My 2013 kia optima has had difficulty remaining in a sraight line on the freeway. tends to pull left and right. the rate of travel is aprox. 45-65mph. there is also a problem with "oversteering" when i attempt to return to the center of the lane. i had been driving my other car for 29yrs, and i assumed that newer cars may have been differnt, such as being more sensitive with steering. i have almost had a collision on the freeway because there are also blind spots in several areas of the kia otima. this time i did end up in collision because of blindspots and oversteering in order to avoid hitting the car next to me, and instead hit the car next to me on the other lane when i attempted to move out of their way this occurred from sensetive oversteering. our airbags did not deploy. before this accident, i had received a letter from kia stating they wanted to know if i would like to trade up to the knew kia optima. the email stated they had new features; such as cameras for blind spots. this made me aware that kia knew there was a problem with these serious .blindspots. the car was also beginning to rumble, and i believed it was coming from the engine,in fact quite sure it was from the engine. i also had received a letter in the mail from kia, stating they were having problems with the engines from certain years of the kia optima my car was within the years stated. it stated they would honor this problem if you kept this letter in your car, when bringing it in for repairs. i was going to do this, but the car is now totaled after the accident.
At speeds above 50mph, after kia performed and alignment and new tires installed, the steering requires constant correction. there also appear to be alot of play in the steering wheel. the car will not drive in a straight line. it takes alot of work correcting the steering.
When driving on highway, my steering wheel seems to stick. i am constantly over correcting to get it unstuck and stay on the road. it happens to the left as well as to the right. *tr
-1st problem- headlights/ fog lights seem to burn out way too often. i've owned cars for over 30 years and never had to replace bulbs as often as i do with this car. -2nd problem- steering seems to be difficult to keep on road and wheel seems to be stick
The steering wheel has developed a poping or clicking when you turn left or right. it stops after you've turned the wheel more than a 1/4 turn but it feels like the steering is not responsive until you've gotten past that initial 1/4 wheel turn. it started a while back but seems to be getting worse. it will make the sound anytime the wheel is turned it doesn't matter if you are driving or sitting still.
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.
Every since i purchased my car, new i have noticed a tugging or pulling when i am driving or turning. the steering seems to 'stick' and sometimes causes me to over turn. this has been on going and the dealership says 'it's part of the car'. i don't agree and feel this needs to be looked into, i see all these complaints and they are of the same issue.
Steering wheel sticks in middle driving down the road, makes a click when it breaks loose. car is almost impossible to hold straight driving
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving at various speeds, the contact had to apply a little bit of force to the steering wheel in order to steer the vehicle. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 18,000.
Difficult to keep car centered while driving. steering wheel makes a clunking noise and has become jerry with small movements. tendency to pull hard to the left or rights. steering wheel jenks when traveling on error any size bump in road. back up camera cuts in and out. never obtain epaulets fuel milage estimates.
The steering wheel sticks pulling in either direction, first noticed this after 100000 miles. this always happens at highway speeds.
The steering wheel is 'cog-wheeling' to far left or right. can't keep the steering wheel neutral/center to keep the vehicle straight. either the steering wheel is rotated just off the center, cogged too far to left or too far to right. i need to constantly make adjustment and zig-zag through the straight road. this is a common problem with 2013 kia optima, and should be addressed and fixed.
I purchased my 2013 kia optima on 9/29/2013. i drove it less than a month and the steering started sticking. i had to jerk the wheel to get it loose. took car in for service and was told , " this is what it should do". i am not dumb. i knew their was something wrong. took to another dealer and had to call kia consumer to get it diagnosed. found out some type electric motor was gone. got the car back and upon driving the steering started spining around like a merry go round. took back to kia service per the consumer office. i have gotten car back and was told, "_it's better than it was by the service department"". now the steering is very tight and stiff to drive. the car pulls to the left and right and i feel like i am fighting to keep it in a straight line. very exhausting to drive. now eben making turns i'm s curve to the left can sometimes hear a list clicking noise. these cars with steering problems need to be recalled and repaired. something has to be done before s fatal accident. all these actions to place while driving the vehicle. it happens on streets and on the highway.
