Four problems related to steering is tight have been reported for the 2012 Kia Motor Optima. The most recently reported issues are listed below. Please also check out the statistics and reliability analysis of the 2012 Kia Motor Optima based on all problems reported for the 2012 Optima.
2012 kia Optima with 43000 miles # airbag warning light stays on and checking different seating position/ restarting the ignition the warning light still stays on. # steering wheel feels sticky while driving straight, which needs immediate correction by moving left /right. If not it keeps going towards one direction constantly. Dealership recommended to get the wheel alignment done, but no improvement as per steering wheel even after getting alignment done.
The vehicle requires that you hold the steering wheel tightly at all times to prevent the vehicle from veering to the right or left. This is not an alignment issue, no uneven wear of the tires. In addition the steering is quite hard requiring unusual grip on the wheel. Also every slight bump is felt throughout the car. The failure of kia to address this problem found in many of their products, makes this company/mnf of questionable character.
When driving at highway speeds, the steering wheel feels like it sticks and it takes a bit of force to break it free. It is also nearly impossible to keep it going straight down the road. You must continuously keep adjusting the steering wheel to stay in your lane. I did some searching and there are a lot of complaints on this problem. I don't ink this is safe and should be fixed. I told the dealer about it, but they said they didn't find any mechanical issues and maybe it was the alignment. I had already had the alignment checked, which was ok. They said maybe it was the tires. I bought new tires which didn't help. I have had the car for about 1. 5 years, but didn't really drive it a lot on the highway. This isn't nearly as noticeable when driving at in town speeds, just at normal highway speeds.
We purchased the car on 4/3/15 hendrick Chevrolet in cary nc drove 5 miles home back to dealer ship next morning for paperwork to finish. Left dealership headed to main highway interstate 40 noticeable as soon as you get at highway speed the steering was tight had to hold on with both hand the car was weaving lane to lane as the was no center for you to drive straight. Immediately called dealer we took the car back left it. Today is a few weeks out 4/23/15 the have reset steering code, align and rebalanced tires a few times and yesterday replaced the whole steering column and we today still does the same thing. They said today they will replaces the tires and see his this goes. From the start they said no one has reported this issues but I showed them online of the hundreds of complaints. Kia is involved but I think they just want us to take the car and go. Its not safe and I am not driving it. It will sit there till tires rot. They are suppose to call kia foe more things to they but they didn't act lime they are in a hurry. If I would have known this car had complaints l. Would have never purchased it. Did research the car before purchase did not see any issue until I googled the problem and man the internet went crazy. I want it fixed and safe or kia to offer me a similar car with no issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .