Problems with 2012 Kia Optima STEERING

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. the contact stated that the headlights failed to illuminate and there was extremely poor visibility. also, the oil light randomly illuminated several times. the dealer (ossett kia south, 2680 mt moriah rd, memphis, tn 38115, (901) 328-8173) was unable to determine the cause of the failures. the contact replaced the headlight assemblies more than five times, but the visibility was still poor. the contact also noticed an abnormal odor in the vehicle. the dealer indicated that without the check engine indicator illuminated, they would not replace the catalytic converter. the contact stated that the warranty expired without the part being replaced. the fan also failed to function, but the failure was not remedied. the dealer also performed a repair per an unknown recall regarding the steering; however, the remedy failed to provide a solution for the steering coupler and the steering wheel was no longer straight. also, the sun roof and moon roof glass had a crack going down to the driver's side of the vehicle where it met the windshield. there was also an abnormal noise progressing due to the failures. the manufacturer and dealer were notified of the steering failure, headlight failure, and moisture in the rear camera. the failure mileage was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. the contact stated that while driving at various speeds, a clicking noise could be heard coming from the steering column and it was also loose. the contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

I took car in for the clicking noise in steering wheel. while car was up inair on stands. the rep stated their was a small leak coming from the turbo oil feed line. however it was not cover under warranty because its not the turbo. i told the it is if its feeding the oil. i did some research on the problem and found that it is a common issue with all of their cars and they are refusing to fix the issue. i told the rep that if the oil causes a burning smell it can cause a fire. i was told the manager would call me but now they are not taking my calls about replacing the line to the turbo.

My 2012 kia optima sx t-gdi only has 70k miles and is giving me steering issues (loud popping/clicking noises, which you can feel as well). these issues are felt at all different speeds, and all different turning angles. i was informed, as many people have, that the flex coupling needs to be replaced ($4 part, but over $200 in labor). i am not willing to pay this due to a faulty part, so kia needs to step up and issue a recall before it's too late! in conducting my own research, i am one of hundreds that are having this same exact issue.

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. while driving various speeds, the steering column vibrated and a loud noise was heard. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who stated that the steering column would need to be removed in order to diagnose the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 52,827. the vin was unavailable.

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. while driving approximately 50 mph, the steering wheel made a loud clunking noise and began to shake uncontrollably without warning. the vehicle was taken to the contact's residence. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 98,696.

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. the contact stated that there was an abnormal clicking sound in the steering column. the failure occurred without warning. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the lock in the steering wheel fractured and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

While driving vehicle and making a turns steering wheel began to make a loud thunk. when parking whether turning left or right car makes loud thunk. called kia and they said they've been having problems with the flex coupling.

I have a 2012 kia optima and my steering wheel is making a loud clanking noise when i hit a bump in the road or slightly turn the wheel . i have searched on line and it's saying it is a cluster not sure wat that is i have been told it should be under recall because that can cause the steering wheel to loose it's directions and i could either cause and accident or be part of one

When u driving it . u can here noise in the steering wheel. it had the oil light to pop on while driving on thr freeway put over. put some oil in it. then that night trying to crank it & it started to smoke & caught a fire.

Steering wheel makes clicking/popping sound every time its moved in either direction. also, when going over any speed bumps or holes, very loud clicking and tension felt in the steering wheel. i have been researching this issue and i have found that many customers have this issue and it seems like kia has not done anything about it. i drive on the highway everyday for about 65 miles both ways. i am very concerned for my safety and passengers.

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.

Loud clicking noise in steering while driving, hard to turn at times and very loud rattling while driving on rough roads. my daughter uses this car due to better gas milage than hers to go to college sometimes and i also carry my 2 year old granddaughter in this car and have had no problems before now and thought i purchased a safe car all around but being that nothing is getting done about this possible safety issue i am concerned. i would have recommended a kia to anyone till now and now just not sure.

