Steering Problems of Kia Motor Optima - part 2

Randomly when turning, my steering will jolt in the opposite direction and lose power steering. The red power steering light does come on at this moment where I have to pull over, turn the car off, and restart and the symptoms clear itself up. In addition, there is there is, randomly, grinding noises (and I can feel it in the steering) when turning. When this occurs, relocating the steering column by changing the position (via tilt and telescopic) seems to help clear it up for awhile. I have almost jolted to oncoming traffic when turning and a few instances. I have had it serviced to check steering points at tires, axel, cv joints, and my mechanics can't seem to find the fault there. Even after doing alignments, it helped for a little bit but the same problems came back. They believe it to be a steering column issue. They believe that it is getting caught when turning and causing the issues. This has been occurring for about 6-8 months now. The power steering losing power happens maybe once or twice a week to once every two weeks. The grinding and vibration in the steering column while turning happens a few times a week to maybe just once a week. Its occurrence worsens when it rains. I am reporting this because I have read other reports of people have the same experience as myself.

See all problems of the 2017 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

1. On [xxx] the steering wheel stuck 2 minutes after me and my wife exited the highway and tried to park on a mall’s parking. 2. On 13 November 2024 I brought car to herb chambers kia of burlington dealership to fix (93 cambridge st, MA-3a, burlington, MA 01803. Phone: (781) 202-3456) . 3. On 27 November 2024 got kia back from the dealership. Drove it back home on a highway, and a few minutes later after exiting the highway the steering wheel stuck again. 4. On 29 November 2024 the car was towed back to the herb chambers kia of burlington dealership. 5. On 14 December 2024 got kia back from the dealership.

See all problems of the 2014 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

I’m financing my car from drive time and I got my car this year not to long ago, I say a couple months ago. I recently had a vehicle inspection done to keep up with maintenance. Upon arrival firestone did a vehicle inspection and noted my roots needs to be replaced witch I’m currently working on getting that replaced and they also noted my power steering needed to be replaced witch I found odd because I don’t know how my power steering could needed be replaced when I haven’t had my car for a full year only a couple months. I have attached a copy of the vehicle inspection.

See all problems of the 2016 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

There is a recall on steering shaft.

Failure of flexible steering coupler, part of the motor driven power steering. This flexible coupler deteriorated noticeably over about 6 months time. Currently steering is very erratic with crunching sounds when turning wheel. This is a serious safety concern. I had the steering and suspension inspected at an official PA state inspection station (annual requirement) and was assured that the mechanical under car parts are all good. Has never needed any repairs in this area, not even a wheel alignment. I am the original owner and the vehicle has been well maintained. Vehicle currently has 141,000 miles, mostly highway driving. Kia advises that there is no recall and no warranty repair available. I believe this is a design defect and safety issue.

In cold weather my car will not start. Gas is in the car and all the lights come on. Would have to crank car multiple times for it to to start or it will not start at all.

Kia has identified an issue with the steering wheel coupler. The coupler wears and erodes and causes the steering wheel to shake violently while braking. My 2013 kia Optima has recently experienced this issue. Kia has extended their warranty from 5 years to 10 years for this issue but did not offer any notices to vehicle owners. Kia does not currently have a resolution for vehicle owners who were not notified and are beyond the warranty period.

See all problems of the 2013 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

The contact owns a 2011 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 25 mph, the contact stated noticed that there was a notchy feel in the steering wheel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to kia TSB number: cha060. The mechanic determined that the steering coupler needed to be replaced. The mechanic ordered the part for the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not covered under kia TSB number: cha060 due to the mileage. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

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The contact owns a 2015 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the steering seized. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn, and the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 174,000.

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Bushing related to steering wheel was a safety issue that causes steering wheel play and possible loss of control. I was never informed of the issue and kia said it would not repair it since the warranty expired.

Car engine stuttered when turned on, then after a moment smoothed out . I noticed some looseness in response in the steering wheel while driving forward, after a short period of time driving the antiskid symbol and the eps symbol came on and I lost power steering. I turned off the car and turned it back on . The emergency symbols were gone and the power steering was ok. I headed back home and the symbols came back on and lost power steering again after driving about 3 blocks. I repeated turning car off and on to get home.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 25 mph, there was significant play in the steering wheel and the steering wheel made abnormal sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering column coupler had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the repair was not covered under TSB number: cha060. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 145,000.

The contact owns a 2014 kia Optima. The contact stated while reversing and turning the steering wheel, the steering wheel felt abnormal and made an abnormal clunking sound. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The vehicle was taken to autozone however, the failure could not be replicated. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

There is a serious malfunction with the motor driven power steering. Needs replacement as I am not able to steer my car thus I am not able to drive it.

