2012 KIA OPTIMA Steering Problems

THERE AN AWFUL CLICKING/CLUNKING SOUND COMING FROM STEERING WHEEL WHEN YOU TURN OR HIT A BUMP/CROSS TRACKS..BEEN TOLD HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH FLEXIBLE COUPLING INSIDE STEERING WHEEL VEHICLE IS ALWAYS IN MOTION WHEN THIS HAPPENS CAR ONLY HAS 100600. MILES IT DOESN'T MATTER IF IN CITY OR OTHER HIGHWAYS

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AND MAKING A TURNS STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO MAKE A LOUD THUNK. WHEN PARKING WHETHER TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT CAR MAKES LOUD THUNK. CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THEY'VE BEEN HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE FLEX COUPLING.

GEAR OR BEARING DEFECTIVE IN STEERING COLUMN .EXCESSIVE MOTION , PLAY AND NOISE WHEN OPERATING VEHICLE . CONTACTED DEALER BUT THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY RECALL REGARDING THIS PROBLEM . DEALER SERVICE DEPT. QUOTED REPAIR TO BE APPROXIMATELY 300 DOLLARS . WHEN IS KIA GOING TO RECALL VEHICLES WITH THIS MALFUNCTION ?

STEERING WHEEL SHAKES, RATTLES, AND CLICKS WHEN TURNING. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE. GOING OVER ANY THING THAT IS NOT LEVEL (EX. RAILROAD TRACKS, SPEED BUMPS ETC) CAUSES THE STEERING WHEEL TO RATTLE AND SHAKE ALSO EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT SPEEDING. IT WILL OCCUR IN MOTION AND EVEN IF THE VEHICLE IS IN PARK, AND OFF. I AM NOT REALLY SURE WHAT THIS ISSUE IS OR WHAT REALLY CAUSED IT.

I TOOK MY CAR TO GET A OIL CHANGE AND THE GUY THAT WAS MOVING THE CAR WAS SO WORRIED ABOUT THE STEERING. HE STATED THAT I NEEDED TO GET IT SERVICED AT THE KIA DEALERSHIP ASAP. THE STEERING SEEMS TO BE CLICKING AND WHEN I HIT A SMALL DIP OR POTHOLE IN THE ROAD IT CLICKS AND SOUNDS LIKE THE WHOLE FRONT END IS COMING OFF. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY WITH THE VEHICLE WHICH I THINK IS CRAZY. I COULD SEE IF IT WAS SOMETHING THAT I DID I WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT REPAIR. HOWEVER THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. I'M REALLY THINKING ABOUT TRADING IN THIS VEHICLE AND MOVING ON TO SOMEONE WHO DOES TAKE CARE OF THEIR CARS AND CUSTOMERS. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE...

WHEN U DRIVING IT . U CAN HERE NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT HAD THE OIL LIGHT TO POP ON WHILE DRIVING ON THR FREEWAY PUT OVER. PUT SOME OIL IN IT. THEN THAT NIGHT TRYING TO CRANK IT & IT STARTED TO SMOKE & CAUGHT A FIRE.

LOUD CLICKING NOISE IN STEERING WHILE DRIVING, HARD TO TURN AT TIMES AND VERY LOUD RATTLING WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS. MY DAUGHTER USES THIS CAR DUE TO BETTER GAS MILAGE THAN HERS TO GO TO COLLEGE SOMETIMES AND I ALSO CARRY MY 2 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTER IN THIS CAR AND HAVE HAD NO PROBLEMS BEFORE NOW AND THOUGHT I PURCHASED A SAFE CAR ALL AROUND BUT BEING THAT NOTHING IS GETTING DONE ABOUT THIS POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUE I AM CONCERNED. I WOULD HAVE RECOMMENDED A KIA TO ANYONE TILL NOW AND NOW JUST NOT SURE.

STEERING WHEEL MAKES CLICKING/POPPING SOUND EVERY TIME ITS MOVED IN EITHER DIRECTION. ALSO, WHEN GOING OVER ANY SPEED BUMPS OR HOLES, VERY LOUD CLICKING AND TENSION FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE AND I HAVE FOUND THAT MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE THIS ISSUE AND IT SEEMS LIKE KIA HAS NOT DONE ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT 65 MILES BOTH WAYS. I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR MY SAFETY AND PASSENGERS.