2012 kia optima lx ****(electronic power steering)****this is very unsafe and is an accident waiting to happen. what in the world is kia waiting for, does someone have to be killed or seriously hurt from their negligence to recall these problems!!!! the steering wheel started to make a loud popping/knocking noise, sticks, play/ very loose when turning left to right, while driving or parking the vehicle. have taken it to a service center where it was diagnosed that the steering column, tie rod and flexible coupling needed to be repaired/ replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure and the vehicle has not been repaired as of yet. the failure mileage was approximately 242,000. however, i purchased the vehicle in 2014, the approximately mileage was 208,412. just prior to that this vehicle was strickley used for fuel testing/studies only, in a climate control building, where it was on a dino machine. these problems need to have a resolution and be recalled asap.

Steering is knocking and making loud noises while driving vehicle. have not yet taken to dealership, but from reading other complaints kia has not acted on this problem for a resolution.

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. while driving approximately 5 mph making a left or right turn, the steering wheel made an abnormal noise without warning. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering column failed and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

I took my car to get a oil change and the guy that was moving the car was so worried about the steering. he stated that i needed to get it serviced at the kia dealership asap. the steering seems to be clicking and when i hit a small dip or pothole in the road it clicks and sounds like the whole front end is coming off. i was told that this is not covered by the warranty with the vehicle which i think is crazy. i could see if it was something that i did i would take care of that repair. however there are a lot of other people that are having this same problem. i'm really thinking about trading in this vehicle and moving on to someone who does take care of their cars and customers. i was told that this is a common problem with these cars.

While steering at slow and high speeds the steering wheel makes a loud knocking noise that can be heard and felt. the steering wheel often gets stuck and requires additional force to get it to move. the steering wheels sometimes jerks itself and oversteers in the direction i'm turning it in. it started about a month ago and was happening intermittently but now it's happening all the time.

While driving on the highway we started hearing a popping noise coming from the steering wheel and there also has bee some slack in the steering wheel.

Play in steering column making a noise when turn steering wheel right and left defective flex coupler

Tl* 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 the vehicle is in motion, the steering has become very loose and making a clunking noise when turning the wheel or going over slight bumps, such as a reflector in the road, this is during any speeds.

The steering wheel makes a clicking sound and sticks every time i turn the steering wheel. while driving it can be a challenge to steer with the steering wheel as it will grab and make that clicking noise and you have to use some force to steer.

Tl* the contact owns a 2012 kia optima. the contact stated that while the driver was driving at 65 mph, the steering wheel began to shake violently with a loud noise. the contact coasted over to the side of the road. the contact was able to resume driving. the failure recurred twice. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was wear and tear in the steering and needed to be repaired. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 73,853.

I have a knocking sound in my steering wheel. the noise happens when i turn the wheel back and forth. also, i have noticed an odd grinding/slipping sensation in the front left wheel when i accelerate on a right turn from different elevations. pulling out of a parking lot on a "decline" while accelerating to the right to enter traffic is a good example. 73,000 miles currently but i've noticed the grind/slip a lower mileage.

As reported in many previous complaints, when i drive at highway speeds, the steering wheel gets "stuck" and stiffens and jerks, requiring me to turn the steering wheel back to center so that i can drive straight ahead. it's very dangerous and very tiring. the kia service manager said this is the way the electronic power steering is supposed to work and i have to "live with it". i have had this car for 4 years, have 33,000 miles, and this problem only just started. the kia usa consumer assistance agent said there's nothing kia can do, it operates as designed. he said many of their customers love the way the electronic steering handles. really? what's to love about not being able to control the steering of your car on the highway at 65-75 mph??? this is a travesty on kia's part. i notice that there are many complaints on this web site about this problem, and zero investigations. how many complaints does it take to initiate an investigation? does there have to be a major auto accident to get anyone to acknowledge that there's a design problem?

I have had my (2012) kia optima since 2012. i have not had any horrible problems until now. the steering wheel clicks and you can hear and feel any bumps because when you even hit a small hole in the road the steering wheel will also click and make a loud noise. i have not had any work or repairs done to the car other than the normal oil changes, tire rotation, new tires and alignment, brake replacement. i have taken care of my vehicle and to be told that the steering wheel clicking is something that isn't covered or that no one is looking into for a recall is something i don't understand. i have always backed kia and even bought 2 for my kids, but now i am starting to wonder about the quality of the car. i have read 63 other complaints with the same problems and still nothing from the company with a recall. i guess it takes someone getting killed or seriously injured to get something done about the steering. i could see if it was a interior light but wake up people there is a steering problem. how would you feel if it was you or someone that's close to you in a vehicle that has faulty steering and something happened to them.

