NHTSA Complaint #11182485 — 2017 KIA SORENTO

AT SPEEDS STARTING AT 30 MPH THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE AND THERE IS SOME RESISTANCE IN TRYING TO TURN IT. WITH ENOUGH PRESSURE YOU CAN OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE BUT IN DOING SO YOU TEND TO OVER STEER THE VEHICLE AND HAVE TO CORRECT FOR THAT. THE FASTER THE VEHICLE IS TRAVELING THE MORE PRONOUNCED THIS PROBLEM IS. IT IS AS THOUGH THE STEERING WHEEL HAS LOST ITS FLUIDITY AS IF CAUSED BY VERY LOW TIRE PRESSURE OR A CROSS WIND EVEN THOUGH NEITHER OF THOSE CONDITIONS ARE PRESENT. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE FOR 2 REASONS. FIRST, IT IS DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN ITS LANE. SECOND, IT IS VERY FATIGUING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITH THIS DEFECT. IN MID DECEMBER OF 2018 I DROVE THE VEHICLE FROM OCONOMOWOC, WI TO DES MOINES, IA AND THE PROBLEM WAS PERSISTENT THE ENTIRE DRIVE AND THEN AGAIN A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER ON THE RETURN TRIP. AS A RESULT THIS DEFECT DRIVING REQUIRES EXTRA CONCENTRATION AND IS FATIGUING TO SAY THE LEAST. I NOTICED THE PROBLEM AS EARLY AS SEPTEMBER OF 2018. BUT THE LONGER DRIVE IN DECEMBER OF 2018 CITED ABOVE CONFIRMED THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE POTENTIAL DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH IT. THE PROBLEMS REMAINS ONGOING AND IS UNAFFECTED BY WEATHER CONDITIONS, THOUGH WIND SEEMS TO EXACERBATE INTENSITY SOMEWHAT.