AT 60K MILES, STEERING HAS BECOME DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN, STEERING COLUMN IS LOUD AND MAKES A POPPING NOISE, AND NOW THERE IS SOME TYPE OF CLUNK IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION THAT CAN BE HEARD WHEN STEERING ANGLE IS BEING ALTERED WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY BRIDGING A BUMP. STEERING WHEEL STICKS AT SPEEDS ABOVE 55MPH, AND THUS OVER-STEERING IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN TRACKING. DEALER INFORMS ME THAT SOME $4 PLASTIC GEAR NEEDS REPLACING SOMEWHERE, BUT THAT IT WILL BE $400 IN LABOR TO REPLACE, BUT THEY CAN'T EVEN GUARANTEE REPLACING THIS PART WILL FIX THE ISSUE. WHAT A JOKE- THIS IS MY FIRST AND LAST KIA/HYUNDAI PRODUCT.

2012 KIA OPTIMA LX ****(ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING)****THIS IS VERY UNSAFE AND IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS KIA WAITING FOR, DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO BE KILLED OR SERIOUSLY HURT FROM THEIR NEGLIGENCE TO RECALL THESE PROBLEMS!!!! THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD POPPING/KNOCKING NOISE, STICKS, PLAY/ VERY LOOSE WHEN TURNING LEFT TO RIGHT, WHILE DRIVING OR PARKING THE VEHICLE. HAVE TAKEN IT TO A SERVICE CENTER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN, TIE ROD AND FLEXIBLE COUPLING NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED/ REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 242,000. HOWEVER, I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2014, THE APPROXIMATELY MILEAGE WAS 208,412. JUST PRIOR TO THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS STRICKLEY USED FOR FUEL TESTING/STUDIES ONLY, IN A CLIMATE CONTROL BUILDING, WHERE IT WAS ON...

STEERING IS KNOCKING AND MAKING LOUD NOISES WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE. HAVE NOT YET TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP, BUT FROM READING OTHER COMPLAINTS KIA HAS NOT ACTED ON THIS PROBLEM FOR A RESOLUTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 98,000.

PLAY IN STEERING COLUMN MAKING A NOISE WHEN TURN STEERING WHEEL RIGHT AND LEFT DEFECTIVE FLEX COUPLER

WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION, THE STEERING HAS BECOME VERY LOOSE AND MAKING A CLUNKING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL OR GOING OVER SLIGHT BUMPS, SUCH AS A REFLECTOR IN THE ROAD, THIS IS DURING ANY SPEEDS.

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WE STARTED HEARING A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL AND THERE ALSO HAS BEE SOME SLACK IN THE STEERING WHEEL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY WITH A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING. THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS WEAR AND TEAR IN THE STEERING AND NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,853.

CLICKING NOISE AND PULLING WHEN I TURN OR HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. SOUNDS LIKE MY STEERING WOULD COME APART. LOTS OF PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. VERY UNSAFE. I DRIVE THE INTERSTATE TO WORK EVERYDAY AND I AM NORMALLY TRAVELING BETWEEN 70 AND 75. I FEAR MY CAR IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN WITH THE DEFECTIVE STEERING.

I HAVE HAD MY (2012) KIA OPTIMA SINCE 2012. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY HORRIBLE PROBLEMS UNTIL NOW. THE STEERING WHEEL CLICKS AND YOU CAN HEAR AND FEEL ANY BUMPS BECAUSE WHEN YOU EVEN HIT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ROAD THE STEERING WHEEL WILL ALSO CLICK AND MAKE A LOUD NOISE. I HAVE NOT HAD ANY WORK OR REPAIRS DONE TO THE CAR OTHER THAN THE NORMAL OIL CHANGES, TIRE ROTATION, NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT, BRAKE REPLACEMENT. I HAVE TAKEN CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND TO BE TOLD THAT THE STEERING WHEEL CLICKING IS SOMETHING THAT ISN'T COVERED OR THAT NO ONE IS LOOKING INTO FOR A RECALL IS SOMETHING I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I HAVE ALWAYS BACKED KIA AND EVEN BOUGHT 2 FOR MY KIDS, BUT NOW I AM STARTING TO WONDER ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE CAR. I HAVE READ 63 OTHER COMPLAINTS WITH THE SAME PROBLEMS AND...