The first thing would have to be the steering wheel like it has been noted before when you sit still it has a clicking sound. and all driving the highway at 75 miles an hour it sticks and you have to jerk it back witch is no safe i have had it aligned many times but does not fix the problem. my car has 112,113 miles on i take care of replace thing that need to done and oil changes every 3,000 well after i hit the 100,000 mark my car sounds like it has no oil .. are i have seen on the internet that it sounds like your rpms are really high but there not ... it starts when i'm going 20 mph another thing that is weird when i'm turning left the noise goes away

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 steering wheel sticks!!! hard to stay in your lane and over correcting happens every day. just like everyone elses. wheres the recall???? i've got bids from $450-$650 to fix this crap. kia will cost people their lives.

The steering wheel is loose when i hit a bump feels like the car just wants to turn. seems like if the wheel could just lock up or will just completely not turn at some point

Tl* 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

Takata recall

There an awful clicking/clunking sound coming from steering wheel when you turn or hit a bump/cross tracks..been told has something to do with flexible coupling inside steering wheel vehicle is always in motion when this happens car only has 100600. miles it doesn't matter if in city or other highways

Airbag light is consistently on which means it won't deploy during an accident, buttons on steering wheel aren't working, and steering wheel heater isn't working. dealership claims clockspring is worn out. previous models of optimas have had same problem and eventually a recall was made. hopefully this gets resolves before a wreck happens and injury is caused by this airbag defect.

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.

The steering wheel sticks, and it makes it hard to keep the car straight. there's no smoothness when turning the wheel. it's like the steering wheel turns in increments.

Clicking noise and pulling when i turn or hit a bump in the road. sounds like my steering would come apart. lots of play in the steering wheel. very unsafe. i drive the interstate to work everyday and i am normally traveling between 70 and 75. i fear my car is an accident waiting to happen with the defective steering.

While driving at highway speeds with steering wheel at 12 o'clock position, the steering wheel feels like it is stuck or locked when trying to make minor steering corrections. i have to somewhat jerk the wheel at which time the steering appears to wake up and respond. it feels as if the electronic power steering module shuts down giving the feeling of a locked/stuck steering wheel. by jerking the wheel to "wake up" the steering it creates an over compensated steering correction issue and a concern for safety at highway speeds.

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.

Wanders off center, either right or left. will not stay straight. wears you out continually correcting the drift or wandering.

I've been driving my car for some time now when it reach 60,000 + miles, i notice the car steering would stick when slightly turn or a full turn. it also drifts and there is a clicking noise when the steering wheel is turning left and right . i had front end line meant done. that did not stop the noise or sticking steering column. this happens while driving or sitting.

Unsafe loose steering. i first noticed this issue while driving on i75 shortly after purchasing my car in june of 2012. the car pulls to the left, when corrected, it then pulls to the right or viceversa. it's almost impossible to keep this car in a straight line. i reported this issue to my local kia dealer about 4 times (during ever service visit) their response is always the same: "the car is performing according to manufacturer's specifications, we couldn't find anything wrong with it" i disagree but couldn't do anything about it. today, 3 years later, it's worse, i hear a loud clicking noise coming from the steering column when i turn the wheel. this situation has escalated to severe. i fear for my life when driving this car. please help!

Steering wheel shakes, rattles, and clicks when turning. it sounds like something is loose. going over any thing that is not level (ex. railroad tracks, speed bumps etc) causes the steering wheel to rattle and shake also even if you are not speeding. it will occur in motion and even if the vehicle is in park, and off. i am not really sure what this issue is or what really caused it.

Motor driven power steering coupler replacement needed

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 2012 kia optima. while reversing out of the residential driveway, an abnormally loud clicking sound emitted from the steering wheel. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the steering wheel was malfunctioning and needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 29,000. the vin was not available.

Vehicle has trouble maintaining proper steering at highway speeds. the steering needs to almost constantly be turned right to left to try to maintain straight driving. the steering will also occasional lock when turning and you have to manually turn the wheel back straight. the constant need to over correct the steering makes the vehicle unsafe to drive. i could see it easily causing an accident in the correct conditions.

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............... *tr