2013 KIA OPTIMA Steering Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 TO 70 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SWERVED TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT. THE CONTACT HAD TO PLACE FORCE ON THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE STEERING WHEEL UNDER CONTROL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000.

MY STEERING USED TO BE GREAT, WITH NO ISSUES. A FEW DAYS AGO MY STEERING WHEEL STARTED TO FIGHT ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK. STRAIGHT, TURNING LEFT, TURNING RIGHT, IT SEEMED TO FIGHT ME NO MATTER THE SITUATION. ALL OF A SUDDEN, ANY TINY BUMPS IN THE ROAD THAT THE CAR COMES INTO CONTACT WITH THROWS THE STEERING WHEEL A DIFFERENT DIRECTION. ALSO, THE CAR VEERS RIGHT WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS PERFECTLY STRAIGHT. MY NORMAL DRIVE BEFORE THIS INCIDENT WAS PHENOMENAL, WITH NO COMPLAINTS... THE CAR TOOK TINY BUMPS IN THE ROAD BUT IT WAS NOT FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. I TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY "FIXED" THE PROBLEM BY ALIGNING MY TIRES AND UPDATING THE ELECTRICAL POWER STEERING SETTINGS. I WAS EXCITED TO GET BACK INTO MY CAR WITH THE PROBLEM FIXED BUT ALL I NOTICED AFTERWARDS WAS THAT THE STEERING...

STEERING ,HARD TO KEEP IN LANES,LOUD HARD RIDE. WHILE TEST DRIVING MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA I TOLD MY SALES PERSON THAT I WAS HAVING TROUBLE KEEPING KEEPING IT ON THE ROAD. HE SAID THAT'S B/C ITS A NEW CAR. IT'LL EASE UP. I THOUGHT IT WAS LOUD & TOOK SMAL BUMPS LIKE A BIG POT HOLES. AND THE GAS PEDAL & ACCELERATION WAS WIERD. HE SAID BRING IT BACK & THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WILL DRIVE IT & FIX IT. DON'T WORRY. WELL AFTER SEVERAL TRIPS TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT EMULATE THE PROBLEM. I ASKED THEM TO LET ME DRIVE WITH SERVICE PERSON. COULD NOT DO. BREAK IT IN & IT'LL GO AWAY. WELL AT 11,000 MILES TOOK IT BACK & COMPLAINED . SAME ANSWER. NOW 19,703 MILES NOT ONLY DO I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS .THEY GOT WORSE. IN ADDITION MY PAINT SCRATCHES & CHIPS...

STEERING ISSUES AT HIGH SPEEDS ON EXPRESSWAY. VEHICLE GOES INTO OTHER LANES CONSTANTLY. I THOUGHT IT JUST NEEDED TO BE BROKEN IN BUT IT HAS NEVER GOTTEN BETTER. IT COULD CAUSE A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IF NOT TAKEN CARE OF BY A RECALL. IF NOT, I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER KIA.

WHEN TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND, IT FIRST STARTED WHEN YOU MAKE A RIGHT TURN, NOW REGARDLESS OF WHICH WAY YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL THERE IS A CLICKING NOISE.

CAR STARTED HAVING A CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING STEERING WHEEL TO BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT. CAR HAS BEEN PULLING TO THE RIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY, WILL EVEN PULL TO THE RIGHT AT LOW SPEED RATE. CAR WAS BOUGHT BRAND NEW, SHOULD NOT BE HAVING STEERING ISSUES.

SHORTLY AFTER BUYING MY BRAND NEW 2013 KIA OPTIMA LX I NOTICED ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN DRIVING ON ANY TYPE OF HIGHWAY THE CAR WONDERS ONCE I REACH HIGHWAY SPEEDS (USUALLY 65MPH OR MORE). THE FIRST TIME I NOTICED THIS IT WAS A WINDY DAY AND I THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS JUST DUE TO THE HIGH WINDS... BUT, I'VE NOTICED THIS SAME ISSUE EVERY TIME I DRIVE ON THE HIGHWAY, EVEN WHEN THERE IS LITTLE TO NO WIND. THE CAR REFUSES TO STAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE, CONSTANTLY VEERING LEFT AND RIGHT (EVEN ON A FLAT SURFACE). THE STEERING WHEEL BARELY MOVES, BUT THE CAR ITSELF WILL WONDER BACK AND FORTH, REQUIRING CONSTANT CORRECTION BY THE DRIVER. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPEATEDLY SAID ITS THE SLOPE IN THE ROAD, EVEN THOUGH I'VE TOLD THEM I'VE EXPERIENCED IT ON MULTIPLE HIGHWAYS. NOW I AM NOTICING THE...