My steering used to be great, with no issues. a few days ago my steering wheel started to fight me while i was driving home from work. straight, turning left, turning right, it seemed to fight me no matter the situation. all of a sudden, any tiny bumps in the road that the car comes into contact with throws the steering wheel a different direction. also, the car veers right when the steering wheel is perfectly straight. my normal drive before this incident was phenomenal, with no complaints... the car took tiny bumps in the road but it was not felt in the steering wheel. i took the car to a dealership and they "fixed" the problem by aligning my tires and updating the electrical power steering settings. i was excited to get back into my car with the problem fixed but all i noticed afterwards was that the steering wheel is tighter with the same problems. the tightness of the wheel does not make the problems as noticeable, but the car still directs right when the steering wheel is straight, the steering wheel is jumping with even the slightest bumps in the road, and driving the vehicle is stressful and uncomfortable as i always have to be on high alert - this is not pleasant when i drive long distances everyday for work. needs to be fixed!
Sometimes have trouble with the steering, it doesn't lock up but it gets stuck and doesn't respond to small movements (feels like the steering wheel is a fight against the movement) when driving longer distance in a straight line.... i also have some problems with the shifting when i'm driving somewhere between 20 and 30 mph and feathering the gas pedal (usually happens when going up an incline). like the car doesn't know what gear it should be in and slips between gears.... hope this helps you and you could help me thank you *tr
Steering issues at high speeds on expressway. vehicle goes into other lanes constantly. i thought it just needed to be broken in but it has never gotten better. it could cause a terrible accident if not taken care of by a recall. if not, i will not buy another kia.
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving approximately 65 to 70 mph, the steering wheel swerved to the right and left. the contact had to place force on the steering wheel to keep the steering wheel under control. the vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. the manufacturer was not contacted. the failure mileage was 49,000.
Car started having a clicking noise when turning steering wheel to both right and left. car has been pulling to the right on the highway, will even pull to the right at low speed rate. car was bought brand new, should not be having steering issues.
When turning my steering wheel there is a clicking sound, it first started when you make a right turn, now regardless of which way you turn the steering wheel there is a clicking noise.
After purchasing the vehicle brand new we noticed a problem with the steering. when you turned the steering wheel while stopped you would get a loud knocking noise. the power steering rack was replaced twice already and the vehicle just now has 43,000 miles. our biggest concern has been an engine knocking noise that started to occur at just over 35,000 miles when you start vehicle. we had brought our vehicle to libertyville kia in libertyville, il for our problem and they said they could not duplicate what we are hearing. the service manager verbally told me to wait for it to get worse that it is hard to get kia to cover this known engine problem. after reaching out to kia with this engine problem and getting no help except them blaming us for lack of oil changes and maintenance. which was absurd when we only took the vehicle to kia for service since purchasing new. filed a formal complaint with illinois attorney generals office lisa madigan to get help with this and kia has botched their records and still sdays we have not maintained the vehicle properly. buyers of kia and hyundai i strongly urge to think again. i hope everyone that has had problems like this get the honest help they deserve.
I bought the car with 17996 miles. after a few miles driving on the i-95 i noticed that the 2013 optima has a very weird steering problem while driving over 50mph. it's very hard to keep it in a straight path. you have to constantly make adjustments to the steering wheel in order to keep on the correct lane. i took it back to the dealer a couple days later and told them that i've seen multiple complains of this known issue on the internet. i've also told them that there is a patch that was released on april 2015 but they said it wouldn't apply for my car. it's very unsafe. kia needs to give special attention to this issue and take immediate action as it's very unsafe.
I was traveling on 85 north at an approximate speed of 70 mph when the steering wheel became really stiff and it was very hard to move to the left or right! finally it released and i was able to move it again. i didn't really think that there was a possible issue but my friend suggested that i search the internet for any recalls regarding steering. in searching the internet i found 100+ complaints regarding this same issue for 2012-2013 model kia optimas. this is a real safety issue that can result in injury if the steering remains locked while driving! please investigate this matter!
