2014 Kia Optima Steering

A COUPLER ON THE STEERING COLUMN IS DEFECTIVE. IT IS CAUSING THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAKE A CLICKING NOISE EVERY TIME THE WHEEL IS TURNED. IF IT IS NOW REPLACED IT CAN CAUSE THE STEERING TO MALFUNCTION WHILE DRIVING.

WHEN DRIVING AT 60MPH MY STEERING WHEEL SHACKS AND IT DOES THE SAME EXACT THING WHEN I RIDE OVER A SPEED BUMP OR JUST HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THERE IS A LOT OF PLAY IN MY STEERING WHEEL AND I CAN HEAR A CLACKING AND CLICKING NOISE WHEN JUST TURNING THE WHEEL. ALSO I'M CONCERN ABOUT MY AIR BAGS COME OUT BECAUSE OF ALL THE SHACKING AND CLICKING THAT'S COMING FROM MY STEERING WHEEL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL SUDDENLY BEGAN TO SHAKE, VIBRATE AND BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN IN EITHER DIRECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO NATIONWIDE KIA SERVICE CENTER LOCATED AT 20 WEST TIMONIUM RD, TOWSON, MD 21093, TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT YET REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA FOR ASSISTANCE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 154,000.

MY 2014 KIA OPTIMA STARTED MAKING A CLICKING/RATTLING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN WHEN DRIVING. THE NOISE IS WORSE WHEN YOU HIT A SMALL DIP IN THE ROAD. THE STEERING FEELS CATCHY AND UNSAFE. OVER THE PAST THE PAST 2 YEARS MY ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN OFF CAUSING ABNORMAL WEAR AND REPLACEMENT OF MY TIRES. I WILL BE TAKING IT TO THE KIA DEALERSHIP TODAY AND HOPEFULLY THEY CAN FIX THIS PROBLEM

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED IN ANY DIRECTION, IT MADE A CLICKING NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BILL BRYAN KIA (9039 US-441, LEESBURG, FL 34788) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COUPLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND KIA ISSUED COVERAGE THROUGH EXTENDED WARRANTIES FOR CERTAIN VEHICLES BASED ON THEIR LOCATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE EXTENDED WARRANTY DUE TO ITS PRODUCTION DATE. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA TO FILE A COMPLAINT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,751. *CW*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD, THE STEERING MADE AN ABNORMAL TAPPING AND KNOCKING NOISE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO WORLD CAR KIA SOUTH (7915 INTERSTATE 35 ACCESS RD, SAN ANTONIO, TX 78224, (210) 305-5658) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COUPLER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION WARRANTY EXTENSION PROGRAM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,389.

I'VE BEEN DRIVING LATELY AND THE STEERING WHEEL GETS PRETTY STIFF AND UNABLE TO TURN WITHOUT APPLYING FORCE. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING IN THE CITY, TURNING AND ALSO IN THE FREEWAY.

MY 2014 KIA OPTIMA IS MAKING THE SAME KLUNK NOISE AS MY PREVIOUS KIA OPTIMA 2012, BUT THE 2014 DOESN'T HAVE A RECALL ON THE SAME ISSUE AS MY PREVIOUS OPTIMA HAD. BUT IT'S THE SAME NOISE WHEN I TURN THE STEARING WHEEL.

ON SEPTEMBER 30TH, 2019 DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 4 WEST BOUND EXITING ALTAMONTE SPRINGS FL, MY STEERING BEGAN MAKING A THUMBING SOUND ALONG WITH A VIBRATION. AS SOON AS I PARKED, I BEGAN LOOKING FOR THE CAUSE OF SOUND. IT COMING FROM A 12 INCH STEERING COLUMN. I CALL KIA ON OCTOBER 3RD ASKING ON ANY TSB OR RECALLS ON THIS DANGEROUS ISSUE. NONE FOUND. THIS OCCURRED WITH NO WARNING. PLEASE INITIATE A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE. OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME ISSUE.

