Steering Problems of Kia Motor Forte - part 1

The contact owns a 2022 kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the steering wheel became inoperable, with an abnormal sound coming from the steering wheel. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound while attempting to make a turn. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the failure was confirmed in the dealer database. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired; however, the dealer confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 77,371.

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The contact owns a 2014 kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving at 35 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to operate. The contact stated that the steering wheel would knock from left to right and would unexpectedly seize. Due to the failure, the steering became difficult to control. The vehicle was taken to a service center, where the failure was confirmed to be related to the steering system. The contact was advised not to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the steering wheel flex coupling had failed and needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired by the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure via telephone, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 53,280.

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Unknown. During a basic collision avoidance maneuver performed by myself on the highway at speed of aprox 60mph the steering suddenly became non-responsive, resulting in my inability to maintain directional control and cause a collision. The vehicle continued traveling before coming to its final resting position. During this sequence, the driver-side front suspension assembly sustained a catastrophic separation before the impact the steering knuckle was no longer attached to the vehicle, the strut was broken, and the driver-side wheel/tire ultimately ended up underneath the vehicle when the vehicle finally come to a stop . During the event the driver-side axle shaft completely detached and somehow come out of the transaxle housing and was found a significant distance back along the roadway, a great distance back before the initial impact . Indicating that it separated before the vehicle reached its final resting position. It is in my strongest opinion the maneuver itself could have potentially been cause of the catastrophic event. And is potentially why I could not maintain complete complete control of vehicle the whole time.

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Steering wheel is turning completely around and made a noise. I noticed my steering wheel is loose it has been like that for time. But yesterday was the first time it turned completely around were I could not control it.

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I was driving home, on my way while driving I approached a curve on my way around the curve my vehicle continued to accelerate to the right as I was going around the curve. I tried to redirect the vehicle back to the left by trying to turn the steering wheel towards the left but I could not control the direction of the way the vehicle continued on. Still trying to turn the steering wheel back towards the left it kept to the right and ran off the road into a tree. Also once impact occurred I don’t remember if the airbags deployed because my head was laying flat on the steering wheel. Once the emergency services arrived I was accessed and removed from the vehicle and transported to the hospital emergency. There were no warning lights or messages what so ever ahead of the accident. A claim with the insurance was filed and also a complaint with the kia manufacturer was filed. At this time no one has accessed the damages of the vehicle, state farm has the vehicle at this time.

There is a bad flexible steering coupler. Caused steering wheel to click and lose responsiveness, shakes going over bumps. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by the dealer vehicle was inspected by dealer there were no warning signs other than the wheel click and losing responsiveness.

Unknown concerning the front passenger steering component. Carfax showed prior accident with minor damage to the front passenger bumper. I purchased the car not long ago and and was hit in the same exact spot. When I looked up the VIN for more information online I came across the safety issue with some other 2023 Forte. I'm concerned that my vehicle could possibly have the same issue though it's not showing up right now under recall.

The front passenger-side lower control arm on my 2022 kia Forte fractured completely without warning during normal driving conditions. There was no collision, curb strike, pothole impact, or accident. The fracture appears clean and brittle, not bent or deformed. The failure caused suspension misalignment, damage to the cv axle, and uneven tire wear, creating a loss-of-control risk. The vehicle was inspected and no impact damage or deformation was found on surrounding suspension components. Kia has denied warranty coverage, stating ‘external forces’ caused the failure, but has provided no physical evidence, documentation, or explanation to support that conclusion. This appears to be a premature failure of a safety-critical suspension component. A sudden control arm fracture presents a serious steering and safety hazard and should not occur under normal operation the dealership indicated that they had a written explanation attributing the failure to ‘external forces,’ but when I requested supporting details, photographs, or physical evidence of impact, none were provided at the time. I was told that further explanation or documentation would not be available until a manager review at a later date. As of filing this complaint, no physical evidence supporting an external-force determination has been shown.

