146 complaints reported

2012 Kia Optima Steering

Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.

Reports
146
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0

Complaint Timeline

Chronological view of owner reports

Jul 2020

STEERING WHEEL MAKES A CLICKING NOISE . ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Jun 2020

MY VEHICLE STEERING MAKES A LOUD NOISE WHEN TURNING IT. IT HAPPENS WHEN DRIVING AND WHILE CAR IS IN PARK. I WAS TOLD THIS HAPPENS WITH KIA'S(STEERING COUPLING) AND SHOULD BE A RECALL. I NEED TO KNOW IF ESTABLISHED AS A RECALL SO I CAN TAKE TO A DEALER FOR REPAIR BECAUSE I DO NOT WANT TO CONTINUE DRIVING LIKE THIS. *TR

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2020
Jun 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE LOSS POWER STEERING ASSIST AND CEASED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DORSCHEL KIA (3817 W HENRIETTA RD, ROCHESTER, NY 14623) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2020
Jun 2020

WHEN I'M GOING AROUND A CURVE MY STEERING WHEEL STICKS AND STAYS IN THE TURNING POSITION. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY TURN IT BACK

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2020
Apr 2020

MY STEERING WHEEL HAS A CLANKING SOUND EVERYTIME I TURN LEFT, RIGHT, OR EVEN GO OVER BUMPS. I HAVE READ MULTIPLE REVIEWS ON PEOPLE WITH THE SAME ISSUE SINCE THE CAR WAS RELEASED! THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THIS CAN CAUSE CAR ACCIDENTS. PEOPLE CAN LOSE LIVES OVER THIS. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2020
Jan 2020

THE STEERING FEELS LIKE IT LOCKS AS YOUR DRIVING PULLING THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT. I CAN JIGGLE THE STEERING WHEEL TO HELP CORRECT IT BACK TO STRAIGHTEN THE WHEELS.THE DEALERSHIP ALIGNED THE FRONT END BUT THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THEY SAID THEY COULD POSSIBLY FIX IT IF I SPENT OVER A $1000 DOLLARS TO REPLACE PARTS ON THE RIGHT FRONT END. THEY WOULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THIS WOULD SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THAT IS A LOT OF MONEY TO "MAYBE" FIX IT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Dec 2019

THE STEERING COLUMN IS MAKING A CLICKING NOISE LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE INSIDE IT. I AM AFRAID IT WILL BREAK COMPLETELY AND I'LL LOSE ALL STEERING WHILE I'M DRIVING. IT MAKES THE NOISE WHEN I HIT A BUMP OR VEERING LEFT OR RIGHT. IT FEELS LIKE IT JERKS. I TRAVEL QUITE A BIT AND HAVE A ONE YEAR OLD CHILD. I'VE ALSO READ MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS MODEL HAVING THE SAME ISSUE WITH OTHER PEOPLE. I AM WRITING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE I FEEL THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM AND AM ASKING SOMEONE TO LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM AND ADDRESS IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Dec 2019

EVERY TIME I TURN MY WHEEL LEFT/RIGHT, OR HIT A BUMP IT CLICKS LOUDLY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Oct 2019

THERE IS A CLICK OR CLUNK UPON TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL IN EITHER DIRECTION. THIS HAPPENS WHEN STILL OR TURNING ANYPLACE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2019
Oct 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO REFERRED THE CONTACT TO A DEALER. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 143,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: May 2018
Sep 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISE WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2017
Jul 2019

NOISE IN THE STEEING WHEN I TURN THE WHEEL IN MOTION

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2019
Jul 2019

WHEN OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE STEERING COLUMN GETS STUCK AND CLICKS.IT PREVENTS YOU FROM TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND MAKES IT UNSAFE WHEN ATTEMPTING TO TURN THE WHEEL.IT DOES THIS EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE IS IN OPERATION.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Jun 2019

STEERING WHEEL SHIMMIES VIOLENTLY AT ABOUT 50 TO 60 MPH . THIS IS NOT AN ALIGNMENT OR WHEEL BALANCE ISSUE . I HAD A KIA SERVICE PERSON THAT WORKS IN ANOTHER DEALERSHIP AND I WAS TOLD THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS NOT BEING DEALT WITH BY KIA .

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Jun 2019

WHILE PARKING MY CAR INTO THE GARAGE I NOTICE AS I WAS TURNING MY STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT TO STRAIGHTEN THE CAR I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE. I ALSO NOTICE IT WHILE I MOVED THE STEERING WHEEL SIDE TO SIDE STATIONARY I WILL STILL HEAR THE NOISE ON THE RIGHT.. I'VE NEVER HEARD THIS NOISE UNTIL TODAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jun 2019
May 2019

AS I DRIVE THE CAR, SHE HAS A TENDENCY OF GOING EITHER TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT. I HAVE TO FORCEFULLY RECTIFY MY STEERING WHEEL AND SOMEONE BEHIND ME WOULD SEE THAT I'M DRIVIMG ERRATICALLY. IT IS ANNOYING WHILE DRIVING TO HAVE TO GIVE TO THE STEERING WHEEL A NOTCH TO THE LEFT OR TO THE RIGHT WHEN ACTUALLY YOU WANT TO GO STRAIGHT. IS THERE A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM. I BOUGHT THE CAR 2 YEARS AGO AND THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS THE ONLY PROBLEM THEY HAD WITH IT.THEY HAD TO CHANGE THE RACK AND PINION. AND NOW SHE'S DOING IT AGAIN. IT DOES THAT ON ANY STREET OR HIGHWAY.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Apr 2019

