NHTSA Complaint #11299269 — 2016 KIA SORENTO

I NOTICED AROUND 48,000 MILES THAT AFTER DRIVING FOR 30+ MINUTES OR ON AND OFF DRIVING FOR 45+ MINUTES, MY STEERING BECOMES "STICKY"/"NOTCHED" WHEN IT IS CENTERED AND I AM DRIVING 35 MPH OR MORE. IT BECOMES MUCH MORE PRONOUNCED WHEN ON A FLAT, STRAIGHT SURFACE AND I AM DRIVING 60+ MPH. THIS MAKES MINOR CORRECTIONS HARD TO DO WHEN DRIVING TO STAY IN MY LANE AS THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO REQUIRE SIGNIFICANT PRESSURE TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT. THIS ENDS UP BECOMING A SERIES OF CONSTANT CORRECTIONS FROM INADVERTENTLY OVERSTEERING. THIS IS VERY FATIGUE INDUCING AND CAN BE FRUSTRATING, EVEN WHEN I AM VERY WELL RESTED AND ALERT. I'M CONCERNED IT'LL AFFECT OTHER DRIVERS AS THEY MAY DRIVE ERRATICALLY WHEN PASSING AS THEY MATCH MY STEERING CORRECTIONS. MY LOCAL KIA DEALERSHIP HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL AND RECEIEVED PERMISSION TO REMEDY IT UNDER WARRANTY AND WILL REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AND ASSOCIATED PARTS. CURRENTLY THE STEERING COLUMN IS ON BACKORDER AND HAS BEEN FOR AT LEAST THREE WEEKS. I BELIEVE THE STEERING COLUMN ISSUE MAY BE BIGGER THAN INDICATED VIA REPORTS JUDGING BY THE BACKORDER ISSUE. DATE ENTERED IN THE "EVENT DATE" SECTION IS BASED ON WHEN I HAD AN APPOINTMENT FOR AN INITIAL DIAGNOSIS.