2013 Kia Optima Steering

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

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.

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

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

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 PROBLEM!!! *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 TO BE IN. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO PLAY IN THE STEERING WHATSOEVER. YOU CANNOT LOOK IN YOUR SIDE VIEW OR REAR VIEW MIRROR WITHOUT THE CAR DRIFTING TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT. THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THE STEERING IN THE 2013 OPTIMAS. I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS TO KIA, AND KIA DOES NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE THEY SAY IT'S WITHIN SPECS. THERE WILL BE MANY HEAD ON CRASHES WHERE CARS CROSS THE CENTER LANE BECAUSE OF THIS STEERING, AND IM SURE MANY FATALITIES WILL RESULT. I CAN PROMISE YOU THIS WILL HAPPEN IF IT ALREADY HASN'T. THERE ARE CERTAIN 2013 KIA/HYUNDAI MODELS THAT HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM REPORTED. 2013 WAS THE FIRST YEAR KIA/HYUNDAI UTILIZED ELECTRONIC STEERING. 2014 AND NEWER MODELS ALSO HAVE ELECTRONIC STEERING BUT THEY HAVE THREE STEERING MODES ON THEM TO ADJUST THE STEERING. THIS PROBLEM IS SPECIFIC ONLY TO 2013 MODELS. THERE ABSOLUTELY NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AND SOMETHING DONE ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. IT WILL HAPPEN, AND I WILL BE KEEPING THIS CORRESPONDENCE FOR MY OWN FUTURE LEGAL PROTECTION. *TR

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 11/24/2014 *JS

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

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.

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

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

WHILE DRIVING AT OR AROUND 50 MPH THE CAR STARTED DRIFTING LEFT THEN RIGHT. *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 HIM. *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 NEXT TRIP TO CA. I WAS TOLD THAT WITH THE ELECTRONIC STEERING AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL I MIGHT NEED ADJUSTMENT OR MAYBE THERE IS A SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR THE COMPUTER INSIDE THE CAR. THEY WOULD CONFIRM THAT "ALL COMPARATIVE VALUES" ARE SET PROPERLY WITH THE "BLACK BOX." *TR

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