Steering Column Problems of Kia Motor Optima - part 2

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.

See all problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. While stationary, the vehicle caught fire. The contact smelled smoke coming from the cabin of the vehicle. The fire started under the steering column of the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire. There were no injuries and a fire report was not filed. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 22,000.

See all problems of the 2015 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

The Optima is not even 5 years old - the steering wheel began making an odd noise when stationary when turned slightly left or right. Then, traveling on normal city streets, a loud noise could be heard coming from the steering column, even over slight cracks or bumps, and at low speeds. But now, the car's steering column is very loud and shakes violently at highway speeds - starting at 50mph. It is so loud I cannot hear the radio at all. I can no longer go on any trips with the car.

See all problems of the 2011 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Took 2009 kia to dealership, Tuesday, August 2, 2016 because of air bag illumination. Was told it was two things. The OCS mat in the passenger seat was defective and the clock spring assembly located in the steering column. Kia issued a recall on the 2008 Optima for this very same issue (clock spring assembly). The recall should be extended to include the 2009 kia Optima. We did, however, receive a letter from kia regarding the OCS mat in the passenger seat. Unfortunately, kia will not pay for the repair even though they know it is a defect on their part. Prices for repair? over $1,500. These two items are clearly a safety issue and kia needs to step up to the plate repair these safety issues. These issues did not occur because of misuse - they are occurring and have occurred because of known defects.

See all problems of the 2009 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

At 60k miles, steering has become difficult to maintain, steering column is loud and makes a popping noise, and now there is some type of clunk in the front suspension that can be heard when steering angle is being altered while simultaneously bridging a bump. Steering wheel sticks at speeds above 55mph, and thus over-steering is necessary in order to maintain tracking. Dealer informs me that some $4 plastic gear needs replacing somewhere, but that it will be $400 in labor to replace, but they can't even guarantee replacing this part will fix the issue. What a joke- this is my first and last kia/Hyundai product.

See all problems of the 2012 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Steering column has gone out and I haven't had the vehicle a good five months yet!.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Optima. While driving 55 mph, the steering column became difficult to turn when changing lanes. In addition, a loud knocking noise disrupted the contact's steering capability. It was diagnosed that the steering column coupler in the steering linkage malfunctioned. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 119,000.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Optima. When turning the steering wheel in either direction, a clicking noise was present coming from the steering column. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that a coupling within the steering system was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,000.

While taking the car in to the service department for a transmission problem, they did a 360 check and noticed the steering column had play in it and made a clicking noise about a quarter turn each direction. It is a plastic gear piece that is smaller than a quarter, picture will be attached. They said if I didn't get it fixed it would get eventually worse by wearing out the tires or alignment so I had it replaced. They had to take apart the steering wheel to replace it. It was 20 for the piece but with labor my bill was 181.

The steering wheel makes a clunking noise when barely turning left to right, and also shakes when going over bumps. The clunk noise occurs all the time even when in park and turning the wheel left to right. Feels as though it's something going bad in the steering shafts or column.

Gear or bearing defective in steering column . Excessive motion , play and noise when operating vehicle . Contacted dealer but there has not been any recall regarding this problem . Dealer service dept. Quoted repair to be approximately 300 dollars . When is kia going to recall vehicles with this malfunction ?.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Optima. The contact stated that the steering wheel column was defective. The steering wheel emitted a loud clicking noise and vibrated while turning. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 150,000.

Column shaked and rattled when I went over bumps or made turns, the dealer, classic kia in lewisville TX, charged me $689 to repair. Per my internet search this is a known problem and takes approximately 45 minutes to repair and the part cost a max of $15.

Hard to steer, along with a noise inside the car that sounded like a loose piece in the steering column. Car has 64,000 miles on it. Dealer said part is a steering column coupler and not covered by warranty. Cost was $332. 00.

The steering column clunks when turning left or right, parked or when driving, it has a big gap (play) that makes a clunking noise when turning the wheel left or right. The gap and clunking noise is getting worse.