WHILE STEERING AT SLOW AND HIGH SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A LOUD KNOCKING NOISE THAT CAN BE HEARD AND FELT. THE STEERING WHEEL OFTEN GETS STUCK AND REQUIRES ADDITIONAL FORCE TO GET IT TO MOVE. THE STEERING WHEELS SOMETIMES JERKS ITSELF AND OVERSTEERS IN THE DIRECTION I'M TURNING IT IN. IT STARTED ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND WAS HAPPENING INTERMITTENTLY BUT NOW IT'S HAPPENING ALL THE TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION, A CLICKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A COUPLING WITHIN THE STEERING SYSTEM WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CLICKING SOUND AND STICKS EVERY TIME I TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHILE DRIVING IT CAN BE A CHALLENGE TO STEER WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AS IT WILL GRAB AND MAKE THAT CLICKING NOISE AND YOU HAVE TO USE SOME FORCE TO STEER.

THE FIRST THING WOULD HAVE TO BE THE STEERING WHEEL LIKE IT HAS BEEN NOTED BEFORE WHEN YOU SIT STILL IT HAS A CLICKING SOUND. AND ALL DRIVING THE HIGHWAY AT 75 MILES AN HOUR IT STICKS AND YOU HAVE TO JERK IT BACK WITCH IS NO SAFE I HAVE HAD IT ALIGNED MANY TIMES BUT DOES NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. MY CAR HAS 112,113 MILES ON I TAKE CARE OF REPLACE THING THAT NEED TO DONE AND OIL CHANGES EVERY 3,000 WELL AFTER I HIT THE 100,000 MARK MY CAR SOUNDS LIKE IT HAS NO OIL .. ARE I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET THAT IT SOUNDS LIKE YOUR RPMS ARE REALLY HIGH BUT THERE NOT ... IT STARTS WHEN I'M GOING 20 MPH ANOTHER THING THAT IS WEIRD WHEN I'M TURNING LEFT THE NOISE GOES AWAY

AS REPORTED IN MANY PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS, WHEN I DRIVE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL GETS "STUCK" AND STIFFENS AND JERKS, REQUIRING ME TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BACK TO CENTER SO THAT I CAN DRIVE STRAIGHT AHEAD. IT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND VERY TIRING. THE KIA SERVICE MANAGER SAID THIS IS THE WAY THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING IS SUPPOSED TO WORK AND I HAVE TO "LIVE WITH IT". I HAVE HAD THIS CAR FOR 4 YEARS, HAVE 33,000 MILES, AND THIS PROBLEM ONLY JUST STARTED. THE KIA USA CONSUMER ASSISTANCE AGENT SAID THERE'S NOTHING KIA CAN DO, IT OPERATES AS DESIGNED. HE SAID MANY OF THEIR CUSTOMERS LOVE THE WAY THE ELECTRONIC STEERING HANDLES. REALLY? WHAT'S TO LOVE ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING OF YOUR CAR ON THE HIGHWAY AT 65-75 MPH??? THIS IS A TRAVESTY ON KIA'S PART. I NOTICE THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS ON...

WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT STICKS AND IT TAKES A BIT OF FORCE TO BREAK IT FREE. IT IS ALSO NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT GOING STRAIGHT DOWN THE ROAD. YOU MUST CONTINUOUSLY KEEP ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO STAY IN YOUR LANE. I DID SOME SEARCHING AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THIS PROBLEM. I DON'T INK THIS IS SAFE AND SHOULD BE FIXED. I TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT IT, BUT THEY SAID THEY DIDN'T FIND ANY MECHANICAL ISSUES AND MAYBE IT WAS THE ALIGNMENT. I HAD ALREADY HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED, WHICH WAS OK. THEY SAID MAYBE IT WAS THE TIRES. I BOUGHT NEW TIRES WHICH DIDN'T HELP. I HAVE HAD THE CAR FOR ABOUT 1.5 YEARS, BUT DIDN'T REALLY DRIVE IT A LOT ON THE HIGHWAY. THIS ISN'T NEARLY AS NOTICEABLE WHEN DRIVING AT IN TOWN SPEEDS, JUST AT...

