While driving the vehicle dash lights for the steering wheel and traction control come on and the steering gets hard as if no power steering. i pull over turn car off, check power steering fluid and belt, no issues. turn car back on no aforementioned dash lights turned off and steering is fine. this has happened a few times within the last two months.
While driving at any speed but most dangerous when at freeway speeds the steering becomes jerky and not responsive and forces you to turn the steering wheel aggressively then it will start to work again causing the vehicle to swerve. at slower speeds this is not nearly as dangerous and the swerving is minimal but still present. when it happens at freeway speeds, the swerving is very significant and very dangerous. this has caused several near misses of potentially very dangerous accidents and will eventually cause a serious accident.
Driving down the road the steering has a catch in it and you need to use force to turn the steering wheel
Whenever traveling over speeds of 45 miles per hour the steering system starts sticking at the 12 o'clock position, and causes you to make over adjustments which makes you weave across the road.
Power steering disengages while driving
Cannot control steering. seems to want to hold in the 'center' position. when trying to correct the steering, left or right, i get a 'sticky' or 'dead spot' in the steering wheel. a few months after i bought this car, the dealer replaced thew steering column because it was 'undriveable', now a few years later, the problem is recurring. many complaints about 'sticky' steering for kia optimas.
If i push the proximity ignition button accidentlally the car will shut down, no brakes, not power steering. i am wondering if this should happen when i am travelling 70 mph on the interstate. the dealer did not give me any satisfactioon..."told me not to push the button" and "trade it in on a 2019." some makes will not shut down if going over 5 pmh unless the button is pushed twice. others, you must hold the button. i could not find anything in the manual and their customer service was no help. there have been deaths related to this problem according to some websites. i can't test the car myself. was hoping the dealer would or tell me the situation with the button and speed. can you help me?>.
Steering wheel sticks at the 12 o'clock position. it takes some additional force to get over the 12 o'clock hump clockwise and counterclockwise. this occurs during all driving conditions
The steering has become difficult, jerky, sticks and requires much effort to control. this occurs at all speeds but of course is more prevalent at highway speeds. kia indicated that the motor driven power steering is defective and the entire steering column has to be replaced. the car has been in for similar issues multiple times. as the car is out of warranty kia is refusing to repair this at their expense. i consider this to be a major safety issue that has the potential for injury or death to me and my family. i would like kia to resolve this issue in good faith to us as a loyal customer. kia claim # is 12961775. the car is currently at jim butler kia in chesterfield mo awaiting an escalation to kia consumer affairs. this issue has been going on for some time, most likely since the car was new, but has recently become more noticeable and more dangerous to drive.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 kia optima. while driving at any speed and attempting to make a turn, the steering wobbled and lost power without warning. the vehicle was taken to redding kia (888-778-5635, located at 418 e cypress ave, redding, ca 96002) and kept for diagnostic testing while the contact was provided a loaner vehicle. the technician diagnosed that the yoke in the steering box was fractured and needed to be replaced. the part was back ordered. the contact was later informed to return the loaner vehicle because her vehicle was safe to drive while waiting for the part. the failure recurred. the manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive and promised to follow-up with the dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Bought a brand-new 2015 kia optima in february 2016 - 2.5 years and 34,000 miles in, it died on me while going 70mph on i85n in atlanta in morning rush hour. no prior problems with the car and no warning signs whatsoever - i went to change lanes and accelerate around a slow-moving vehicle and all of a sudden my gas pedal no longer worked and all of the lights on my dash lit up - the engine was dead and i was coasting. could not get off to the right side of the road due to traffic, so had to put it as far to the left as i could, which ended up halfway in the hov lane - extremely dangerous. would not restart, had to get it towed to the dealership. luckily all of my services and oil changes had been done at the dealership i had bought the car from (rick case kia in gwinnett, ga). so they had no way to try to wiggle around the warranty. i am seeing this exact issue being described at the exact mileage range for dozens and dozens of 2015 kia optimas on carcomplaints.com. it appears that kia and the dealerships are getting around paying for what obviously is an engine defect by asking that the drivers prove they had the oil changed by producing receipts for every service. when/if they can't, kia is negating the warranty and asking the driver's to pay $7k-8k for a new engine. it's despicable. my dealership couldn't get around the warranty since i had done every recommended service and oil change at the dealership where i bought the car. this am they informed me that the engine has been approved and will be replaced (not before trying to milk money out of me by trying to blame the issue on a faulty battery first, which wasn't covered by the warranty). kia issued a recall for this same issue on their 2011-2014 and 2016 optimas, and excluded the 2015 models. it's painfully obvious that the 2015 optimas are also defective, and a recall should be issued.