I WAS TRAVELING ON 85 NORTH AT AN APPROXIMATE SPEED OF 70 MPH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME REALLY STIFF AND IT WAS VERY HARD TO MOVE TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT! FINALLY IT RELEASED AND I WAS ABLE TO MOVE IT AGAIN. I DIDN'T REALLY THINK THAT THERE WAS A POSSIBLE ISSUE BUT MY FRIEND SUGGESTED THAT I SEARCH THE INTERNET FOR ANY RECALLS REGARDING STEERING. IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET I FOUND 100+ COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE FOR 2012-2013 MODEL KIA OPTIMAS. THIS IS A REAL SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAN RESULT IN INJURY IF THE STEERING REMAINS LOCKED WHILE DRIVING! PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER!

I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 17996 MILES. AFTER A FEW MILES DRIVING ON THE I-95 I NOTICED THAT THE 2013 OPTIMA HAS A VERY WEIRD STEERING PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING OVER 50MPH. IT'S VERY HARD TO KEEP IT IN A STRAIGHT PATH. YOU HAVE TO CONSTANTLY MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO KEEP ON THE CORRECT LANE. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER A COUPLE DAYS LATER AND TOLD THEM THAT I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE COMPLAINS OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE ON THE INTERNET. I'VE ALSO TOLD THEM THAT THERE IS A PATCH THAT WAS RELEASED ON APRIL 2015 BUT THEY SAID IT WOULDN'T APPLY FOR MY CAR. IT'S VERY UNSAFE. KIA NEEDS TO GIVE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION AS IT'S VERY UNSAFE.

MY WIFE'S 2013 OPTIMA HAS VERY STIFF STEERING WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE OR LONG STRETCH ROAD. IT'S VERY HARD TO STAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE STEERING LOCKS WHEN GOING STRAIGH AND IT FEELS LIKE IT CATCHES WHEN YOU TURN LEFT OR RIGHT. I IGNORED IT FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS THINKING MAYBE A "BREAK IN" STAGE. STILL AT 40K MILES IT'S THE EXACT SAME WAY. IT'S VERY UNSAFE. I NOTICED I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE KIA FIXES THIS PROBLEM. MAY BE MY LAST KIA CAR!!!

WIFE'S 2013 OPTIMA HAS A VERY STIFF STEERING WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE. IT'S VERY HARD TO STAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE. ITS ALMOST AS IF THE STEERING LOCKS AT 12 OCLOCK AND IT BREAKS FREE AT ANY LEFT OR RIGHT MOVEMENT. OVER CORRECTING IS INEVITABLE. WE IGNORED IT FOR THE FIRST FEW MONTHS THINKING MAYBE IT'S JUST IN A "BREAK IN" STAGE. NOW AT 30K MILES IT'S THE EXACT SAME WAY. DEALER SAYS IT'S NORMAL AND WANTS ME TO PAY TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT CAUSE THERE ARE NO RECALLS. IT'S VERY UNSAFE. I'M OBVIOUSLY NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM. I HOPE KIA MAN'S UP AND FIXES THIS PROBLEM.

BOUGHT THE CAR WITH ONLY 27 MILES ON IT. WE TOOK CAR TO DEALER TO GET FIRST OIL CHANGE AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE STEERING BECAUSE THE CAR IS VERY HARD TO CONTROL, ESPECIALLY ON THE FREEWAY. DEALER SAID THE ELECTRONIC STEERING WAS ALREADY SET TO THE LEAST SENSITIVE SETTING. DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE, ESPECIALLY ON FREEWAY. IT IS ALL OVER THE ROAD AND REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTION TO STAY IN YOUR LANE. IT HAS DONE THIS FROM THE BEGINNING. I'M SURE KIA WILL JUST IGNORE THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT THEY DID WHEN I CONTACTED THEM BEFORE ABOUT A DIFFERENT ISSUE. I ALREADY HAVE CALLED KIA ABOUT THE FACT THAT MY CAR GETS NOWHERE NEAR THE STATED MPG. THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO BECAUSE MY CAR WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE LIST OF CARS WITH OVERSTATED MPG. SO I WOULDN'T...

AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE STEERING BECOMES VERY STIFF AND RIGID. TO MAKE MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO STAY WITHIN YOUR LANE, A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE IS REQUIRED. THIS RESULTS IN OVER CORRECTING CAUSING YOU TO BASICALLY SWERVE DOWN THE LANE. ADDITIONALLY, THIS DIFFICULT STEERING RESULTS IN DRIVER FATIGUE AND FRUSTRATION. ANY OF THESE FACTORS COULD EASILY RESULT IN A CRASH AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. KIA STATES THE STEERING FALLS WITHIN THEIR NORMAL "SPECS", HOWEVER THIS IS CLEARLY A SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE STEERING WHEEL SEEMS TO STICK. YOU HAVE TO USE FORCE TO TURN THE WHEEL AND THEN THE CAR IS ALL OVER THE ROAD. I HAVE NEVER HAD THIS ISSUE BEFORE. THE ALIGNMENT WAS CHECKED AND WAS GOOD. THE CAR HAS NEW TIRES BUT STILL DID IT WHILE IT HAD THE FACTORY OEM TIRES ON IT. AFTER RESEARCH I UNDERSTAND THE 2013 HAS AN ELECTRONIC STEERING MODULE AND SEVERAL PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME COMPLAINT BUT KIA WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

DURING A TRIP THAT WAS ONLY 100 MILES ONE WAY I HAD TO CORRECT THE STEERING SO MANY TIMES THAT ON THE RETURN TRIP I WAS SO TIRED I DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE ANY MORE THAT EVENING. I HAD TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT THE STEERING (RIGHT OR LEFT) AND DREADED THE RETURN TRIP. I HAVE SEEN MANY SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FILED. I AM EXPECTING THE U.S. GOVT. TO HELP US FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM. DEALER CLAIMS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I ASKED THE CUSTOMER SERVICE PERSON TO GOOGLE THE PROBLEM, OF COURSE HE REFUSED. HE EXPLAINED HE KNEW OF NO OTHER COMPLAINTS. I DON'T THINK HE WAS BEING HONEST, HOWEVER THAT IS JUST MY OPINION. SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP! *TR

PROBLEM IS ONGOING. VEHICLE WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTION NECESSARY. YOU CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. SLIGHT CORRECTIONS HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY MADE TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING IN A STRAIGHT PATH. . I LITERALLY HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY MICRO-STEER THE CAR JUST TO KEEP IT WITHIN THE LANE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE IN. THIS DRIFTING WILL HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW MUCH THE WIND IS BLOWING OR THE TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE. I HAVE INSTALLED NEW TOP QUALITY TIRES AND HAD AN ALIGNMENT SCRUPULOUSLY PERFORMED. NO IMPROVEMENT. *TR

IS ANYONE GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE OVERLY SENSITIVE ELECTRONIC STEERING ON THE 2013 KIA OPTIMAS THAT CAUSE THE CAR TO ZIG ZAG WITHIN THE LANE OF TRAVEL??? THIS TYPE OF COMPLAINT IS PROMINENT ALL OVER THE INTERNET ON MANY DIFFERENT SITES. THERE IS, QUITE SIMPLY, A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE STEERING ON THESE CARS, AND COMPLAINTS TO KIA OR THE NHTSB SEEM TO FALL ON DEAF EARS. WILL IT TAKE A FATALITY DUE TO THESE ISSUES FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE NOTICE OF THE MAJOR HAZARD THESE PARTICULAR CARS PRESENT TO DRIVERS?!? THE ELECTRONIC STEERING IS EXTREMELY OVERLY SENSITIVE...SO BAD THAT ONE CAN BARELY LOOK DOWN TO TURN THE DEFROST ON OR LOOK INTO THE REAR VIEW MIRROR OR SIDE VIEW MIRRORS WITHOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR THE CAR TO DRIFT IN ANOTHER LANE IN THE SAME DIRECTION OF TRAVEL, OR EVEN IN AN ONCOMING LANE OF TRAVEL!! YOU...