I HAVE A KNOCKING SOUND IN MY STEERING WHEEL. THE NOISE HAPPENS WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL BACK AND FORTH. ALSO, I HAVE NOTICED AN ODD GRINDING/SLIPPING SENSATION IN THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL WHEN I ACCELERATE ON A RIGHT TURN FROM DIFFERENT ELEVATIONS. PULLING OUT OF A PARKING LOT ON A "DECLINE" WHILE ACCELERATING TO THE RIGHT TO ENTER TRAFFIC IS A GOOD EXAMPLE. 73,000 MILES CURRENTLY BUT I'VE NOTICED THE GRIND/SLIP A LOWER MILEAGE.

WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS WITH STEERING WHEEL AT 12 O'CLOCK POSITION, THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS LIKE IT IS STUCK OR LOCKED WHEN TRYING TO MAKE MINOR STEERING CORRECTIONS. I HAVE TO SOMEWHAT JERK THE WHEEL AT WHICH TIME THE STEERING APPEARS TO WAKE UP AND RESPOND. IT FEELS AS IF THE ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING MODULE SHUTS DOWN GIVING THE FEELING OF A LOCKED/STUCK STEERING WHEEL. BY JERKING THE WHEEL TO "WAKE UP" THE STEERING IT CREATES AN OVER COMPENSATED STEERING CORRECTION ISSUE AND A CONCERN FOR SAFETY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND APPEARS VERY LOOSE WHERE I HAVE TO TURN THE WHEEL ALMOST AN EXTRA 1/8-1/4 TURN. THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE AND THEN SEEMS TO LOCK UP AT SPEEDS OF 55-60. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ABOUT A YEAR AGO BUT AFTER TODAY THE KNOCKING NOISE BECAME WORSE.

THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS!!! HARD TO STAY IN YOUR LANE AND OVER CORRECTING HAPPENS EVERY DAY. JUST LIKE EVERYONE ELSES. WHERES THE RECALL???? I'VE GOT BIDS FROM $450-$650 TO FIX THIS CRAP. KIA WILL COST PEOPLE THEIR LIVES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE. THE STEERING WHEEL EMITTED A LOUD CLICKING NOISE AND VIBRATED WHILE TURNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOOSE WHEN I HIT A BUMP FEELS LIKE THE CAR JUST WANTS TO TURN. SEEMS LIKE IF THE WHEEL COULD JUST LOCK UP OR WILL JUST COMPLETELY NOT TURN AT SOME POINT

MOTOR DRIVEN POWER STEERING COUPLER REPLACEMENT NEEDED

TAKATA RECALL

URGENT: STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!!!!!! I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS!!! DOES SOMEONE HAVE TO HAVE A FATAL ACCIDENT FOR THIS TO BECOME A RECALL ITEM ????

I'VE BEEN DRIVING MY CAR FOR SOME TIME NOW WHEN IT REACH 60,000 + MILES, I NOTICE THE CAR STEERING WOULD STICK WHEN SLIGHTLY TURN OR A FULL TURN. IT ALSO DRIFTS AND THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT . I HAD FRONT END LINE MEANT DONE. THAT DID NOT STOP THE NOISE OR STICKING STEERING COLUMN. THIS HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING OR SITTING.

THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS, AND IT MAKES IT HARD TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT. THERE'S NO SMOOTHNESS WHEN TURNING THE WHEEL. IT'S LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS IN INCREMENTS.