The vehicle was purchased new in 2015, the steering box on this vehicle was replaced in november 2016 under warranty as the steering wheel would have a hesitation (felt like a brief sticking) regardless of driving conditions but more dangerous at highway speeds. now may 2018 i am having to have it replaced again as the steering is very loose and wanders for no reason, again, regardless of driving conditions but more unpredictable at highway speeds and requires a great deal of concentration to keep the vehicle in the lane. the vehicle is 36 months old with 78000 miles and is having the 3rd steering box installed. the technician has deemed my vehicle unsafe to drive and stated that the tech support from kia acted as though they weren't surprised. i do not feel comfortable driving this car knowing that this mechanism is failing at an unsafe rate. kia knows of this problem and apparently feels fine with it though they deem the car unsafe to drive due to a part that they knowingly are installing in these vehicles. a brief search on the internet (god love the internet) will reveal that this is a problem that many people are having. please look into this, these vehicles are unpredictable on the road and by their own admission unsafe. my case number with kia for this problem is 12711641
At highway speed the car seems to wander both left and right and when attempting to correct the steering wheel will "stick" and requires abnormal amount of effort to get it to respond to driver input. once it responds it over corrects slightly which causes to car to weave (within it's lane). the car now requires constant driver input to keep the car within it's lane. we bought the car new in late 2016 and don't drive it a lot as it now has only 11,000 miles and this problem has gotten progressively worse since about 5,000 miles.
I have noticed that as i am driving on the the interstate that my steering is sticking, this too me is very uncomfortable and this should be noted as a safety concern, this problem should be looked into before t turns deadly.
When driving on freeway "65 mph and above" the steering wheel sticks in the 12:00 position causing the car to swerve from the pressure applied to correct drift . it steers fine if you constantly move the steering wheel back and forth. it happens when your driving straight and making minor steering wheel adjustments. when it breaks loose it causes you to swerve which could end up causing a crash.
Steering seems to get tight as if the power is going out. steering wheel will shift from left to right and it makes for an exhausting drive. i drive 160 miles to and from work daily and this has become a very dangerous and scary drive for me. i have read numerous complaints from other consumers with the same issue. it is disheartening that nothing is being done about this as of yet. i feel as if someone will have to lose their life before the manufacturer will take this seriously. something is definitely wrong here, when you spend so much money on a vehicle and are unable to use it because of a manufacturer flaw. please, someone hear what we are saying before something tragic happens.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 kia optima. while driving 65 mph, the steering wheel locked up and the vehicle could not be steered. the dealer (beck & masten kia, 25503 tomball pkwy, tomball, tx 77377) was contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the failure mileage was 57,000.