At highway speeds, the steering becomes very stiff and rigid. to make minor adjustments to stay within your lane, a significant amount of force is required. this results in over correcting causing you to basically swerve down the lane. additionally, this difficult steering results in driver fatigue and frustration. any of these factors could easily result in a crash at highway speeds. kia states the steering falls within their normal "specs", however this is clearly a safety concern. *tr
During a trip that was only 100 miles one way i had to correct the steering so many times that on the return trip i was so tired i did not want to drive any more that evening. i had to constantly correct the steering (right or left) and dreaded the return trip. i have seen many similar complaints filed. i am expecting the u.s. govt. to help us find a solution to this dangerous problem. dealer claims there is nothing wrong with the car. i asked the customer service person to google the problem, of course he refused. he explained he knew of no other complaints. i don't think he was being honest, however that is just my opinion. somebody please help! *tr
This is the most recent of a large number of times my car has wondered into another lane of travel by itself. today my son and i were going out to eat. there was a cold rain falling, so the windows started to fog up a bit. i looked down just long enough to turn the defrost on and when i look back up my vehicle is about 3/4 into the other lane of travel and my hand did not move at all!!! had there been another car coming in the opposite lane of travel there would have been a head on crash and there probably would have been fatalities too, all because kia will not fix this issue they know they have with the 2013 optima. the car wonders constantly so you are not able to look in your rear view or side view mirrors, not can you look down long enough to turn the heat or ac on without the possibility of the car wondering to the left or right into other lanes of travel, potentially causing accidents. on and trip of length, in order to prevent this wondering from happening you have to 100% of the time correct to the left and then back to the right and then back to the left and back to the right, all the way to your destination, and all without turning the steering wheel no more than 1 inch to the right or 1 inch to the left, so in essence i am having to constantly steer the wheel back and forth within a 2 inch range of motion. there is no centering of the vehicle and holding the steering wheel straight and the car stay straight. there is always a constant back and forth to keep the vehicle in the lane of travel. that is how sensitive the eps is. it is not an alignment issue. now there are several post on the internet of kia dealers being able to adjust the sensitivity of the steering through the computer, and these people also say that initially kia tells them nothing can be done about it. it appears kia is deceiving their 2013 optima owners. *tr
The steering gets stiff and tends to stick when going straight this causes slight over steering back and forth constantly. it seems to come on worse the longer you drive. *js
Problem is ongoing. vehicle wanders at highway speeds. constant steering correction necessary. you cannot drive the car in a straight line. slight corrections have to be constantly made to the steering wheel to keep the car going in a straight path. . i literally have to continuously micro-steer the car just to keep it within the lane it's supposed to be in. this drifting will happen no matter how much the wind is blowing or the type of road surface. i have installed new top quality tires and had an alignment scrupulously performed. no improvement. *tr
Is anyone going to do anything about the overly sensitive electronic steering on the 2013 kia optimas that cause the car to zig zag within the lane of travel??? this type of complaint is prominent all over the internet on many different sites. there is, quite simply, a major safety issue with the steering on these cars, and complaints to kia or the nhtsb seem to fall on deaf ears. will it take a fatality due to these issues for someone to take notice of the major hazard these particular cars present to drivers?!? the electronic steering is extremely overly sensitive...so bad that one can barely look down to turn the defrost on or look into the rear view mirror or side view mirrors without the potential for the car to drift in another lane in the same direction of travel, or even in an oncoming lane of travel!! you literally cannot move your hand at all one way or another without the steering reacting. a 1/4 movement to the left or right??? you'll feel the car shift in the direction turned, so that leaves the driver having to continually keep his hand turning the steering wheel slightly to the left or right just to keep it in the lane of travel, thus causing the car to zig zag down the lane of travel, giving the appearance of an impaired driver. at highway speeds or even speeds 45mph or higher it is impossible to keep the car going in a straight line without having to continually correct it one way or another. about a month ago i looked down to turn the defrost on and when i looked back up the car was halfway in the oncoming lane of travel for god's sake! someone is going to be killed because of this issue, whether it be a side swipe on the highway or a head on collision, something will eventually happen, and when someone finally dies maybe then kia or the nhtsb will finally look into the issue. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. while driving at a high rate of speed, the steering wheel was difficult to turn. the contact had to apply force to the steering wheel in order to steer the vehicle. the failure recurred on numerous occasions. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 30,000. ...updated 02/08/16 *bf updated 5/10/18*jb *cn