URGENT: FROM WHEN I PURCHASED IT NEW, STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY STICKS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD!!!!!!!!!! I FILED A REPORT WITH NHTSA WHEN I BOUGHT IT, BUT NEVER HEARD BACK FROM ANYONE. I SEE THERE ARE DOZENS AND DOZENS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS!!! [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).' *JB*JB

UNSAFE LOOSE STEERING. I FIRST NOTICED THIS ISSUE WHILE DRIVING ON I75 SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING MY CAR IN JUNE OF 2012. THE CAR PULLS TO THE LEFT, WHEN CORRECTED, IT THEN PULLS TO THE RIGHT OR VICEVERSA. IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP THIS CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE TO MY LOCAL KIA DEALER ABOUT 4 TIMES (DURING EVER SERVICE VISIT) THEIR RESPONSE IS ALWAYS THE SAME: "THE CAR IS PERFORMING ACCORDING TO MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATIONS, WE COULDN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT" I DISAGREE BUT COULDN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. TODAY, 3 YEARS LATER, IT'S WORSE, I HEAR A LOUD CLICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL. THIS SITUATION HAS ESCALATED TO SEVERE. I FEAR FOR MY LIFE WHEN DRIVING THIS CAR. PLEASE HELP!

WANDERS OFF CENTER, EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT. WILL NOT STAY STRAIGHT. WEARS YOU OUT CONTINUALLY CORRECTING THE DRIFT OR WANDERING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY, AN ABNORMALLY LOUD CLICKING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NOTICED IN OCTOBER 2014 THE CAR STARTED DRIFTING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO LOCK UP. IT HAS BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND NOW I'M HEARING A KNOCKING NOISE IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I WAS TOLD BY MY COWORKER WHO HAS A 2011 OPTIMA THAT HE HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AND HE WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP THAT IT WAS A PLASTIC GEAR IN THE STEERING COLUMN AND WOULD COST ROUGHLY $300 TO FIX. UPON RESEARCH WITH THIS ISSUE I HAVE COME ACROSS SEVERAL OWNERS THAT SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH KIA KNOWS ABOUT. I FEEL THAT KIA SHOULD CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AT THEIR EXPENSE BEFORE THIS ISSUE KILLS SOMEONE.

I HAVE NOTICED A LOT OF PLAY IN THE STEERING OF MY 2012 OPTIMA IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I TOOK THE CAR INTO THE DEALER FOR NEW TIRES,ALIGNMENT AND BALANCE WHILE THE MECHANIC WAS PUTTING ON THE TIRES ,I ASKED HIM ABOUT THE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF A FIBER GEAR IN THE STEERING MOTOR THAT IS ON THE STEERING COLUMN AND THAT IT WAS A WARRENTY PROBLEM AND WOULD BE REPAIRED FREE OF CHARGE THERE IS A SMALL FIBER GEAR ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER THAT THE TEETH BREAK OFF OF AND WILL CAUSE A CLICKING THAT I HAD HERD AND COULD CAUSE THE STEERING TO LOCKUP. WHEN THE UNIT WAS TAKEN APART, THE GEAR HAD A LOT OF TEETH BROKEN OFF AND AFTER IT WAS REPLACE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS FINE AGAIN WITH NO PLAY IN THE WHEEL I...

I NOTICED WHEN I WAS DRIVING IN THE FREEWAY I HAD TO KEEP OVER CORRECTING THE STEERING WHEEL. IT WOULD GET STUCK AND YOU NEEDED TO KIND OF JERK IT TO UNSTICK.

VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE MAINTAINING PROPER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING NEEDS TO ALMOST CONSTANTLY BE TURNED RIGHT TO LEFT TO TRY TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT DRIVING. THE STEERING WILL ALSO OCCASIONAL LOCK WHEN TURNING AND YOU HAVE TO MANUALLY TURN THE WHEEL BACK STRAIGHT. THE CONSTANT NEED TO OVER CORRECT THE STEERING MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I COULD SEE IT EASILY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT IN THE CORRECT CONDITIONS.