THE STEERING GETS STIFF AND TENDS TO STICK WHEN GOING STRAIGHT THIS CAUSES SLIGHT OVER STEERING BACK AND FORTH CONSTANTLY. IT SEEMS TO COME ON WORSE THE LONGER YOU DRIVE. *JS

THIS IS THE MOST RECENT OF A LARGE NUMBER OF TIMES MY CAR HAS WONDERED INTO ANOTHER LANE OF TRAVEL BY ITSELF. TODAY MY SON AND I WERE GOING OUT TO EAT. THERE WAS A COLD RAIN FALLING, SO THE WINDOWS STARTED TO FOG UP A BIT. I LOOKED DOWN JUST LONG ENOUGH TO TURN THE DEFROST ON AND WHEN I LOOK BACK UP MY VEHICLE IS ABOUT 3/4 INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAVEL AND MY HAND DID NOT MOVE AT ALL!!! HAD THERE BEEN ANOTHER CAR COMING IN THE OPPOSITE LANE OF TRAVEL THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A HEAD ON CRASH AND THERE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN FATALITIES TOO, ALL BECAUSE KIA WILL NOT FIX THIS ISSUE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE WITH THE 2013 OPTIMA. THE CAR WONDERS CONSTANTLY SO YOU ARE NOT ABLE TO LOOK IN YOUR REAR VIEW OR SIDE VIEW MIRRORS, NOT CAN YOU LOOK...

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE WITH 22000 MILES. ON MY FIRST RELATIVELY LONG TRIP, I GOT UP TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND NOTICED THAT THE CAR HAS NO STRAIGHT POSITION. IT NEEDS CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS, EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT (MOSTLY RIGHT ). THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED FOR ALIGNMENT DISCREPANCIES, BUT EVERYTHING IS WITHIN MANUFACTURER SPECIFICATIONS. THERE NEEDS TO BE AN UPDATE TO THE ELECTING POWER STEERING MODULE/STEERING ANGLE SENSOR. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING DESIGN FLAW. HOW MANY COMPLAINTS UNTIL YOU LISTEN, KIA? WE THE PEOPLE CALL UPON THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES TO HELP IN RESOLVING THE ISSUE. *TR

IMPOSSIBLE TO HOLD THE CAR ON A STRAIGHT TRACK. WILL DRIFT LEFT,WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT TO A STRAIGHT TRACK,THE STEERING REQUIRES SO MUCH FORCE TO CORRECT THAT THE RESULT IS AN OVER CORRECTION TO THE RIGHT. THIS SCENARIO REPEATS FOREVER. THE STEERING STICKS AND CANNOT BE HELD IN A STRAIGHT LINE. *TR

HAVING PURCHASED THE CAR ON 12/11/14 MY DAUGHTER DID NOT HAVE MUCH EXPERIENCE DRIVING THE CAR.... ON DECEMBER 27 SHE "LOST CONTROL" OF THE CAR, AND RAN INTO THE WALL ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN CHICAGO. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON A DRY EVENING, AND SHE EMPHATICALLY STATES THAT SHE DOES NOT KNOW HOW SHE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND THAT IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT. THE ONLY RATIONALE CONCLUSION WAS THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE HAD A TIRE BLOW OUT. THAT IS, UNTIL A FRIEND RECOMMENDED I CHECK THE WEB, AND CHECK IF OTHERS MAY HAVE BEEN OR ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. ALTHOUGH I HAD DONE MY DUE DILIGENCE WHEN RESEARCHING THE CAR E.G. RECALLS, KNOWN PROBLEMS, ETC. PRIOR TO PURCHASING THIS CAR, I DID NOT CHECK SPECIFICS SUCH AS STEERING. LONG OF THE SHORT, TWO DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND WHEN I GOOGLED STEERING PROBLEMS, THIS SITE...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. ONCE THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL, HE LOST CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE SWERVED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. AS A RESULT, BOTH FRONT TIRES WERE BEGINNING TO WEAR. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE DEALER REPLACED THE STEERING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE . THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.

VEHICLE IS HARD TO HOLD STRAIGHT AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE STEERING LOCKS INTO A POSITION AND REQUIRES EXTRA EFFORT TO TURN THE WHEEL CAUSING OVER CORRECTION. THIS CAUSES MENTAL AND PHYSICAL FATIGUE ON LONGER TRIPS AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

PROBLEM IS ONGOING. VEHICLE WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTION NECESSARY. YOU CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THIS HAPPENS ON PERFECTLY FLAT ROADS WITH NO WIND. THE VEHICLE DRIFTS INDEPENDENTLY IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT HELD TIGHTLY. I CONSTANTLY HAVE TO NUDGE THE STEERING WHEEL SLIGHTLY LEFT OR SLIGHTLY RIGHT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LANE. IT BECOMES A STRAIN ON MY ARMS AND MY WRISTS ACHE AFTER A LONG DRIVE. THERE ARE SO MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. WHY ISN'T KIA ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE? I DON'T TRUST GOING TO THE DEALER BECAUSE, FROM ALL THE REVIEWS, IT SEEMS LIKE NOTHING IS OR CAN BE DONE. I HAD A HYUNDAI SONATA FOR YEARS AND LOVED IT. I WENT WITH THE KIA DUE TO THE NEW LOOK, PAYING GOOD MONEY FOR A QUALITY CAR. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE BOTH THIS...