Having purchased the car on 12/11/14 my daughter did not have much experience driving the car.... on december 27 she "lost control" of the car, and ran into the wall on a busy highway in chicago. the accident occurred on a dry evening, and she emphatically states that she does not know how she lost control of the car, and that it was pulling to the left. the only rationale conclusion was that she might have had a tire blow out. that is, until a friend recommended i check the web, and check if others may have been or are experiencing the same thing. although i had done my due diligence when researching the car e.g. recalls, known problems, etc. prior to purchasing this car, i did not check specifics such as steering. long of the short, two days after the accident and when i googled steering problems, this site http://www.carcomplaints.com/kia/optima/2013/steering/steering.shtml was one of the first to show up. i was amazed to find 35 complaints in reference to the same steering issue. after reading the complaints i am i convinced that this steering issue is the contributor to my daughter's accident. it is the only logical explanation other than a blow out. i think this may be a result of the steering problems associated with the 2013 optimas. i wonder how many accidents or deaths it is going to take for kia to admit something is not right and do the responsible thing? it sounds as though there needs to be a manufacturers' recall before a fatal accident occurs, if it hasn't already .... *js
Impossible to hold the car on a straight track. will drift left,when attempting to correct to a straight track,the steering requires so much force to correct that the result is an over correction to the right. this scenario repeats forever. the steering sticks and cannot be held in a straight line. *tr
Vehicle is hard to hold straight at higher speeds. the steering locks into a position and requires extra effort to turn the wheel causing over correction. this causes mental and physical fatigue on longer trips and could cause an accident. *tr
While driving at normal highway speeds the steering wheel seems to stick. you have to use force to turn the wheel and then the car is all over the road. i have never had this issue before. the alignment was checked and was good. the car has new tires but still did it while it had the factory oem tires on it. after research i understand the 2013 has an electronic steering module and several people have had this same complaint but kia will not do anything about it. *tr
Bought the car with only 27 miles on it. we took car to dealer to get first oil change and asked them to check the steering because the car is very hard to control, especially on the freeway. dealer said the electronic steering was already set to the least sensitive setting. driving in a straight line is near impossible, especially on freeway. it is all over the road and requires constant correction to stay in your lane. it has done this from the beginning. i'm sure kia will just ignore this problem because that is what they did when i contacted them before about a different issue. i already have called kia about the fact that my car gets nowhere near the stated mpg. they told me there was nothing i could do because my car was not included in the list of cars with overstated mpg. so i wouldn't be surprised if they ignore this issue as well. this steering problem is a big issue and needs to be addressed. how many accidents and complaints have to be filed before kia does something about it? this car also skids easily in the rain. *tr
I purchased a 2013 kia optima from a local dealer who was selling it second-hand. the car has 13,500 miles on it at purchase. when test driving the vehicle i went in a small circle that included only very minimal highway driving. on june 26,2014 my family left for a 5 hour trip to charleston, sc. it was on this trip i started noticing very early on that i was having to constantly correct the steering to the left and then back to the right, over and over and over again...all the way down to charleston. since noticing this problem has been an issue every single time i've driven the car on the highway, and it has resulted several times in me veering into the lane beside whether to the left or right. i literally have to continuously micro-steer the car just to keep it within the lane it's supposed to be in. there is absolutely no play in the steering whatsoever. you cannot look in your side view or rear view mirror without the car drifting to the right or left. there is a serious problem with the steering in the 2013 optimas. i know for a fact that there have been many complaints about this to kia, and kia does nothing about it because they say it's within specs. there will be many head on crashes where cars cross the center lane because of this steering, and im sure many fatalities will result. i can promise you this will happen if it already hasn't. there are certain 2013 kia/hyundai models that have had this same problem reported. 2013 was the first year kia/hyundai utilized electronic steering. 2014 and newer models also have electronic steering but they have three steering modes on them to adjust the steering. this problem is specific only to 2013 models. there absolutely needs to be a recall and something done about this before someone is killed. it will happen, and i will be keeping this correspondence for my own future legal protection. *tr
Wife's 2013 optima has a very stiff steering while on the interstate. it's very hard to stay in a straight line. its almost as if the steering locks at 12 oclock and it breaks free at any left or right movement. over correcting is inevitable. we ignored it for the first few months thinking maybe it's just in a "break in" stage. now at 30k miles it's the exact same way. dealer says it's normal and wants me to pay to have it checked out cause there are no recalls. it's very unsafe. i'm obviously not the only one with this problem. i hope kia man's up and fixes this problem.