AS MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE STATED, 2014 KIA OPTIMA DRIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TAKES CONSTANT CORRECTION TO KEEP IN LANES > 55 MPH. HAS HAPPENED SINCE I OWNED CAR, BUT HAS WORSENED AS OF 2016. JUNE 08, 2016 - COMPLAINED TO DEALER THAT CAR DRIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEED. REPLY WAS IT IS OK. APRIL 4, 2017 - DEALER TEST DROVE, SAID THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE. APRIL 19, 2017 - CONTACTED KIA USA AND OPENED COMPLAINT. # K3421611 NO HELP. KIA SAID AS LONG AS THE TECH FELT IT DID NOT DRIFT, THEN NOTHING THEY COULD DO. MAY 3, 2017 - PURCHASED 4 NEW CONTINENTAL TIRES TO SEE IF THAT WOULD CORRECT PROBLEM TO NO AVIAL. SO IT IS MY WORD AGAINST THE TECH AND I AND 35 OTHER CONSUMERS HAVE CARS THAT DRIFT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE WOULD SWAY FROM RIGHT TO LEFT AND THE STEERING WAS UNSTABLE. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DIFFICULT TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

DRIVING AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60 - 85 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY, CAR BEGINS TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT CAUSING DRIVER TO TRY TO CORRECT. THIS CREATES DRIVER TO OVER STEER AND MAKING CAR TAKE A HARD SWERVE TO THE RIGHT. CONSTANTLY TRYING TO STEER AND CORRECT THE CAR AT HIGH SPEEDS. AT THESE LISTED SPEEDS CAR WILL NOT CONTINUE ON A STRAIGHT LINE. WHEN HITTING THE BRAKES THE CAR SEEMS TO WANT TO GO EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT WHEN BRAKING AT LISTED SPEEDS ABOVE. CAR IS VERY DANGEROUS DRIVING AT LISTED SPEEDS, IT IS A CONSTANT BATTLE TO TRY AND KEEP IT IN THE DESIGNATED LANES. WHEN TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BY ADJUSTING LEFT OR RIGHT IT THE CARS BEGINS TO WANT TO LOSE CONTROL.

IF I DRIVE OVER 35-40 MPH MY CAR BEGINS TO SWERVE AND I OR MY HUSBAND CAN'T CONTROL THE STEERING. I CAN'T DRIVE ON THE INTERSTATE BECAUSE OF MY CAR SWERVING UNCONTROLLABLY DESPITE MY CONSTANT CORRECTIONS. I HAVE ALMOST HIT COUNTLESS CARS BECAUSE OF THIS MALFUNCTION. WINDY DAYS ARE THE WORST, I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR OVER 20 MPH. I'VE ALSO BEEN PULLED OVER MULTIPLE TIMES BECAUSE OF THE CAR SWERVING. MIND YOU I JUST PURCHASED MY CAR IN OCTOBER 2015, I'VE ONLY HAD THIS CAR A FEW MONTHS BUT I'M READY TO GET RID OF IT. I HAD THE ALIGNMENT CHECKED AND THEY SAID THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I AM SCARED FOR ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. I'VE TALKED TO MULTIPLE OPTIMA OWNERS AND WE ALL SEEM TO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY IS THIS NOT A RECALL?? HOW MANY ACCIDENTS HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THIS IS A RECALL?

I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE STEERING PANEL. I ASKED WHY I DID NOT GET A NOTICE AND THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM THAT I WOULD NEED TO CALL KIA MOTORS. I CALLED KIA AND THEY SAID THEY DO NOT SEND THEM OUT ALL AT ONCE...CERTAIN TIMES. THIS DID NOT MAKE SENSE I ASKED IF ONE HAD BEEN OUT TO ME AND THEY WERE VERY UNHELPFUL. SHOULDN'T EVERYONE RECIEVE NOTICE WHEN THERE A PROBLEM?

