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.
I noticed around 48,000 miles that after driving for 30+ minutes or on and off driving for 45+ minutes, my steering becomes "sticky"/"notched" when it is centered and I am driving 35 mph or more. It becomes much more pronounced when on a flat, straight surface and I am driving 60+ mph. This makes minor corrections hard to do when driving to stay in my lane as the vehicle seems to require significant pressure to turn right or left. This ends up becoming a series of constant corrections from inadvertently oversteering. This is very fatigue inducing and can be frustrating, even when I am very well rested and alert. I'm concerned it'll affect other drivers as they may drive erratically when passing as they match my steering corrections. My local Kia dealership has been very helpful and receieved permission to remedy it under warranty and will replace the entire steering column and associated parts. Currently the steering column is on backorder and has been for at least three weeks. I believe the steering column issue may be bigger than indicated via reports judging by the backorder issue. Date entered in the "event date" section is based on when I had an appointment for an initial diagnosis.
My 2016 ex turbo sorrento has a steering issue. The steering feels like it sticks or hesitates. The feeling is difficult to describe as it is not like any steering I have experienced before. It is as though something mechanical in the lower part of the assembly is hesitating or slightly jerking and not giving the correct feedback and not accepting the drivers input correctly. I know there are both electrical and mechanical systems involved in the steering and something between them is not working correctly. There are certain driving conditions when this is no doubt a safety issue, like in the rain when you are not getting the correct feedback from the steering and are are driving between 2 semi trucks at 70 mph. This issue needs to be a safety recall and fixed before there are people injured or worse from the effects of this defect. I have taken this to a Kia dealer and they said the drove it and did not feel a problem. I have reported it to Kia Consumer Affairs before the car was out of warranty and again now that it is out of warranty. This issue can be felt when driving or when stationary. To be clear, the driver has to constantly make small adjustments to keep the car driving in a straight line, and when making these adjustments the steering feels sticky so it requires extra force to move. I would like to add that other than the described steering issue this vehicle has been excellent in every way and very dependable.
My 2016 Sorento (ex) has sticky steering. Kia is aware of this problem and issues an upgrade to the cars computer system but it did not fix the problem. When trying to move the steering wheel, it initially sticks and requires extra force to get it to provide a steering input. Once it gets past the initial resistance, it jerks the car in the direction you are trying to go which required compensation in the other direction. Upon correction, it jerks the car in the opposite direction causing a continual need to correct the steering wheel to keep the car straight and causing the car to not be able to maintain perfectly straight travel. On large sweeping corners, this problem is even more pronounced and feels dangerous. My car is out of its bumper to bumper warranty and despite me having the car into Kia dealerships twice while in warranty and the original computer "fix" not working, Kia is not guaranteeing that when I bring the car back that it will be fixed under warranty. The fix for the problem is replacing the steering rack or other steering components. The sticking issue is intermittent but when it is acting up it can be felt while stationary and in motion. This intermittent issue started around 30,000 miles and continues through 70,000 miles.I believe a recall should occur to correct this potentially serious safety issue.
When driving the steering wheel will go to the left and stick, then I will have to bring back to right or the steering will stay to the left.this has happen many times.this is a potential dangerous situation.there are multiple reports on this situation.I am concerned...
My Kia was bought 1/2016 and since then my steering column has had to be replaced 3 times, Cadillac converter once, and my car is now ready after 23 days because of a motor leak that had cracked the block. Everyone of these have been defects that Kia has covered and yet I can't seem to get anyone from the escalations department to talk to me about a buyback or getting me into another car. It had 5 miles on it when I bought it and now is around 80,000.
- Decarur, TX, USA
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Steering is what's called notchy or sticky. When driving (whether it be straight on a city street, straight on a highway, or even on curvy roads, slow or fast) steering wheel takes effort to turn then lets go, causes over steer reaction. Dangerous. Steering even moves on its own at a complete stop. I began noticing it in January of 2019. Since then, its gotten worse.
During normal vehicle operation, both on the highway and city streets, the vehicle would suddenly lose power steering and the power steering warning light will illuminate. This happened several times randomly without warning, steering was normal and there were no audible noises when steering prior to power steering failure. Putting the vehicle in park, turning off and restarting the car fixed the problem a few times, sometimes for a few days between occurences. Eventually power steering was lost for good and needed to be taken to a mechanic for repairs. There were a few close calls losing power steering in the middle of turns that nearly led to accidents.
Steering- while driving at highway speeds the steering gets tight as if the power steering was out. When you fight to compensate it would normalize causing you to jerk the wheel. I could have easily lost control of the vehicle. Lightning- while driving at night on a dark highway all the light turned off. We were completely in thdark. We pulled over and moved the switch from automatic to the manual light on position. We later moved it back to the automatic position and it was again working properly. Both problems can easily cause you to lose control of the vehicle.
Steering has a "catch" or "stickiness" at center. Causes over correcting at highway speed. The higher the speed, this stickiness increases. Unable to maintain steady lane position.
Steering has a "sticky" feeling when driving no matter the speed. The steering wheel feels hard to pull in either right or left direction. This happens during city driving as well as highway driving. Creates constant over correction, which has led to veering into another lane. This "sticky" feeling does not occur when the steering wheel is already in a turning or turned position.