Takata recall. as i was driving on the highway, my car stopped on me during traffic flow. this has happened more than five times and i was almost killed with my small children in the vehicle. we have been suffering with this issue for over a whole year. on july 3,2017 my mother and i was coming home on the fwy and once again, during traffic flow, my car shut off while driving on the road. luckily, i was able to pull over to get a safe spot before i crashed because there were so many cars coming behind me so fast and the side ramps we're very narrow. i have taken it in for servicing but for some reason, they are not able to find out what the problem is. i have taking it in and even left with them for almost a whole month at one time and still no diagnosis. rental car after rental car. they installed a data recorder in my car and the first time they found no data, then they installed it again for another week and they claim that it was the fuel pump relay. so they installed a new fuel pump relay in my car. a few weeks later my car shut down again on the way coming home and in the freeway with my mother and 2 year neice. we we're almost killed. the car just shuts off while driving and says "goodbye" with no warning while driving this is how i know that this has something to do with the engine. please help if you can. i do not feel safe in this car and we are in danger. sometimes the lights in the car cut on and off too.
Vehicle tends to steer itself and can at time of freeway speeds be hard to keep vehicle in a staring line. vehicle steering wheel can get stiff and with and movements the vehicle tends to over correct itself. while going down a freeway or long straight away the vehicle tends to swerve back and forth when steering wheel is being held tight on one place.
I have had my 2015 kia for almost 2 years and just started to notice my steering would stick while driving at higher speeds. i have to jerk on the steering wheel at high speeds and it feels very unsafe! i took my car in for an oil change, also had them look at the problem i was encountering. i was told there was a known issue for this year car just not my car. also that i would have to wait and continue driving my vehicle as unsafe as it may seem until there was a recall. i was not very happy. i could be on the highway or any other location, anytime i go over 45 i notice this issue. *tr
Vehicle veers both left and right. you have to constantly keep correcting the wheel. made appointment with dealer and they made some adjustments but was no better. i took it back and they said that's all they can do.
Takata recall: the tire low light on he dash is always on no matter what i do. i have always had my tires changed from the dealer never from a third party. this is inconvenient for me because this is the identification for a low tire. so anytime i suspect a low tire i have to stop my vehicle where ever i may be get out and walk around the vehicle to manually test the pressure in my vehicles tires..
Coming off an off ramp on greenbriar south in chesapeak virginia, i heard a cracking noise from under the car. there was nothing in the road nor was there any pot holes. the vehicle then started pulling to the right and when i started pulling the steering wheel to the left i continued to drift right. i then landed into a guard rail at approximately 15 to 20 miles per hour. there was a witness behind me that can attest to this incident. the tie rod end had broken clean in half as if it was cut with a pair of siccors which caused me to lose all steering capability then ultimately caused me to collide with the guard rail. basically destroying my front end and the front right side of the vehicle and the drivers air bag was deployed. i was making a slight right hand curved turn on an off ramp. off highway 64.
While driving long distances the steering wheel tends to "stick" and the wheel has to be jerked a little to make steering fluid once again. i had the wheels checked to make sure i didn't need an alignment and it is being checked now for the steering issue. *tr
We purchased our 2015 kia optima new in corpus christi, tx. at about 11,000 miles our problem started. at highway speeds, the steering wheel gets real jerky and locks up. i have to jerk it to get it to release and then it goes the other direction. i have to keep both hands on the wheel to control it. this is a dangerous situation because it could easily cause a terrible head on accident. our dealer said they could not find a problem after driving it a couple miles. this is very unsafe, stressful, and makes my shoulders hurt severely. we are very unhappy and need this fixed. it is still under warranty and i know there are other cars with the same problem. safety issues should not have to wait until someone dies to get them fixed.
Tl* 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 filed immediately. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 22,000. updated 01/27/17*lj *tr
I noticed while driving at highway speeds that you have to fight to keep it on the road. it veers to the left and when corrected, then veers to the right, this continues as long as you are driving at highway speeds between 50 and 75 miles an hour. when you slow down the car feels loose and sways easily from left to right.