THIS IS MY SECOND KIA OPTIMA, THE FIRST ONE WAS AN OPTIMA EX FULLY EQUIPPED. I NEVER DROVE OVER 60 MPH, SO NEVER EXPERIENCED ANY WRONGS WITH MY STEERING, I WAS TRULY HAPPY WITH IT. WHEN I GOT MY SECOND KIA JUST A FEW MONTHS BACK, I DECIDED TO GET THE SX TURBO, AGAIN FULLY EQUIPPED. IT WAS DEFINITELY NOT A WISE DECISION, THIS CAR HAS MANY ISSUES BUT I WILL CONCENTRATE ON "STEERING AT HIGH SPEEDS". WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT A SPEED OVER 65 MILES AN HOUR THE CAR TRIED TO STEER TO THE LEFT SO A 4 HOUR DRIVE BETWEEN MIAMI EN ORLANDO BECAME A WORKOUT, TRYING TO KEEP THE CAR STRAIGHT. WHILE SWITCHING LANES, THE CAR WAS ALL OVER THE ROAD MOVING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. I THOUGH MAYBE THE TIRES AIR PRESSURE IS HIGH, SO I STOPPED TO CALIBRATE THEM, BUT NO THEY WERE OKAY. LONG STORY SHORT I DID SLOW DOWN TO BELOW 60MPH, BUT MY QUESTION REMAINS, WHY A TURBO IF YOU CANT DRIVE IT AT HIGH SPEEDS (OVER 70), I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND GUESS WHAT I GOT BACK HOME CAUSE THEY DID NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I AM THE DRIVER, I KNOW WHEN SOMETHING IS WRONG, I EXPLAINED THE ISSUE WITH DETAILS TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THEM TO FIND THE ISSUE AND SOLVED IT. KIA IF THIS WAS A SURVEY. 1 START OUT OF 5 I AM UNHAPPY. *TR

IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE THE CAR STRAIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING STICKS AND IN ORDER TO MAKE THE SMALLEST CORRECTION, YOU HAVE TO OVER-CORRECT. THIS RESULTS IN GOING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN AN S PATTERN. IT IS NOT AS NOTICEABLE AT LOWER SPEEDS. I JUST TOOK A 3 HOUR TRIP ON THE HIGHWAY AND BY THE TIME I FINISHED I WAS EXHAUSTED FROM THE AMOUNT OF CONCENTRATION REQUIRED TO SIMPLY DRIVE THE CAR IN MY LANE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 13,050.

AT ANY SPEED ABOVE 30 MPH, THE STEERING SYSTEM HAS A DELAYED RESPONSE. AS YOU TORQUE THE STEERING TO HOLD A POSITION ON A CROWNED ROAD SURFACE, THE STEERING FINALLY RECOGNIZES A STEERING INPUT COMMAND AND IMMEDIATELY JUMPS TO THE NEW POSITION. NOT ONLY IS IT DISCONCERTING, BUT DEPENDING ON THE ROAD CONDITION (TRAFFIC, LANE WIDTH, OVERALL SPEED) THESE "DIGITAL" JUMPS IN POSITIONING OF THE STEERING WHEEL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT DRIFTING TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. I HAVE FOUR CARS, THIS IS THE ONLY "FLY BY WIRE" CAR OF THE LOT. ALL OTHERS HAVE "ANALOG" STEERING WHICH ENABLES CONTINUOUS PRESSURE TO BE APPLIED TO THE STEERING SYSTEM TO MAINTAIN POSITION ON THE ROAD. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE SITUATION. I HAVE THE TURBO OPTIMA. THE DEALER "SOLUTION" WAS TO "TAKE THE STEERING OFF SPORT MODE" AND PUT IN STANDARD MODE. I DIDN'T BUY A TURBO VEHICLE TO BE FORCED TO OPERATE IT LIKE A STANDARD OPTIMA. THE STEERING PERFORMANCE IS FAR LESS IN STANDARD MODE AND MAKES THE VEHICLE RESPONSE SLUGGISH. *TR

VEHICLE DRIFTS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. VERY DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE. CONSTANT CORRECTIVE STEERING REQUIRED. *TR

VEHICLE WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GO STRAIGHT WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT. EVEN WITH CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT THE CAR WILL NOT TRACK STRAIGHT. *TR

THIS IS NOT A NEW COMPLAINT AS I SEE MANY OTHERS!!!! I PURCHASED A KIA OPTIMA 2014 ON NOVEMBER 8, 2014 WITH 175 MILES. I DID TEST DRIVE BUT NOT AT SPEEDS ABOVE 60 MPH. THE FIRST TIME I DROVE ON THE INTERSTATE, AT SPEEDS 70-80 MPH, I NOTICED I WAS REALLY HAVING TO "STEER" THIS CAR. FIRST LEFT, THEN RIGHT AND NEVER STOPPING UNTIL SPEEDS DROPPED BELOW 60 MPH OR SO. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CHECKED IT OVER AND SAID EVERYTHING WAS FINE. NEXT HIGHWAY DRIVE WAS 90 MILES EACH WAY AND THE CAR IS DEFINITELY "ALL OVER THE LANE", SO MUCH SO I ACTUALLY GOT MOTION SICKNESS AND ALMOST HAD TO STOP TO VOMIT. WHEN I RETURNED HOME AND STARTED RESEARCHING, I FOUND A SITE WWW.ARFC.ORG AND TO MY SURPRISE, THERE ARE PLENTY OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS EXACT SAME ISSUE WITH THIS CAR. I HAVE JUST NOTIFIED THE DEALER, ALTHOUGH FROM READING OTHERS EXPERIENCES, I AM NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT KIA FIXING IT. I IMPLORE YOUR ORGANIZE TO FORCE KIA'S MANAGEMENT TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM BEFORE THERE ARE DEATHS INVOLVED. IT IS TRULY AN UNSAFE CAR ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WHICH SADLY, IS THE BULK OF MY DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 300.

THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME CONTINUING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE STEERING ALWAYS PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE CAR EITHER GOES 1 LEFT OF 1 RIGHT. THERE IS NO CENTER. IT IS A STRAIN TO TRY TO KEEP THE CAR IN A LANE AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

AFTER PURCHASING A BRAND NEW KIA OPTIMA (51 MILES ON IT AT DELIVERY), IT BECAME VERY APPARENT THERE WERE MAJOR ISSUES WITH ITS STEERING AT SPEEDS OVER 50 MPHS. THE VEHICLE WOULD MOVE LEFT OR RIGHT WITHIN A LANE ON ITS OWN AND I WOULD HAVE TO CONSTANTLY PUT INPUT INTO THE STEERING WHEEL TO KEEP IT WITHIN A LANE. MY FIRST ATTEMPT TO REMEDY THE ISSUE WAS TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP DOWN THE STREET. THE DEALERSHIPS FIRST ATTEMPT WAS TO CHANGE THE STEERING COMPUTERS SETTING TO MORE OF A SPORT MODE (TOLD EX MODEL ONLY HAS 2 STEERING SETTINGS) AND I WAS OUT OF THERE IN 15 MINUTES. THE CHANGE DID NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM. I TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE SAME DEALERSHIP AND RE-EXPLAINED THE STEERING ISSUES I WAS HAVING. AFTER RECEIVING A PHONE CALL FROM A SERVICE ADVISOR, I WAS TOLD THE DEALERSHIP HAD CONTACTED KIA REFERENCE THE PROBLEM AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN TO FIX THE SIDE TO SIDE DRIFTING ISSUE. THE STEERING COLUMN WOULD HAVE TO BE ORDERED AND MY BRAND NEW VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 5 DAYS TO HAVE A MAJOR PART REPLACED. UPON A CALL FROM THE SERVICE REP. I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS FIXED AND IT WAS READY FOR PICKUP. IT WAS THE NEXT DAY THAT I GOT THE VEHICLE ON THE FREEWAY ONLY TO FIND I WOULD STILL DRIFT LEFT AND RIGHT. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT FIXED. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND I SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO TAKE A DRIVE WITH THE MECHANIC WHO SIGNED OFF ON THE REPAIR. I DROVE WITH THE MECHANIC AND SHOWED HIM THE DRIFTING ISSUE WAS STILL THERE. HE AGREED IT SHOULD NOT BE DOING IT BUT I WOULD HAVE TO WAIT FOR A PENDING COMPUTER FIX KIA WAS WORKING ON. I ASKED WHEN THIS WOULD BE AVAILABLE AND I WAS TOLD IT COULD BE 1 MONTH OR UP TO 8 MONTHS. NOW I'M THINKING ABOUT USING THE LEMON LAW IN MY STATE TO RETURN THE VEHICLE. IT HAS LESS THAN 2,000 MILES AND I WON'T LET ANYONE IN MY FAMILY DRIVE IT BECAUSE ITS UNSAFE. *TR