VERY HARD TO KEEP ON A STRAIGHT TRACK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SIGHT CORRECTIONS HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY MADE TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING IN A STRAIGHT PATH. THIS DRIFTING WILL HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW MUCH THE WIND BLOWING OR THE TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE, IT IS DEFINITELY COMING FROM THE CAR. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE DAY ONE. I'VE TRIED REDUCING THE AIR PRESSURE IN MY TIRES AND IT HELPED A LITTLE, BUT ONLY A LITTLE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. THIS IS NOT NORMAL. NOW I FIND OUT THAT MANY OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME STEERING ISSUE. KIA/HYUNDAI CORPORATE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THIS STEERING ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE HAS AN ACCIDENT. REQUEST RESEARCH HELP. *TR

I PURCHASED A 2013 KIA OPTIMA FROM A LOCAL DEALER WHO WAS SELLING IT SECOND-HAND. THE CAR HAS 13,500 MILES ON IT AT PURCHASE. WHEN TEST DRIVING THE VEHICLE I WENT IN A SMALL CIRCLE THAT INCLUDED ONLY VERY MINIMAL HIGHWAY DRIVING. ON JUNE 26,2014 MY FAMILY LEFT FOR A 5 HOUR TRIP TO CHARLESTON, SC. IT WAS ON THIS TRIP I STARTED NOTICING VERY EARLY ON THAT I WAS HAVING TO CONSTANTLY CORRECT THE STEERING TO THE LEFT AND THEN BACK TO THE RIGHT, OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN...ALL THE WAY DOWN TO CHARLESTON. SINCE NOTICING THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN AN ISSUE EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE DRIVEN THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAY, AND IT HAS RESULTED SEVERAL TIMES IN ME VEERING INTO THE LANE BESIDE WHETHER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I LITERALLY HAVE TO CONTINUOUSLY MICRO-STEER THE CAR JUST TO KEEP IT WITHIN THE LANE IT'S SUPPOSED...

MY 2013 KIA OPTIMA LX, WHICH I BOUGHT NEW WITH ONLY 7 MILES, IS HARD TO KEEP ON A STRAIGHT TRACK AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. SLIGHT CORRECTIONS HAVE TO BE CONSTANTLY MADE TO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP THE CAR GOING IN A STRAIGHT PATH. THIS DRIFTING WILL HAPPEN NO MATTER HOW MUCH THE WIND BLOWING OR THE TYPE OF ROAD SURFACE, IT IS DEFINITELY COMING FROM THE CAR. IT'S BEEN HAPPENING SINCE DAY ONE, BUT I CHALKED IT UP TO THE NEW TIRES NEEDING TO BE BROKEN IN. NOW THE CAR HAS 12,000 MILES AND TIRES HAVE BEEN ROTATED AND THE ISSUE IS STILL THERE. I'VE DRIVEN ENOUGH CARS TO KNOW THAT THIS IS NOT NORMAL. NOW I FIND OUT THAT MANY OTHER OPTIMA OWNERS HAVE THIS SAME STEERING ISSUE. KIA/HYUNDAI CORPORATE NEEDS TO COME UP WITH A COMPREHENSIVE SOLUTION TO THIS STEERING ISSUE BEFORE SOMEONE HAS AN ACCIDENT. UPDATED...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE VEHICLE SWAYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 75 MPH WITH OUT WARNING THE CAR ABRUPTLY SWERVED TO THE LEFT INTO THE OTHER LANE TOWARDS THE MIDDLE CONCRETE BARRIER. WAS ABLE TO GAIN CONTROL WITHOUT HITTING BARRIER. RETURNED TO DEALER TOLD THEM ABOUT THE ISSUE AND THAT WE DID NOT WANT THE CAR ANYMORE DUE TO IT BEING A DEATH TRAP. THEY COULD NOT REENACT THE SITUATION SO THEREFORE THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. TOLD THEM THIS CAR NEEDED TO BE DISSECTED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE SOMEONE DIES. THEY CLAIMED THEY CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD TO CALL 800-333-4KIA NUMBER THEY HAD NOT RECORD OF THIS ISSUE. WE NO LONGER OWN THE CAR AND ACCORDING TO KIA WE NO LONGER HAVE A SAY IN THIS VEHICLE. *TR