My car was stolen using a usb cord and they tore my steering column, key ignition and brok my driver side passenger window.

1- steering wheel. Yes 2- not sure if something was going to happen while driving whether da or night or long distance traveling 3- I spoke with the service center a while back and didn't have a good time to bring it by. 4- no no just loud shaking from the steering wheel. It's been going on for at least a month.

Rack record rack and pinion blow apart while driving.

Lost power while in the middle of a turn while driving happened intermittently power steering and traction control lights come up on dashboard.

Kia 2014 Optima lx-there are noises in the steering column when turning the wheel or going over bumps. It sounds like metal rubbing together. Took it to a mechanic and it was determined there was a coupler problem and it was recalled. The mechanic said we should take it to kia to be fixed. I am anticipating having trouble getting them to fix it because my car year and model does not fit the total criteria. I am in new jersey and live on the coast near long beach island. It is humid here even though NJ is not listed. [xxx] kia recalled some 2011–2014 Optima vehicles to replace the flexible coupling in the motor driven power steering (mdps). The recall was for vehicles produced between August 12, 2010 and December 18, 2013 that were sold or registered in areas with high humidity and warm ocean waters. The flexible coupling can wear out over time, causing noise when turning the steering wheel, especially when the car is stopped. Kia dealers replaced the coupling at no cost to customers. Please let me know how I should proceed. I will be visiting my local kia to see if they will accomodate us. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Driving down the road went over a speed bump and all the sudden the steering wheel started making a clanking noise it seem to steer fine but the steering column makes some kind of noise. I was told they have a recall on this item a bushing or something like that.

Dealership states I need a new coupling device. They told me this has been a problem in 2013 Optima.

Flexible steering coupling was faulty and replaced on 02-22-23 under recall. The same part became faulty again on 02-22-24, but ewald kia of oconomowoc refused to replace the defective part without charge. The hecu is under recall so I scheduled a service appointment for recall and when I arrived at ewald kia of oconomowoc, I was advised by service manager that they did no have parts to fix recall.

A few months ago I started hearing a clicking noise while moving my steering wheel from side to side I went to the shop and had my steering column replaced thinking that would solve the issue but the noise is still there. I heard there was a replacement for customers I purchased my call after that bulletin was issued.

I purchased a 2016 kia Optima from ecars in wichita KS in November of 2022. The car had no major issues until the Optima was stolen this last March. I recovered the car quickly but it was damaged. Had ignition pulled out steering column broken, window broken and lots of cosmetic damage. Was towed twice and in the shop twice. All has been fixed with auto insurance funds. I am part of the kia theft settlement and waiting for funds to be dispersed. Second part of my issue is that on 07/22/24 the check engine light came on while I was driving to work. It was blinking which indicates a serious engine issue. I turned around and went home and parked it. I started researching kia engine issues and found that my car is also eligible for the kia theta ii engine class action settlement but the submission deadline was 12/07/23. Since I was not the original owner, I was never notified of this class action settlement so could not submit a claim. I contacted midwest kia in wichita KS to see about their "buy back program" I found online that kia will sometimes buy certain vehicles back due to quality or safety issues. They want me to drive the car over 30 miles from my house to their lot so they can see the car in person, which I am not comfortable with. My question is what kind of legal recourse do I have with kia? am I still covered under kansas lemon law? I still owe over $15k on the Optima. I ended up buying a new car on Saturday from rusty eck Ford but didn't trade the Optima in because they told me it had a salvage title, which I wasn't aware of when I bought it. It caught on fire apparently. All the damage was fixed, which could have been covered under the settlement as a qualifying fire.

I am writing to bring a critical safety concern to your attention regarding my 2017 kia Optima lx. The steering wheel of my vehicle frequently loses power, necessitating a restart of the engine for it to function properly again. This issue occurs randomly, but consistently takes place during steering wheel turns. On one alarming occasion while navigating a winding canyon road, the steering lost power, compelling me to slam on the brakes to prevent the car from falling off the cliff. Another incident occurred while making a right turn, resulting in me slamming on the brakes to avoid colliding with oncoming cars, narrowly escaping a potential rear-end accident. When the steering loses power, it remains functional but demands significant physical effort. Unfortunately, in attempting to steer during one episode, I strained a muscle, leading to a week of suffering. Despite the severity of this safety concern, kia refuses to address the issue unless they can replicate it during a service visit. The problem occurs randomly, ranging from three times a day to once a month, with no warning signs prior to power loss. Kia has acknowledged this issue, evident in the warranty extension they provided up to 150k miles (attached). Regrettably, when I take the car to the dealership, they decline to address the problem due to an inability to replicate it. I believe this recurring steering malfunction poses a serious risk to my safety and the safety of others on the road. Your intervention in investigating this matter would be greatly appreciated to ensure the well-being of kia Optima lx drivers. Attached, please find the mentioned warranty extension letter from kia and an image displaying the mdps warning light illuminated during instances when the steering lost power. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