There is a major issue with the steering of the car when it gets to 45mph and higher. the steering wheel locks at the 12:00 position and takes a good amount of force to jerk it out of position which results in the car jerking at least 2' to the side you have to jerk it every time. you can't drive it like a normal car and it's not safe on the highway. we have taken it into kia multiple times to have this issue resolved and they claim that there is nothing wrong and can't fix the problem. corporate even claims that there is no issue with the car and it is acting "normally". it is not the way we bought the car and i don't feel safe letting my wife drive her car with my 2 year old in it on the highway.
When driving our 2015 kia optima with 900 miles vehicle was in garage except for small trips around town but on a small vacation trip, i noticed the steering was not stable and it was hard to control the steering and keeping my vehicle straight at 60 mph or more. i noticed it would go left then i would correct it then it would go right. very unstable to control had to keep both hands controlling the steering wheel. i hope some one looks into this kia problem because i am taking my vehicle to get it repaired hopefully! this issue is dangerous for people who don't pay attention on there vehicle when driving and could cause major accidents because i am experience driving instructor, i could tell it is a problem. i hope someone looks into this issue a.s.a.p. thanks [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr*jb
The streering will pull to either side especially at 55mph or better. made several call to the dealer in media and they don't seem to want to do anything about the problem. took the car in for maintenance in bedford ohio and the claimed there is no problem,
When driving the vehicle would pull to the right or pull to the left. then when i drove on the highway at faster speeds i had to keep both hands on the steering wheel to keep control of the car. i had to constantly fight with the steering to keep the car going straight. there were times when the car would just veer to the left and after pulling it back straight it would go left again. you never knew which direction the car would go. it is a constant battle with the steering.
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 kia optima. while driving at approximately 55 mph, the vehicle was unable to steer. all the warning indicators 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 1,000.
The car is unable to keep a straight course without constantly steering corrections. eyes can't be taken off the road even to look at the rearview mirror. it will go from one side of the road to the other with any minor bump or even on a very flat surface. wiggling of the steering is the only way to keep it on a straight line but eyes have to be on the road 100%. extremely dangerous on any road but specially on a two-lane road. accidents including head-on collision are sure to happen. kia is not doing much/anything about it. car is only 1500 miles now. *tr
Cannot control the car steering. unsafe at high speeds. wind is also a factor, moving the car from left to right and no control over the steering. cannot change lanes without loosing control. very unsafe and stressful to drive. *tr
As the first owner of the car, i have experienced steering issues that could be described as feeling as if the steering does not properly center. i constantly have to make steering adjustments to the left and right to keep the car going straight down the road. the issue becomes more pronounced as the vehicle speed increases. this results in a feeling of lack of safety at highway speeds, especially in moderate - high traffic situations or on narrow roads. i informed the maintenance department at the dealership from which i purchased the car about this issue. a maintenance technician took the vehicle to a drive and agreed that the car had a problem with the steering. the dealership then contacted the kia consumer assistance center who eventually decided that the car was operating normally. kia consumer assistance center then contacted me to inform me of this. i chose not to accept that this should be "normal" and escalated the issue. kia motors america then contacted me directly to offer to have a district manager drive the car to observe the steering issue. *tr
Tl* the contact owns a 2015 kia optima. the contact stated that while driving at approximately 50 mph, the vehicle drifted without warning. the failure recurred multiple times. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 100. updated 01/21/15*cn updated 9/7/2017*cn
Tl* 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.
This is a know problem , but steering control is really bad. as i am going down the road,(worse as speed increases) the car wanders left to right with no middle ground. so it is not an alignment issue as i am all over and not just pulling to one side. i have to keep arms locked on steering wheel to try to keep going straight and still just isn't enough. dealer says that's what kias do.this is a serious concern , as serious accidents will cone from this and the maker does nothing about it. looking in rear or side view mirror for a second and i can be on the verge of the lane next to me. what worries me most is i see this has been an issue for many previous model years and no one has done a thing about it. i love the kia optima but had i known about this problem i would have never purchased..my fault for lack of research, however you would think the manufacturer would fix an issue that's been around for quite some time. this has to be fixed already. *tr