Steering column is broken and keeps falling. Hard to replace entire steering column. While driving the entire steering wheel will fall into lap, makes the car nearly un-drivable. I have fixed before but the entire part is now failing and is extremely dangerous.

I am submitting this formal complaint regarding a serious safety issue I experienced with my 2017 kia Forte. While driving, my steering wheel suddenly locked up & I was unable to turn left or right. This failure occurred in the middle of the road & put my life at serious risk. Thankfully, I was not involved in an accident. I was able to activate my hazard lights & safely maneuver to a stop before calling for assistance. My vehicle had to be towed to a repair shop, where I was informed that this is a known issue related to the mdps (motor driven power steering) & ecu (electronic control unit). The technician noted that kia has issued a product improvement campaign for some 2017–2018 kia Forte models equipped with the 2. 0l engine due to this very defect. However, my vehicle’s VIN was not included in the campaign, & the dealer has refused to provide assistance, stating that it is not their responsibility regardless of any service bulletins or improvement campaigns issued. This is deeply concerning, as it shows a clear disconnect between known safety issues and the manufacturer's accountability. There are numerous reports from other consumers experiencing the exact same failure outside the limited VIN range, indicating this issue may be much more widespread than kia is acknowledging. It is unacceptable that a potentially fatal defect is being selectively addressed, especially when the manufacturer is aware of the problem. How many more incidents or near-accidents need to occur before a full recall is issued? this is not just a matter of inconvenience—it's a critical safety issue. The fact that kia has already acknowledged the defect by issuing a product improvement campaign proves the problem exists. It is the responsibility of both the manufacturer and its dealerships to protect consumers by ensuring that all affected vehicles are repaired, not just those within an arbitrarily limited VIN range. I urge the NHTSA to investigate this matter further. Thank you.

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Car steers to tilting directions. Doesn't drive straight especially on the highway. Headlights are horrible.

Steering column, steering coupler piece.

Steering column coupler has repeatedly gone bad, causing clicking and play in the steering wheel. There is an open recall for this issue on kia optima’s, which use the same part. I’ve had this issue diagnosed and fixed by 2 different shops. It is an extremely common issue in these cars.

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The steering coupler clunks when I turn my steering wheel.

Mdps flexible steering coupler fails on all these cars but only optima’s got covered even though the same defective coupler is used in the Forte’s here is the memo for the optima’s TSB: cha072 / cs1604 (rev 2) optima (qf/tf/tfh) August 2016.

Component/system involved: electric power steering (eps) – specifically, a potential malfunction with the assist motor response timing. Description of incident: while driving, primarily on the highway, I have experienced a recurring issue with the power steering system. The steering assist appears to delay activation after periods of inactivity—such as when driving straight. When I attempt a small correction (even a movement as small as 1/16 of an inch), there is unusually high resistance, followed by a sudden release. This results in an overcorrection and can create a cycle of steering instability as the same pattern repeats with each correction. Safety risk: this malfunction poses a safety risk because the delay in steering assist and sudden release can lead to unintended sharp corrections or lane drifting, especially at highway speeds. The issue requires both hands on the wheel to maintain control, and the unpredictable nature of the steering increases the chance of losing control or colliding with another vehicle. Warning lamps/symptoms prior to failure: there are no warning lights, error messages, or chimes preceding or accompanying the issue. Mileage & vehicle info: several people seem to be having the same issue and it happens at different stages of the vehicles life, but no one seems to have found a solution or source of the problem.

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Burning a unnecessary amount of oil. The oil pump failed.

Steering started acting funny, I called kia 800 333 4542 about their technical service bulletin and spoke with ty he stated this is not a manufacturer defect and is not covered for repair since there wasnt a recall. Mdps flexible coupling replacement technical service bulletin ref: cha074 rev 2 date of issue: April 3, 2019 kia - 2014 Forte group: chassis.

Sterling wheel begins to shake at high speed and a lower speed causing the whole steering wheel to shake and make noise. And have realized the cruise control is no longer working.