Suddenly at 89,000 miles the steering column shaft caused a severe vibrations in the steering wheel at a speed of 50 miles per hour. There was a great deal of play and a clicking sound in the steering wheel while standing or moving. The car is a 2011 car purchased in the month of December of 2011 so it has only been on the road for.

Steering column feels loose especially when going over bumps in the road or railroad tracks. Going to take it in to be looked at today. It has been doing this for a few months and getting worse when I last drove it on 9/23/15.

While backing up from a parking space, heard and felt a low thud on the steering wheel as I turned the wheel to the left and also to the right. While driving speeds about 20-30 mph it appears fine. It is most noticeable at low speeds >10mph and going over bumps of any kind while turning either left or right. It is definitely on the upper steering column close to steering. Making appointment to have kia dealership to look into this.

While driving on streets or highways at speeds from 10 mph and up, a constant rattle is heard inside the steering column. A loud clunk/rattle is heard if driving over a bump. When turning the steering wheel while parked, there is a thud and a thud is also felt. When taken to dealership, they informed me the steering coupling ring needed to be replaced. The mileage on car when brought to dealer was 63,000(61,000) when apt was initially made. They told me it was a 2 dollar part but would cost 350 to replace it. The warranty for steering wheel parts expired at 60,000 miles. Part was not replaced at that time.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Optima. While driving at various speeds, the steering wheel makes clunking noise, left to right play. The vehicle's steering column also rattles loudly over bumps in the road. Vehicle was taken to the dealer. The dealer stated that the steering coupling ring needed to be replaced, $350 repair.

I have noticed a lot of play in the steering of my 2012 Optima in the last few months. I took the car into the dealer for new tires,alignment and balance while the mechanic was putting on the tires ,I asked him about the play in the steering wheel and he said it was because of a fiber gear in the steering motor that is on the steering column and that it was a warrenty problem and would be repaired free of charge there is a small fiber gear about the size of a quarter that the teeth break off of and will cause a clicking that I had herd and could cause the steering to lockup. When the unit was taken apart, the gear had a lot of teeth broken off and after it was replace the steering wheel was fine again with no play in the wheel I saw no recall or warnings but it seems that this happens at about 25000 mile give or take. Thought I would share this with other owners it can be repaired at no cost on a warrenty bases.

Tl-the contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph, the vehicle was unable to steer. All warning indicators illuminated had illuminated. The failure occurred on multiple occasions. The vehicle was towed to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The technician stated that the steering column needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 1000. Kc.

The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated that the steering wheel swung from side to side. The vehicle was taken to the dealer eight times and the steering column was replaced each time. The remedy failed to correct the failure. The manufacturer stated that they would no longer attempt to correct the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 11,000.

While sitting with the car running the steering wheel has play and makes a knocking sound while moving the when back and forth. Took the vehicle to my local garage and they thought the problem was in the telescoping linkage from the rack and pion steering but the linkage was fine and tight like its supposed to be. The tech stated it has to be in the steering column. If you drive over a bump you can hear the rattling in the steering wheel.

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.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

About a day after I bought my brand new 2013 kia, I noticed that the vehicle veered to the left. I took it back that weekend to get an alignment and the dealer told me that it wasn't an alignment, but that the steering column was off. So, they adjusted that. When I took delivery of the vehicle again, the issue was still there. I took the car to them again, and this time, they said the steering wheel was twisted. I then moved from va to FL two days later. At this point I only had about 1200 miles on my car. During the trip, I noticed the steering doing the exact same issue. I called the dealer and asked them to just tell me what the issue was with the car. I was told that my vehicle was made with a batch of other vehicles that had this issue and there is a technical bulletin involved with it. She said its protocol to bring the vehicle in multiple times so that they can rule out certain issues. She stated the next step was to redo the suspension. Unfortunately for me, I had to go to a different dealer for this because I was now in FL. Also, unfortunately for me, the first dealer didn't record when I went in the first two times. So when I go to this new dealer at 2500 miles, they have no idea what I'm talking about, give me an alignment that doesn't solve the issue and send me on my way. This is truly ridiculous. I bought a new car to avoid these issues. And kia needs to own up and fix these steering wheel issues properly. I'm going back to the dealer again tomorrow. Please recall this steering wheel issue.