THE PROBLEM: IN AFFECTED KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES, A CONDITION MAY EXIST WHERE DRIVERS MAY FEEL A 'NOTCHY' OR "CLUNKY" SOUND OR 'SLIPPING' CONDITION WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT. IT IS BELIEVED BY OTHER KIA OPTIMA OWNERS AND OR MECHANICS WHO MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE ISSUE THAT THIS MAY BE DUE TO EITHER A SOFTWARE GLITCH IN THE OPTIMA'S ELECTRONIC STEERING SYSTEM OR A FAULTY POWER STEERING MOTOR ASSEMBLY, U-JOINT IN THE STEERING ASSEMBLY, OR THE STEERING COUPLER. OWNERS ARE UNABLE TO FIND ANY KNOWN RECALL ON THIS ISSUE, BUT MECHANICS BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAULT IN THE KIA OPTIMA YEARS 2011-2014.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2019
Mar 2019

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I HAVE NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS WHEN I AM TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR GOING STRAIGHT IN MY LANE. IT'S TRICKY TO MOVE THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE DRIVING ESPECIALLY AT HIGH SPEED. THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T MOVE FREELY TO PERFORM SHORT STEERING CORRECTIONS. YOU DON'T NOTICED THIS IN THE TURN BUT ON STRAIGHT ROAD DRIVING

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Sep 2019
Feb 2019

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AND MAKING TURNS OR JUST TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, A KNOCKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2018
Feb 2019

KIA OPTIMA 2012 HAS VERY STICKY STEERING WHEEL ISSUES. IT JUST DRIFT LEFT OR RIGHT CONSTANTLY ON THE STRAIGHT DRIVE . IT HAPPENS ON ANY SPEED LIMITS AND MORE NOTICEABLE ON STRAIGHT DRIVES. IT JUST STUCKS UNTIL YOU CORRECT WITH EXTRA FORCE.THIS IS VERY SERIOUS AND SCARY . THIS MODEL DOES HAVE ELECTRIC STEERING SO I DON'T KNOW IF THAT IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SEEN MANY OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE AND GOT IT FIXED AFTER REPLACING COUPLING LOWER SHAFT STEERING SHAFT . THIS COULD CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Feb 2019
Dec 2018

CONTINUOUS CLICKING NOISE WHILE STEERING AT ALL SPEEDS. SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS LOOSE IN STEERING COLUMN. WAS TOLD IT COULD BE STEERING COUPLER/

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2018
Nov 2018

MY 2012 OPTIMA POPS AND MAKES A CLICKING NOISE WHEN TURNING AND IS HARDER TO TURN THEM NORMAL AND RATTLES OVER BUMPS. BASED OFF MY RESEARCH ONLINE IT'S A BAD CHEAP PLASTIC STEERING COUPLER. THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ONLINE AS WELL AS YOUTUBE VIDEOS ADDRESSING THIS SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIEVE IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THAT THE SOUL GOT RECALLED FOR. HERE IS JUST ONE LINK OF MANY VIDEOS I FOUND ON GOOGLE. HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/BMMVJLF2ZRO PLEASE GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED FOR THE PEOPLE THAT CAN'T AFFORD THE $600 THE DEALERSHIP CHARGES TO REPLACE IT WHEN IT SHOULDN'T BE AN ISSUE. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A WEAR AND TEAR PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. I HOPE KIA CAN FIX THIS IN THE FUTURE AND FIX THE CARS OUT THERE THAT HAVE FAULTY STEERING WITH A CHEAP PIECE OF PLASTIC, IT'S TO DANGEROUS TO CUT CORNERS WHEN IT COMES TO THE STEERING OF A MOTOR VEHICLE AND FROM WHAT I'VE SEEN IT'S A BIG PROBLEM WITH A LOT OF THERE PRODUCTS. PLEASE RECALL SO THEY CAN CORRECT THIS TO PREVENT FUTURE ACCIDENTS AND MAYBE SO THEY CHANGE THIS FOR THERE FUTURE VEHICLES. IT CLICKS WHILE MOVING AND STATIONARY AND SOMETIMES IS HARDER TO TURN THEN OTHERS WHICH IS NOT SAFE BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW HOW HARD YOU HAVE TO JERK THE WHEEL OR NOT.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Apr 2018
Oct 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. **TR CONSUMER STEERING WHEEL MAKES ABNORMAL NOISES WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPY ROADS AND TURNING EVEN WHEN CAR ISN'T MOVING IT, MAKES A NOISE JUST BY MOVING STEERING WHEEL. UPDATED 10/26/18*JB

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jan 2018
Sep 2018

STEERING WHEEL WOULD CLICK WHEN TURNING. THE BEGINNING OF THE TURN WAS NOT SMOOTH.NOW THE STEERING COLUMN RATTLES WHENEVER I HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Mar 2018
Sep 2018

WHILE DRIVING, STEERING MAKES NOISE AND RATTLE. CONTACTED KIA DEALER IN FREMONT AND KIA CORPORATION ABOUT THE ISSUES. NO RESPONSE.

Type: Vehicle, Vehicle: 2012 KIA OPTIMA, Manufacturer: Kia America, Inc.
Incident: Jul 2018

Trend Over Time

Complaints by year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Kia Optima has 146 Steering complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.