Recently I purchased a 2023 kia Forte on 11/09/2024 with only 53,848 miles on the odometer. Within a month the car has lost total power four times. The advanced driver assistance systems keeps faulting and kicks in taking drive control of the vehicle making it challenging to control. The current miles on the vehicle is 58,281. When I called in to have the vehicle serviced through a kia dealership, they indicated the earliest date to bring it in is on 01/23/24, I am on the schedule for 7 am. I also contacted kia corporate office today 01/07/24 to inform them of the issue being that it is still under the manufacture warranty up till 60,000 after filing a complaint with them I began researching the vehicle on google which led me here to NHTSA website there are numerous complaints that have had similar issues. This is a major problem as it puts my life in grave danger as well as others if this should occur while in traffic. The car loosing all power could cause a major accident. The advanced driver assistance systems kicking in without warning or cause takes away the ability to control the vehicle this could also cause a major accident. Why are these vehicles still being sold with these kinds of safety issues that could cause loss of life if an accident was to occure. Clearly this is a poorly manufactured vehicle and there needs to be a recall or some recourse for the consumers who have been sold these death traps. I have only acquired 4,433 miles on this vehicle since purchasing it on 11/09/24, and I should not be worrying about these kind of safety concern. Please advise.

Popping noise from steering and play in steering wheel. Was informed by a local mechanic that is was the steering coupler for the mdps unit. Checked and saw a recall for the same issue with the kia soul but saw nothing for the Forte even though Hyundai had a recall for the elantra and sonata for the same issue. This is a vital part of the car and if it breaks as easy as it does it needs to be recalled on all the vehicles that have it and not just certain ones. I have not had it repaired yet but will be doing so shortly as well as talking with an attorney about the issue.

I was driving the Forte and my steering wheel started to feel loose. It would click when I turned it. When I would go over a speed bump or hit a pot hole, my steering would jolt and make a loud noise. While driving on the highway, steering seemed loose and wasn't stable. I drove slower because I was afraid the problem would become worse or I would lose control of the steering. B.

The contact's mother owns a 2014 kia Forte. The contact stated that while driving and turning the steering wheel, the steering wheel made an abnormal popping sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the flexible coupling in the mdps (motor driven power steering) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to kia campaign number: 074. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact the VIN was not covered under the campaign. The failure mileage was approximately 43,350.

Driving car at about 40/mph and suddenly acceleration was lost. Released foot off of gas pedal and reapplied pressure but car continued to lose velocity and came to a full stop. Engine is now unable to turn over and car is completely not functional.

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8/24/22, 2/3/23, 10/23/23. 6/14/24 I began getting random illumination of an icon of an engine. It would come on then off. When I called kia, I was told if the light stayed on then get an appointment with kia. The illumination rarely stayed on then I got a recall letter, so I got an appointment with kia rather soon initially. I didn't get much information on the matter from the mechanic and that bothered me. I started leaving the car parked due to getting a run around from kia. There were problems in slow starting the vehicle as well as light issues inside and outside the vehicle, so I got a new battery. There were some weird types of shakings or types of car seizures at times. During August 2022, kia ran some software tests. Kia continued to service my vehicle and the prices got expensive. With all the tests and repairs the vehicle mil returned then it failed to start and at times, it began having difficulty starting during 2023. I began contacting kia and its manufacturer more often about the times my car was out and had to be tolled a few times during last year until the starter had to be replaced last year. The kia dealer initially tried to scheduled appointment during the month of September, 2024 as the mia and some other haydraulic light came on and made it more difficult to even drive. I was told they were seriously busy when I called kia. Then the next appointment when I called the dealer of kia on 6/18/24 was set for 7/17/24 in vb, but I never got any calls or confirmation. I called numerous times. It was really frustrating even after I been contacting kia and the manufactural numerous times without any returned calls. I got a similar recall on my kia 2019, cadenza during the end of may 2024. I hope I can get my 2013 back soon before this other car needs fixing or breaks down, too. Both of these vehicles were purchased new. I don't understand why it is taking so long to fix with a fuse. I had considered trying to sale as I need my vehicle(s).

