NHTSA Complaint #11047541 — 2012 KIA SOUL

THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE WITH MUCH "PLAY" IN STEERING AND A CLICKING NOISE FROM THE STEERING LOCK. THIS HAPPENS BOTH STATIONARY WITH THE CAR ON IN PARK AND WHEN DRIVING. I HAVE HAD ALIGNMENT AND SUSPENSION CHECKED AND IT IS NOT APPARENTLY THE ISSUE. APPARENTLY THE STEERING SHAFT BECOMES LOOSE WHERE IT IS COUPLED WITH THE STEERING GEAR/RACK. THIS LOOSE STEERING IS VERY DANGEROUS AS WHEN STEERING AROUND CURVES THE CAR STEERING ACTUALLY PULLS ON THE ROAD SO I NOW GO MUCH SLOWER AROUND CURVES THAN IS POSTED ON SPEED SIGNS TO AVOID LOOSING CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE. WHEN I GO OVER UNEVEN ROADS OR BUMPS THE CAR ALSO SHIFTS AND PULLS AS I DO NOT HAVE FULL CONTROL OVER THE STEERING. WHEN I BRAKE AT SPEEDS OVER ABOUT 40MPH I NOTICE THAT THERE IS ALSO THIS SAME PLAY IN THE STEERING SO I MAKE SURE I AM CONSIDERABLY A FAR DISTANCE BEHIND ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ORDER TO STOP SLOWLY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM WITH THE 2012 KIA SOUL AND HAVE NOTICED UPON RESEARCHING ONLINE THAT THE KIA OPTIMA HAS A SIMILAR PROBLEM WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY RECALLED FOR REPAIR. I HAVE CONTACTED KIA CUSTOMER SERVICE AS WELL AS MY KIA DEALER WITH THIS COMPLAINT AND WAS TOLD THAT SINCE MY CAR WAS OVER THE WARRANTY MILES THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO REGARDING REPAIRS.