WE PURCHASED THE CAR ON 4/3/15 HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN CARY NC DROVE 5 MILES HOME BACK TO DEALER SHIP NEXT MORNING FOR PAPERWORK TO FINISH. LEFT DEALERSHIP HEADED TO MAIN HIGHWAY INTERSTATE 40 NOTICEABLE AS SOON AS YOU GET AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE STEERING WAS TIGHT HAD TO HOLD ON WITH BOTH HAND THE CAR WAS WEAVING LANE TO LANE AS THE WAS NO CENTER FOR YOU TO DRIVE STRAIGHT. IMMEDIATELY CALLED DEALER WE TOOK THE CAR BACK LEFT IT. TODAY IS A FEW WEEKS OUT 4/23/15 THE HAVE RESET STEERING CODE, ALIGN AND REBALANCED TIRES A FEW TIMES AND YESTERDAY REPLACED THE WHOLE STEERING COLUMN AND WE TODAY STILL DOES THE SAME THING. THEY SAID TODAY THEY WILL REPLACES THE TIRES AND SEE HIS THIS GOES. FROM THE START THEY SAID NO ONE HAS REPORTED THIS ISSUES BUT I SHOWED THEM ONLINE OF THE HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS. KIA IS...

WHILE TAKING A CURVE ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HOLD ITSELF IN POSITION AS IF IT WERE ALMOST IN THE LOCKED POSITION. HAD BEEN DRIVING THE CAR FOR ALMOST 2 HOURS WHEN THIS OCCURRED. TOOK NEXT EXIT TO CHECK POWER STEERING FLUID AND TIRES. EVERYTHING CHECKED OK. GOT BACK ON THE INTERSTATE AND IT CONTINUED TO HAPPEN UNTIL THE CAR WAS SHUT OFF AND PARKED OVERNIGHT. VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE NEW TO DRIVING. THE STEERING G WHEEL WOULD HOLD ITSELF INTO ANY POSITION I LEFT IT IN. IT WOULD NEVER TRY TO RE-CENTER ITSELF WHILE DRIVING. MAY BE COINCIDENCE, BUT THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT MAINTAIN THE SET SPEED AT THE SAME TIME THIS WAS OCCURRING. DEALERSHIP STATED NO ERROR CODES WERE STORED ON THE CARS COMPUTER. *TR

THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS AT HWY SPEEDS. I HAVE TO PULL THE WHEEL HARD TO BE ABLE TO CHANGE LANES. IT DRIFTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT WITH OUT EVEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN FOR ME AND EVERYBODY ELSE ON THE ROAD. IT WOULD BE A REAL BAD SITUATION IF I COULD NOT TURN IN THE EVENT OF SOMETHING IN MY WAY. I HAVE ALSO NOTIFIED KIA OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN POST DATING AS EARLY AS 2012 ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND STILL KIA HAS NOT NOTIFIED ME THAT THIS COULD BE A REAL CONCERN. I AM POSTING ALONG WITH ALOT OF OTHER PEOPLE IN HOPES THAT THIS WILL BECOME PUBLIC NOT ONLY FOR MY CAR BUT FOR EVERYBODY ELSE WHO DOES NOT KNOW ABOUT THIS SITUATION BEFORE ITS TO LATE FOR SOMEBODY ELSE. *TR

UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CAR CONSISTENTLY DRIFTS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND RIGHT TO LEFT. STEERING WHEELS FEELS AS THOUGH IT BECOMES LOCKED IN POSITION. AS YOU ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE STEERING, THE STEERING WHEEL RANDOMLY BREAKS FREE CAUSING OVER CORRECTING WHICH COULD VERY EASILY RESULT IN A CRASH. HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALERS AND THEY SAY THE CAR IS WITHIN SPECS AND YOU DON'T HAVE ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON SO THEREFORE THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH IT. THIS IS GOING TO RESULT IN SOMEONE LOSING THEIR LIFE. *TR

ELECTRIC POWER STEERING INTERMITTENTLY MALFUNCTIONS AT HIGHWAY SPEED CAUSING A SNAPPING SENSATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND INABILITY TO HOLD A A STEADY HEADING. STEERING BECOMES STICKY REQUIRING G CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS AS THE CAR DRIFTS FROM ONE STICKY HEADING TO ANOTHER. DEALER REPEATEDLY UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 60-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SWERVED INDEPENDENTLY TOWARDS THE LEFT AND WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,682. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40-45 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWAY ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.