There is a real problem with the handling of this vehicle when it is windy. it is a struggle to keep it on the road at any speed above 30mph. i'm having to avoid certain roads and bridges (i.e. tampa bay's sunshine skyway) due to the faulty and inconsistent response of the steering when driving in even the slightest wind. god forbid that a sudden gust come along!! i, too, have spoken with the dealership. their response is that this is a common complaint, but they don't have a solution. thinking that this issue should be addressed at the corporate level!! and soon!! *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2013 kia optima. the contact stated that while driving approximately 65 mph, the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver as the vehicle swayed independently. the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed however, the technician was unable to diagnose the failure. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 51,000 and the current mileage was 53,000.
I purchased the vehicle with 22000 miles. on my first relatively long trip, i got up to highway speeds and noticed that the car has no straight position. it needs constant adjustments, either left or right (mostly right ). the vehicle has been checked for alignment discrepancies, but everything is within manufacturer specifications. there needs to be an update to the electing power steering module/steering angle sensor. this is a potentially life threatening design flaw. how many complaints until you listen, kia? we the people call upon the appropriate authorities to help in resolving the issue. *tr
Driving on highway at about 75 mph with out warning the car abruptly swerved to the left into the other lane towards the middle concrete barrier. was able to gain control without hitting barrier. returned to dealer told them about the issue and that we did not want the car anymore due to it being a death trap. they could not reenact the situation so therefore there was nothing wrong with the car. told them this car needed to be dissected to find out what happened before someone dies. they claimed they contacted kia and was told to call 800-333-4kia number they had not record of this issue. we no longer own the car and according to kia we no longer have a say in this vehicle. *tr
Steering ,hard to keep in lanes,loud hard ride. while test driving my 2013 kia optima i told my sales person that i was having trouble keeping keeping it on the road. he said that's b/c its a new car. it'll ease up. i thought it was loud & took smal bumps like a big pot holes. and the gas pedal & acceleration was wierd. he said bring it back & the service department will drive it & fix it. don't worry. well after several trips to the service department they said they could not emulate the problem. i asked them to let me drive with service person. could not do. break it in & it'll go away. well at 11,000 miles took it back & complained . same answer. now 19,703 miles not only do i have the same problems .they got worse. in addition my paint scratches & chips so easy that there had to be something wrong with my paint. back to service & body work they told me that was normal. bring it in for detailing & we will get it looking like new! don't have $175.00 to do that . i do not get close to quoted gas mileage. it has a mind of its own it accelerates & gears don't shift .it takes off or doesn't all by itself. seems like transmission trouble. its so loud i cannot use hands free phone & conversations are difficult. the steering is so off, i'm afraid i'll get pulled over & fined. very hard to keep on road. and my car squeaks as you get in & out of my car. very disappointed. i want an investigation . i'm afraid it will be in an accident & hurt myself & others.