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Sorento. While driving approximately 35 mph, the steering ability became very loose and the vehicle pulled to the right. Car rocks back and forth and makes quick movements from side to side. This happens from 50 mph up to 75-80 mph. This causes the car to be extremely hard to control. The contact took the vehicle to jim shorkey Kia (10785 perry hwy, wexford, pa 15090) where it was repaired for front alignment failures. Neither place wanted to address a steering issue, neither dealership checked the steering had new brake (front) replacement, alignment, tire balacnce, inspection and new tires. After $1,000 expense still resolving this problem. The failure recurred on April 15, 2019 and was currently back at the dealer to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 26,280. Consumer stated no suspension problem- could not determine the problem, it seems to be unclear. Repair and service personnel seem to think it is the tires or steering. There has been at least 7 complaints regarding steering problems.
The problem started around 50K miles and has become progressively worse. The problem is a sticky feeling in the steering. When making very small corrections it is like the power steering is turned off. Gentle pressure does not turn the wheel at all. As more and more pressure is applied, it is like the power steering suddenly turns on. This causes the vehicle to swerve due to over correction.the process repeats as you correct back the other direction. In fact, in a gentle turn on the highway you can let go of the wheel and the vehicle will continue to turn, the wheel never returning to center without intervening. Ultimately, the vehicle is incredibly hard to control, and I must look like a drunk swerving back and fourth in the lane. This is very dangerous especially on mountain roads or in high winds, ice, and snow. It is more noticeable on the highway, but it does it on city streets too, and I can feel that it is happening even when the vehicle is at a full stop. It was intermittent at first, but now it is dang near constant starting since about 75K. I opened a safety complaint with Kia. Based on what I have read here and on blogs, Kia is aware of the problem. There are 18 complaints of the same thing for the 2016 Sorento here on NHTSA and the 2017 sorenta has 89! the fix is several thousand dollars, so if the vehicle is out of warranty like mine, most people will have a hard time affording the fix. Kia needs to issue a recall before someone is injured or killed. I am documenting this here so that when it is me or my wife who dies, there is evidence of Kia's negligence. I could make a video of the wheel not returning to center on the highway as evidence, but the file size and format would not work here.
The steering sticks nor matter what speed I drive. It intensives with a tighter sticking of the steering wheel when driving on the highway at 60-65. To dislodge the sticking the wheel has to be turned slightly to the right, which give me an insecure feeling of not having control over the vehicle, because the car shifts to the right slightly. At height speeds this is a horrifying feeling. I've taken the vehicle to the dealership four times now. They've done the diagnostic tests the Kia corporation has suggested. Problem still exists. I've been told there has been no recall, even though there have been other persons complaining about the same problem with their vehicles.
Same problem in November 2018 and February 2019 during driving on highway a least 80 mph when I notice electric power steering was not smooth steering as jerk bumping noise on my feel hands. I tried to correct to straight the lane however it keep going moving little right and left direction. I was nervous not improper to straighten lane. It seem unsafe manner in highway !.
There is an issue with the electric steering on my car, it has a "catch" in the steering wheel, when you get it past that point you have over corrected and is dangerous. It makes it near impossible to hold your lane straight. Ive mentioned this to the car dealer ship Kia many times and im simply told that it is normal for electric steering that I am not used to it. I have seen many many complaints about this exact issue with this make and model, seems no one is doing anything about it. This has nearly caused me to have an accident, just the slightest touch to correct this "catch" sends you one way or the other in your lane. It can be very dangerous and I feel no one is taking this seriously, should someone have to die before we check out a potential issue? my car has 20000 miles and has been doing this for about the last 6 months, did not happen when I first bought the vehicle.
The steering on my Sorento stalls when driving at highway speeds causing overcorrection to the point of almost loosing control of the vehicle. I found many similar complaints on the internet. This is a very dangerous defect in the steeling of the vehicle. Life threating problem.
I have had 4 situations where when my car is started, the dashboard warning lights vome on. On two of these 4 occasions, when I attepted to shift from park, I could not and the power locks started malfunctioning. All times the car was stationary. The dashboard reads check TPMS system. The Kia dealership cannot duplicate the problem so believe since they cannot duplicate the problem, there is no problem. O have provided them with the photos and video of the incidents.
When driving at highway speed (60+mph), steering "locks" and appears to be non-responsive. It is necessary to "jerk" the wheel to "wake up" the steering to complete any correction. The vehicle veers between the lines constantly due to this action which must be repeated every 10 seconds or so. It's like driving drunk!!! passengers are jerked back and forth constantly. On trips over an hour, severe elbow cramping results from the repeated motion required to maintain vehicle in the lane. In the rain, when hydroplaning on shallow puddles on the fwy, the over correction causes severe swerving when traction is returned and overcorrection has resulted from "jerking" the wheel back "awake". very dangerous!!! causes temporary loss of control and swerving into the next traffic lane. This is an accident waiting to happen. This condition started at about 25000 mi. And is getting worse now at 30000. More extreme by the week. Becoming difficult to drive. Dealer says everything is fine!!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Savoy, IL, USA