTLE FORCE TO CORRECT. IF ONE WAS TO MEASURE THE REQUIRED FORCE, IT WOULD BE SLIGHT, LETS SAY 2 UNITS. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL HAS BEEN STATIONARY FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS, AND I TRY TO MAKE A MINOR CORRECTION, THE FORCE REQUIRED IS MUCH GREATER, LETS SAY 12 UNITS. SO WHILE DRIVING AND THE CAR IS DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT OF LANE. MAKING THE CORRECTION, OVERCOMING THE STUCK FEELING, THE CAR STARTS TO DRIFT TOWARDS THE LEFT OF LANE. THIS BACK AND FORTH PROCESS NEEDS TO BE CONTINUOUSLY PERFORMED, HOWEVER, AS SPEED INCREASE, THIS PROCESS HAS TO HAPPEN MORE OFTEN, CAUSING FATIGUE IN THE ARMS AND WRISTS AND MAKING THE DRIVING EXPERIENCE QUITE STRESSFUL. IT?S AS IF THE STEERING ASSIST OF THE ELECTRIC PS MOTOR GOES TO SLEEP WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS STATIONARY, THUS THE ADDED FORCE REQUIRED WHEN MAKING A MINOR CORRECTION IS TO WAKE THE MOTOR UP. I AM TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER WITH THESE TWO DESCRIPTIONS OF THE STEERING PROBLEM. THEY WILL HAVE THE CAR FOR 4DAYS AT LEAST. *TR