The steering wheel is making a lot of clicking noise when turning or going over bumpy roads. I have takin my car to several independent car shops only for them to tell me that this has been a common problem for this specific model as they have seen similar kia Optima’s and Hyundai’s with this issue. I was advised that if left alone, the problem can make the steering go bad and become a dangerous safety concern. I have contacted the kia dealership and they stated they want $150 diagnostic fee to look at it, even though they admitted that they’ve had customers bring their kia’s in for similar issue.

Clock spring broke causing airbag light to turn on. Clicking when turning steering wheel. Airbag will not deploy due to this issue. $800 cost of repairs.

The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph the steering column became very loose, and difficult to maneuver. The vehicle taken to the dealer and was not able to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The contact owns a 2012 kia Optima. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds on several occasions and making a turn, there was a loud popping sound coming from the steering column and the wheels. Additionally, while attempting to shift into reverse, there was a popping sound coming from the steering column and floorboard. A mobile mechanic went to the residence where the vehicle was parked and stated that the failure might be associated with the steering column. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to a parts store where a handheld diagnostic scanner retrieved a fault code for steering wheel angle sensor signal failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 202,000.

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After 131,500 miles, struts, rotors and pads wore out. Lower ball joint and control arm also wore out, no injuries or accident.

See all problems of the 2009 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

Steering wheel bearing broken. Had replaced in November and again now needs to be replaced. Major safety concern that kia should fix properly so the car runs efficiently.

See all problems of the 2020 Kia Motor Optima 🔎.

This is my 3rd or 4th complaint on here with no response, help, or acknowledgement! my 2020 finally got engine put in and car does not drive the same. Steering wheel acts weird, the engine has a sound, the anti collision lights went off twice, but could be due to weather. Kia told me that it's my responsibility since my yr is not on recall. I'm surrendering this car ASAP to give me piece of mind before another engine is due. I met several people at kia that are on their 2nd and 3rd engine and the mechanics told me they know I will be back for another engine! this is wrong and now I'm out of alot of money and surrendering this will add more negative factors. I have my receipts but im not posting publicly.

The mdps flexible coupling is needing replaced due to the play and knocking and chewing up of the plastic part and my local service center says its not covered. I gave the the NHTSA kia tech bulletin info when I scheduled my appt and was told yes its covered. They called today and said no its not because its 10yrs from the date of purchase and I said no it says 10yrs from the date of service. This was just diagnosed in the last month after spending money replacing other things thinking that was the cause. I just want the replacement that kia said they would cover.

Dear national highway transportation safety administration, I am writing to bring to your attention a grave safety concern regarding my 2019 kia Optima sx. Despite diligent maintenance and care, my vehicle has experienced persistent alignment issues, particularly on the right side. Additionally, I have encountered premature axle shaft and axle boot failures, all of which have occurred well before reaching 60,000 miles. These issues have not only posed a significant financial burden but have also jeopardized the safety of myself and other road users. The repeated alignment problems have resulted in the rapid deterioration of tires, leading to baldness within a month of replacement, creating a hazardous driving condition and increasing the risk of accidents. The premature failure of axle shafts and boots is unacceptable for a vehicle of this age and mileage. Such failures not only compromise the vehicle’s performance but also raise serious concerns about the overall quality and safety standards of the kia Optima sx. I urge the national highway transportation safety administration to conduct a thorough investigation into these recurring issues affecting the 2019 kia Optima sx model. Immediate action is necessary to ensure the safety of consumers and to hold kia accountable for any design or manufacturing defects contributing to these alarming problems. Your swift attention to this matter is crucial in preventing potential accidents and ensuring the well-being of motorists nationwide.

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The contact owns a 2013 kia Optima. The contact stated while driving 35–45 mph, the steering wheel was sloppy and there was play in the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated the failure was due to the electronic steering and gears. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, but no assistance was provided. The contact stated that the failure was related to customer satisfaction warranty extension program: cs1604/wty006 (power steering). The approximate failure mileage was 170,000. The VIN was not available.