THERE IS A REAL PROBLEM WITH THE HANDLING OF THIS VEHICLE WHEN IT IS WINDY. IT IS A STRUGGLE TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 30MPH. I'M HAVING TO AVOID CERTAIN ROADS AND BRIDGES (I.E. TAMPA BAY'S SUNSHINE SKYWAY) DUE TO THE FAULTY AND INCONSISTENT RESPONSE OF THE STEERING WHEN DRIVING IN EVEN THE SLIGHTEST WIND. GOD FORBID THAT A SUDDEN GUST COME ALONG!! I, TOO, HAVE SPOKEN WITH THE DEALERSHIP. THEIR RESPONSE IS THAT THIS IS A COMMON COMPLAINT, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE A SOLUTION. THINKING THAT THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE ADDRESSED AT THE CORPORATE LEVEL!! AND SOON!! *TR

I AGREE WITH THE MAY 24, 2013 - SCOTTSDALE, AZ OVERVIEW REGARDING WIND. THE CAR IS EASILY AFFECTED AND MOVES IN THE WIND AND IS A CHALLENGE TO STAY STRAIGHT IN THE LANE. I FEEL LIKE OTHER DRIVERS MUST THINK I AM A DRUNK DRIVER. THE CAR DOES NOT REALLY DRIFT BUT THE STEERING IS SLUGGISH WITH PLAY AND DEAD SPOTS/HARDER TO MAKE FIRST PART OF A TURN, (ALMOST LIKE STEERING STICKS). ALSO AS SOMEONE ELSE SAID, THE STEERING IS A CHALLENGE ON THE HIGHWAY AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND IS HARD TO MAINTAIN IN THE LANE.... MAY ALSO BE A SUSPENSION PROBLEM. IT IS EASY TO LOSE CONTROL AT HIGH SPEEDS IF THE ROADWAY IS NOT PERFECT. CONSTANTLY FIGHTING THE LOOSE STEERING TO THE POINT WHERE AGAIN, IT LOOKS LIKE I AM A DRUNK DRIVER. INCREASING THE AIR IN THE TIRES WAS OF NO HELP TOWARD THE STEERING STABILITY. I...

STEERING WHEEL STAYS STRAIGHT BUT CAR WANDERS FROM LEFT TO RIGHT IN LANE. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

RECENTLY I LEASED A KIA OPTIMA SX, AFTER 1 WEEK NOTICED THE STEERING WOULD DRIFT FROM SIDE TO SIDE IN LANE WHILE STEERING WHEEL KEPT STRAIGHT AT CENTER POSITION. WHEN CORRECTING "DRIFT" STEERING OVER COMPENSATES FOR CORRECTION AND SWAYS VEHICLE OTHER WAY. HAVE HAD CAR IN FOR SERVICE 2 TIMES IN 2600 MILES FOR THIS ISSUE. FIRST TIME THEY RESET ALIGNMENT, THE 2ND SERVICE DEPT. SAYS EVERYTHING IS WITHIN KIA SPECS AND THERE IS NOTHING MORE THEY CAN DO. CAR STILL "DRIFTS"WHILE ON ROAD MOST NOTICEABLY ABOVE 50-60 MPH WHILE ON EXPRESSWAY, WHILE SOMEWHAT PRESENT CAR ACTS MORE NORMALLY ON STREET SPEEDS UNDER 45 MPH. I HAVE DRIVEN MANY VEHICLES WITH ELECTRIC STEERING AND THIS IS THE ONLY VEHICLE THAT I HAVE HAD PROBLEMS GETTING TO TRACK STRAIGHT. REALLY DISAPPOINTED IN AN OTHERWISE VERY NICE VEHICLE. I WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HAVE MY VEHICLE PERFORM AS IT SHOULD AND TRACK...

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AS THE VEHICLE SWAYED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 800.