The contact owns a 2014 kia Forte. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel made an abnormal sound and jerked abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the flexible coupling valves needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall and to customer satisfaction program: cs1604/wty006. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 11,503.

The lane assist stopped working properly and pulled me into the guardrail.

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I've been experiencing issues with steering loosening/tighting for over 1 1/2 years. 21,000 miles since I first reported the issue 5/23/24. Within a few months of reporting the steering issue,I started having issues with my car not staying in alligment after a few hundred miles. There are no warning lights. The tension in my steering wheel is inconsistent in a way that it shouldn't be. At first,I only noticed it at hwy speeds. Now,I notice it even at lower speeds. The faster the speed the worse it is. My steering wheel will have the stiffness it should,then suddenly briefly loosen,then go back to normal stiffness. Which causes constant minor corrections,risking over correcting leading to a wreck. I have had a couple close calls. As time has gone on,it's just gotten worse. It's now to a point that it's sketchy to drive on the freeway & nearly impossible (if not impossible)to drive on the freeway if its windy. I no longer drive the freeway & find back roads to drive at slower speeds & less traffic. I constantly feel all over the road & like the car is gonna wobble out of control. Picture taking your steering wheel & making frequent(almost constantly now)slight back and forth, back and forth, movements, that's basically what it feels like. The higher the speed while doing that, the higher risk to wreck. When I feel like I'm gonna wobble out of control,I tightly grip the steering wheel, straighten&lock my arms,& let off the gas &let the car slow on its own. I feel if I use the brakes in that moment,I'd lose control. It's almost like it briefly gets too much power steering,or disengages maybe?dealership initially said I just need new tires & alligment (all tire tread @6)11/20/24 new tires&alligment. 6 alligments&cameras calibrated in 3,285 miles. Gave up after 7. 3/25/25 dealership replaced steering column,housing,& reprogrammed. For a short while it helped,but didn't fix steering or alligment. Kia customer care has said to get a 2nd opinion. Wish I could write more on here. Multiple appts.

Experienced temporary loss of electronic power steering (eps) on 10feb24. After driving about 15 miles returning from across town, my wife experienced a momentary loss of the eps while slowing to make a left turn into our subdivision. She was able to wrestle the wheel through the turn with difficulty but then stopped the car to decide whether she should keep driving. After just a moment, she decided to try and when she pulled forward found that the power steering was working again. She made two more left turns over the two blocks to our house and had no trouble. She doesn't recall any dashboard warning lights coming on but was too flustered to have really noticed. I verified the drive belt looks fine and there are no saved fault codes. The car has about 116k miles on it and the drive belt was changed at 110k miles. Car was inspected two days later by my local repair shop including the suspension system. No fault codes or other anomalies were found and they could not duplicate a problem with the eps.

The electric steering column motor has worn parts causing the steering wheel to make a rubbing noise. There is a TSB out for this problem but for cars only manufactured in certain plants. My car was not manufactured in one of the plants that generated the TSB but I have that problem and kia will not fix it. TSB cha 084.

While turning the steering wheel will pop or click loudly. The issue is hard to control completely as the steering column vibrates. I have been told that I need the steering column coupler replaced. Consulted shops and they want $480 to replace a $10 plastic piece. This is a safety issue as you could loose control of steering.

Steering wheel is clicking or catching when initiating a turn. Problem is with the steering coupler.

There is loud sound associated with the steering column! it has locked on me before and wouldn’t allow me to turn the vehicle. It has been to the dealership several times only for them to not be able to pinpoint the issue. I have a video but no pictures.

The speedometer does not work. The car will not accelerate. I always have belt problems.

Transmission overheating and dragging… weird smell and noise and scrubbing sound when turning the steering wheel. Only 50k miles on car.