Problem is ongoing. vehicle wanders at highway speeds. constant steering correction necessary. you cannot drive the car in a straight line. this happens on perfectly flat roads with no wind. the vehicle drifts independently if the steering wheel was not held tightly. i constantly have to nudge the steering wheel slightly left or slightly right to keep the vehicle somewhere in the middle of the lane. it becomes a strain on my arms and my wrists ache after a long drive. there are so many complaints about this problem. why isn't kia addressing this issue? i don't trust going to the dealer because, from all the reviews, it seems like nothing is or can be done. i had a hyundai sonata for years and loved it. i went with the kia due to the new look, paying good money for a quality car. something needs to be done both this problem!!! *tr
When traveling at speeds above 45 mph the cars steering wheel sticks at center. simultaneously the car wonders drastically on the road - to correct you try to steer the steering wheel, but with the sticking in the center your corrections cause drastic "back and forth". have taken the car in 3 times. all i am told is it is the alignment. nothing is fixed. *tr
Recently i leased a kia optima sx, after 1 week noticed the steering would drift from side to side in lane while steering wheel kept straight at center position. when correcting "drift" steering over compensates for correction and sways vehicle other way. have had car in for service 2 times in 2600 miles for this issue. first time they reset alignment, the 2nd service dept. says everything is within kia specs and there is nothing more they can do. car still "drifts"while on road most noticeably above 50-60 mph while on expressway, while somewhat present car acts more normally on street speeds under 45 mph. i have driven many vehicles with electric steering and this is the only vehicle that i have had problems getting to track straight. really disappointed in an otherwise very nice vehicle. i would really like to have my vehicle perform as it should and track properly while being operated. i feel this is a large safety concern especially while driving on snow as it causes the vehicle to want to travel into other lanes of traffic while driving. *tr
Steering wheel stays straight but car wanders from left to right in lane. this is a common problem. *tr
Shortly after buying my brand new 2013 kia optima lx i noticed issues with the steering when traveling at highway speeds. when driving on any type of highway the car wonders once i reach highway speeds (usually 65mph or more). the first time i noticed this it was a windy day and i thought maybe it was just due to the high winds... but, i've noticed this same issue every time i drive on the highway, even when there is little to no wind. the car refuses to stay in a straight line, constantly veering left and right (even on a flat surface). the steering wheel barely moves, but the car itself will wonder back and forth, requiring constant correction by the driver. the dealership has repeatedly said its the slope in the road, even though i've told them i've experienced it on multiple highways. now i am noticing the same problem at regular speeds of 35mph and more. the steering wonders and my suspension seems nonexistent. simple tar lines in the pavement feel like i'm driving over potholes. dealership says they do feel a bit of a rough ride, but see nothing wrong with the car. these issues combined make driving unsafe and at times, scary. i hope something is done soon about the multiple complaints owners have submitted about this issue. i love the car, other than the steering issue.
My 2013 kia optima lx, which i bought new with only 7 miles, is hard to keep on a straight track at highway speeds. slight corrections have to be constantly made to the steering wheel to keep the car going in a straight path. this drifting will happen no matter how much the wind blowing or the type of road surface, it is definitely coming from the car. it's been happening since day one, but i chalked it up to the new tires needing to be broken in. now the car has 12,000 miles and tires have been rotated and the issue is still there. i've driven enough cars to know that this is not normal. now i find out that many other optima owners have this same steering issue. kia/hyundai corporate needs to come up with a comprehensive solution to this steering issue before someone has an accident. updated 11/24/2014 *js
Vehicle will not track straight. vehicle wonders left and right at speeds of 40 mph or higher. has been doing this since i purchased it. *tr
Vehicle's steering will not stay on center. pulls primarily to the left, many times pulling me into the opposite lane of traffic. very dangerous. it's also physically exhausting on my arms constantly having to redirect the steering to center and attempt (unsuccessfully) to keep it there. as soon as the car is redirected from veering to the left, it then oversteers and veers to the right. there is no centering this vehicles steering. i've already taken the car in for service once for this issue and it wasn't corrected. i called kia service department and told the manager that i am aware of the many dozen complaints of this same issue with the kia optima and that i want it corrected. he then said he was not aware of this "issue" and told me he would look into it and get back to me. there was no follow up from him. *tr
I recently purchased a new kia optima and i am having the same issues others are complaining about with the car not tracking properly by either veering to the left or to the right constantly. in my case, i notice it in city and highway driving. i brought it to the dealer, and they found nothing wrong, but after a long debate, they aligned the vehicle finding it to be off alignment slightly. i noticed no significant change in the problem, so i changed the tires since they install very poor quality oem tires. not much better as far as steering, but way better wet/dry road traction. i will be getting another alignment from an independent shop, but i feel there is a greater issue with the steering components, and based on all the complaints, kia needs to investigate this issue and come up with a fix a.s.a.p before someone gets hurt. i'm stuck with this car for 35 more months, hopefully, they'll come up with something soon. *tr