WHEN TRAVELING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 45 MPH THE CARS STEERING WHEEL STICKS AT CENTER. SIMULTANEOUSLY THE CAR WONDERS DRASTICALLY ON THE ROAD - TO CORRECT YOU TRY TO STEER THE STEERING WHEEL, BUT WITH THE STICKING IN THE CENTER YOUR CORRECTIONS CAUSE DRASTIC "BACK AND FORTH". HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN 3 TIMES. ALL I AM TOLD IS IT IS THE ALIGNMENT. NOTHING IS FIXED. *TR

2013 KIA OPTIMA. HAVE THE SAME ISSUES WITH THE STEERING, HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE I BOUGHT IT. I DRIVE FOR A LIVING AND FIGHTING THIS PROBLEM IS REALLY GETTING STRESSFUL. I WOULD SUGGEST KIA LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE BEFORE A MAJOR INCIDENT OCCURS DUE TO A FAILURE. *TR

CAR SWAYS BACK AND FORTH. HARD TO KEEP ON THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY ADJUSTED THE STEERING FROM SPORT TO STANDARD. GAVE IT A TRY AND IT STILL CONTINUED TO HANDLE TERRIBLE. TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER AGAIN AND LEFT IT FOR A FEW DAYS. THEY KEEP TELLING ME THAT THE CAR IS ACTING NORMAL AND THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE SERVICE MANAGER MADE A COMMENT THAT 5 GALLONS OF GAS AND A MATCH WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM, THEN SAID HE WAS KIDDING. I DIDN'T FIND IT FUNNY BECAUSE IT ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THIS CAR KILLS ME OR SOMEONE ELSE. I HATE THE CAR AND FEAR DRIVING IT. I'VE ONLY HAD IT 7MONTHS AND IT HAS ABOUT 5,500 MILES ON IT. CAR STILL DOES IT AND I'M EXHAUSTED FROM TRYING TO KEEP IT ON THE ROAD. *TR

ON STRAIGHT A WAYS THE CAR WANDERS (PULLS) FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BACK AND FORTH TO STRAIGHTEN THE CAR OUT. THE CAR WILL NOT TRACK STRAIGHT. WE HAVE TO CONTINUALLY CORRECT THE STEERING. BECAUSE WE TRAVEL ON A LOT OF 2 LANE ROADS WE ARE ALREADY CONSIDERING TRADING THE CAR BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS.

VEHICLE WILL NOT TRACK STRAIGHT. VEHICLE WONDERS LEFT AND RIGHT AT SPEEDS OF 40 MPH OR HIGHER. HAS BEEN DOING THIS SINCE I PURCHASED IT. *TR

VEHICLE'S STEERING WILL NOT STAY ON CENTER. PULLS PRIMARILY TO THE LEFT, MANY TIMES PULLING ME INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE OF TRAFFIC. VERY DANGEROUS. IT'S ALSO PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING ON MY ARMS CONSTANTLY HAVING TO REDIRECT THE STEERING TO CENTER AND ATTEMPT (UNSUCCESSFULLY) TO KEEP IT THERE. AS SOON AS THE CAR IS REDIRECTED FROM VEERING TO THE LEFT, IT THEN OVERSTEERS AND VEERS TO THE RIGHT. THERE IS NO CENTERING THIS VEHICLES STEERING. I'VE ALREADY TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE ONCE FOR THIS ISSUE AND IT WASN'T CORRECTED. I CALLED KIA SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND TOLD THE MANAGER THAT I AM AWARE OF THE MANY DOZEN COMPLAINTS OF THIS SAME ISSUE WITH THE KIA OPTIMA AND THAT I WANT IT CORRECTED. HE THEN SAID HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS "ISSUE" AND TOLD ME HE WOULD LOOK INTO IT AND GET BACK TO ME. THERE WAS NO FOLLOW UP FROM...

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A NEW KIA OPTIMA AND I AM HAVING THE SAME ISSUES OTHERS ARE COMPLAINING ABOUT WITH THE CAR NOT TRACKING PROPERLY BY EITHER VEERING TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT CONSTANTLY. IN MY CASE, I NOTICE IT IN CITY AND HIGHWAY DRIVING. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER, AND THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG, BUT AFTER A LONG DEBATE, THEY ALIGNED THE VEHICLE FINDING IT TO BE OFF ALIGNMENT SLIGHTLY. I NOTICED NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IN THE PROBLEM, SO I CHANGED THE TIRES SINCE THEY INSTALL VERY POOR QUALITY OEM TIRES. NOT MUCH BETTER AS FAR AS STEERING, BUT WAY BETTER WET/DRY ROAD TRACTION. I WILL BE GETTING ANOTHER ALIGNMENT FROM AN INDEPENDENT SHOP, BUT I FEEL THERE IS A GREATER ISSUE WITH THE STEERING COMPONENTS, AND BASED ON ALL THE COMPLAINTS, KIA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE THIS ISSUE AND COME UP WITH A FIX A.S.A.P BEFORE SOMEONE...

