This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Steering wheel wobbling and causing slack for no reason. Bearing or bolt has gone out. Dollar part will cost 350 to fix has to be done by dealership unsafe and ridiculous.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. While driving approximately 50 mph, the steering ability became difficult and the vehicle veered left and right. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 71,000.
There is a popping noise coming from steering column. Had tie rods inspected and are fine. Noise is coming from inside the steering column. It pops while moving or stationary.. it pops every time your change direction. Noise radiates from inside dashboard. Checked U joints and they are tight.
Takata recall there is a plastic part in the steering assist that is bad. Its all over youtube including mine. When the car is in motion you can hear the metal to metal clinking noise in the steering column. When you hit a bump it wants to jerk the steering wheel out of you hands. You can move the wheel from side to side and hear when in statioary as well.
- Nashville, TN, USA
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My airbag light is on and my horn I blowing for up to 45 minutes randomly at anytime; driving or stationary. My car is unsafe. I had my car diagnose at cobb county Kia in kennesaw, ga 30144 and the service manager, joe told me that the issue was the clock spring which Kia has recalled on several other models. The car is unsafe; the airbag does not work at all. The dealership wants $600 for a safety issue.
On August 17th, 2017 after making a broken U turn, I drove my 2013 Kia Optima onto a road at a high rate of speed, to flow into traffic, and hit a curb that I believed I was clear of. I suffered whiplash and severe pain from my accelerator foot up to my shoulders as both hands were on the steering wheel. I have had to take off many days to rest since then. After a visit to the dealer where I reported the accident, the rep suggested that the car should have a front camera. After the accident I began to hear and feel noise and excessive play in the steering wheel, and took the car to my mechanic who discovered the faulty part, the flexible coupler and recommended I take it to the dealer to have the recalled part that caused accident replaced. I had had my suspicion's as to why the car had not been driven much by the previous owners, and that the inaccurate navigation may have caused them to have an accident, that was never reported. I believe I have case against the dealer and the manufacture, for my pain and suffering. As a tbi sufferer this last event is causing major complications; and now dizziness, depression, uncertainty and headaches have returned.
The issue we are having with our Kia is that when you turn the right 5-10 degrees and then go back to the left to straighten the car there is a notch that you would have to jerk the steering wheel to the left to get past it. This is the same bulletin that is posted on cars.com https://www.cars.com/articles/2011-14-Kia-Optima-steering-issue-1420684027147/ this is a huge safety issue that needs to be address and covered for all 2011-2014 Kia Optimas
The steering is bad. It's been like that since I bought it. When it's windy my car is all over the place it's hard to steer. I have to align it every year. I took it for an alignment and they want to charge me $1220.50 to change the mdps steering wheel column. My steering wheel will not center right. I've already almost had a couple of accidents due to the steering when it's windy and also on the freeway. It's unsafe and I don't have the money to put out for a new mdps steering wheel column.. I love my car but it's unsafe. It's happens when it's windy or when I drive on the freeway. I seen online there is a lot of complaints about the same issue. I feel it should be recalled or someone's going to lose their life if they haven't already.
Steering has a dead spot near the center and it feels like it gets hung up when the wheel is turned either direction and it jumps when alternating left to right or right to left it feels unsafe and jumpy wheels will not ever stay in a straight centered position when you try to correct the jump in the steering over corrects causing a back and forth just to stay in one lane the noise it makes is a clunk and is most noticeable while sitting at idle turing the wheel back and forth even one inch
Vehicle steering has become faulty. When the steering wheel is turned while parked or driving, it sticks then moves freely without the wheels turning. This sticking is accompanied by a knocking/clicking in the steering column. This most often happens when turning the steering wheel from it's center position. I'm unsure of the cause. This started approximately 3 weeks ago (30oct17) and has persisted. I'm very concerned that this is going to escalate into a dangerous situation. Can you please assist?
I am currently stationed in ramstein germany with the U.S. air force. I contacted Kia to have the recall checked and the work completed. They are refusing saying that since I am in germany the recall doesn't affect them. They are also refusing to honor my warranty. Email is the best to contact me or via cell [xxx]. information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Constant knocking / clicking in the steering column. I have seen on many forums that this is common with the Kia brand it is associated with the steering coupler"??" attaching a pic I found on a website. It has been "knocking" for over a year.
It stalls at low speed and stalls at high speed pulls hard to the right. And motor makes all kind of sounds like rattles when cold. And run poorly when cold. Had a total of 4 recalls and have not had it a year. Had it sent to Kia of chattanooga when I first got it from edd kirby of dalton, ga and all they done was put 600 miles on it. And did nothing to it. Then it was taken to Kia of dalton, ga for the rest of the recalls but nothing was fixed all they done was serviced the car. The car is unsafe to be on the road. It is going to end up getting someone killed or badly hurt. I am about ready to call a lawyer and channel 3 news of chattanooga, tenn. If you call for more information you may talk to my husband [xxx] at anytime. ('parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).')
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. While driving 70 mph, the steering wheel went from loose to tight and the traction control, auto hold, eps, check engine, tire pressure, and ABS warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to southwest Kia (located at 39650 lyndon B johnson fwy dallas, tx 75237, 877-363-9542) where the vehicle was unable to be diagnosed due to no failure codes. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer opened case number: 12456964 and advised the contact to pull over and have the vehicle towed to a dealer if the failure recurred. The failure mileage was 85,873.
I was sitting in the yard at my aunts yard and the RPM's dropped while in park. I sat there for a few minutes to see if it would do it again, it didn't, so I left and headed home and got 5-7 miles down the road, and the car completely stalled and shut down, while I was going about 45-50 mph, and I had no control over the car. The brakes got hard, the steering was hard, and I was barely able to get out of the middle of a busy road with vehicles behind me. It wouldn't crank back up. I sat there waiting for someone to come to me to check it out, and I tried to start it back up and it did, so I went on home. I called Kia and they said bring it in, I paid $100 to have it towed to the local Kia dealership in lake city, fl. They checked it out and said it was nothing wrong gn with it. But I received a notice about a recall on the motor stating it would do what happened to me. Also, I checked online and typed my VIN number in and there was in fact an open recall for the motor I have for the issue I had. They refused to fix the recall. Advised me to wait for it to happen again, and I asked them, so you are telling me to drive this vehicle with this issue and wait for it to happen again and risk getting into an accident the answer I got was basically yes.
When driving the car, it's impossible to drive in a straight line - the car wants to wander - the steering requires constant correction. I contacted Kia usa who told me that the car is not under recall. I just purchased the car used from a Kia dealer two weeks ago - they have not called me back. The steering in the car feels very unsafe, as the car seems to want to wander, requiring constant steering corrections
Car was driving on the freeway at normal speed. The steering froze with the wheels turned, sending the car off the road into the ditch. No injuries but the car sustained damage to the front bumper, fender, headlight assembly, etc. I understand there have been reports of steering issues with this make and model.
The contact owns a 2013 Kia Optima. The contact heard a clicking sound coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted and was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 44,437.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Dayton, TX, USA