WHILE DRIVING AT OR AROUND 50 MPH THE CAR STARTED DRIFTING LEFT THEN RIGHT. *TR

VEHICLE WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTION NECESSARY. YOU CANNOT DRIVE THE CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE. VEHICLE WILL DART TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS HAPPENS ON PERFECTLY FLAT ROADS WITH NO WIND. STEERING WHEEL IS ALSO TURNED TO THE LEFT WHEN DRIVING STRAIGHT. DEALER SAYS EVERYTHING IN SPEC. *TR

PURCHASED A NEW 2013 KIA OPTIMA ON 4/30/13 AND THE CAR WANDERS LEFT THEN YOU HAVE TO CORRECT CONSTANTLY. TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER TWICE AND THEY TELL ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. AFRAID TO DRIVE ON HIGHWAY FOR FEAR OF HURTING SOMEONE. THE CAR HAS 400 MILES ON IT NOW. PLEASE HELP ,CHECKED ON INTERNET AND THERE ARE A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE TO COMMUTE EVERY 3 WEEKS FROM PHOENIX TO LAS ANGELES AND TRAVEL I-10. I CURRENTLY HAVE 12,000 MILES AND THE LAST 3 TIMES I MADE THE TRIP I HAVE REPEATEDLY ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WHEN TRAVELING 70+MPH FROM BLITHE, AZ TO BANNING, CA. THE CAR DRIFTS, AND IS WORSE WITH WIND GUSTS, IT IS CLOSE TO IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP FROM BLOWING OFF THE ROAD. ONLY WITH IMMEDIATE REDUCTION IN SPEED BELOW 70-MPH IS THERE IMMEDIATE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I CONTACTED KIA MOTOR COMPANY AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE AND TAKE IT TO MY LOCAL DEALER. I CALLED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED A DEALER IN THE INDIO, CA AREA AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY ARE AWARE OF A PROBLEM AND TO BRING IT IN ON MY...

BY READING UP ON THE KIA OPTIMA 2013 I NOW SEE THAT THERE ARE ALOT OF COMPLAINTS ON THE STEERING. IT WILL ONLY BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE NUMEROUS DEATHS WILL OCCUR BECAUSE ITS CONSTANT WANDERING ON THE ROAD. IT GOES FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND A STRUGGLE TO KEEP IT BETWEEN THE LINES. THE TROOPERS ARE GOING TO STOP YOU BECAUSE THEY WILL THINK YOU ARE DRUNK AND IT IS ALL THE CAR. *TR

AS VEHICLE SPEED INCREASES ABOVE 50 MPH THE VEHICLE DRIFTS RIGHT OR LEFT THEREBY REQUIRING CONSTANT STEERING CORRECTIONS. IT ALSO BECOMES A STRAIN ON MY ARM. I SPOKE TO KIA'S HQ IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY STATED THEY HAVE NOT HAD ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS. I FINALLY GOT A CASE NUMBER FROM KIA AND AM IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING IT TO THE DEALER TO SEE IF THEY CAN DIAGNOSE AND CORRECT THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT INDEPENDENTLY IF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT HELD TIGHTLY. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH THE DEALER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD ISSUED A NEW SETTING OPTION FOR THE STEERING WHEEL AND THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE TO APPLY THE NEW SETTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 1,530. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *TR

VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. IT DOES NOT MATTER WHETHER THE ROAD IS FLAT OR CROWNED. THE STEERING IS SIMILAR AT ANY SPEED. RETURNED TO DEALER ON 11/27/2012 AND THEY ROAD TESTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT IT HANDLED NORMALLY. THEY FOUND THE TOE SLIGHTLY OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND RESET. THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAS ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING AND HAS A DIFFERENT FEEL THEN A CONVENTIONAL TYPE. I AM TRYING TO CHANGE THE WAY I HAVE BEEN STEERING CARS FOR 59 YEARS. THE END RESULT IS THE CAR STILL WANDERS ON ANY ROAD I DRIVE ON. SEEING THE OTHER COMPLAINTS IN THIS FILE TELLS ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING ON THESE CARS. WE NEED A FIX. *TR