What 578 owners told NHTSA about the 2014 Kia Optima

I RECENTLY LEASED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA LX AND WHEN DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWED HAZARDS WITH THIS VEHICLE: - DRIFTING - PULLING TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT - DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING STRAIGHT COURSE AND FEELING LIKE THE CAR WAS "ALL OVER THE ROAD" - INSTABILITY WHEN DRIVING IN WINDY CONDITIONS - EXTREMELY SENSITIVE STEERING WHEEL THE CAR PULLED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT CONSTANTLY AND WAS WORSE AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE CAR WOULD DRIFT IN LANES AND IT WAS CONSTANT WORK TO GET IT TO GO STRAIGHT WHICH SEEMED IMPOSSIBLE. HIGH GUST WINDS MADE IT SEEM LIKE MY WAR WAS GOING TO MOVE INTO THE OTHER LANE. I CONTACTED DEALERSHIP AND AFTER FURTHER RESEARCH BY THEM, THEY SAID THEY COULD ELECTRONICALLY CHANGE THE MODE OF THE POWER STEERING. THERE SEEM TO BE 2 MODES AVAILABLE AND ONE OF THEM MAKES THE STEERING FLIMSY AND HARD TO HANDLE AND THE OTHER MAKES IT FEEL MORE STABLE LIKE A STEERING WHEEL SHOULD BE. I WOULD SUGGEST ANYONE EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM TO CONTACT THEIR SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND ASK FOR THE MODE CHANGE. MOST DEALERSHIP STAFF DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS OPTION EXISTS AND SOME SERVICE DEPARTMENTS AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH IT EITHER BUT APPARENTLY IT DOES EXIST. I WOULD NOT HAVE KEPT THIS VEHICLE IF THEY COULDN'T HAVE CHANGED THE POWER STEERING MODE BECAUSE IT IS SIMPLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AGAIN, THIS IS NOT A MODE FEATURE ON THE DASHBOARD OR A DISPLAY FUNCTION THAT SOME OF THE OTHER KIA MODELS HAVE. THIS IS SPECIFICALLY SOMETHING THAT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS TO DO ELECTRONICALLY AND THEY CAN DO THIS ON THE LX MODEL. ONE OTHER FEATURE I JUST DISCOVERED THAT I DON'T LIKE AND THINK MAY BE AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM IS THE RIDICULOUSLY LOW PASSENGER SEAT. THIS MAKES NO SENSE TO ME AT ALL AND I WILL BE INQUIRING WITH SERVICE ABOUT IT. *TR

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THE CAR WILL NOT STAY IN ITS LANE. IT WONDERS AND IS VERY DANGEROUS! *TR

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I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2014 KIA OPTIMA FOR MY WIFE, I CHOOSE THIS CAR SINCE I ALREADY OWNED A 2011 OPTIMA THAT I HAVE BEEN HAPPY WITH, ALMOST 50,000 MILES. SO I FELT I KNEW WHAT I WAS GETTING WITH THE 2014 OPTIMA. I DROVE THIS CAR FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST WEEK AND AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE IS DEFINITELY AN ISSUE WITH THE STEERING, IT IS CHALLENGING TO KEEP IT STRAIGHT AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, WHEN YOU NEED TO MAKE A CORRECTION TO FOLLOW A CURVE IN THE ROAD, IT IS AS IF THE VEHICLE OVER SHOOTS AND THEN YOU NEED TO CORRECT AGAIN, CAUSING YOU TO MOVE BACK AND FORTH IN THE LANE, IT ALSO FEELS LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS HELD IN POSITION BY SOME ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE, WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND IT TAKES EXTRA EFFORT TO MOVE IT FROM THIS POSITION . I AM CONCERNED SINCE I HAVE DRIVEN MY 2011 OPTIMA FOR 3 YEARS AND IT DOES NOT DISPLAY ANY OF THESE CHARACTERISTICS. KIA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS. *TR

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AT ALL SPEEDS SINCE NEW - THE CAR HAS HAD NO PREDISPOSITION TO GO STRAIGHT. THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDS CONSTANT INPUT AS THE CAR CONTINUOUSLY WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE STEERING WHEEL NEEDS EXCESSIVE INPUT TO MAKE EVEN THE SLIGHTEST CORRECTION. AND, WHEN THE STEERING DOES RESPOND - IT OVER CORRECTS. THIS EFFECT HAS YOU WEAVING CONSTANTLY. IN THE TIME IT TAKES TO LOOK OVER YOUR SHOULDER TO CHECK TRAFFIC - YOU CAN BE IN THE NEXT LANE. RATHER THAN BEING ABLE TO MAKE A SMOOTH TURN - THE DRIVING LINE THROUGH A TURN LOOKS MORE LIKE A CIRCULAR SAW BLADE THAT A SMOOTH ARC. THE ELECTRIC ASSIST STEERING HAS A DIGITAL FEEL. IT'S AS IF THERE ARE PROGRAMMED DIGITAL POSITIONS THAT THE WHEEL CAN BE TURNED TO. ANYTHING IN BETWEEN THOSE POSITIONS HAS YOU FIGHTING THE STEERING WHEEL TO HOLD YOUR LINE. IT'S BAD DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY. IT'S THE MOST DANGEROUS WHEN DRIVING ON NARROW TWO-LANE ROADS - ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE WINDY. IT'S SUBTLE, BUT, YOU CAN FEEL DISTINCT FAVORED STEERING WHEEL POSITIONS TO EITHER SIDE OF STRAIGHT AHEAD(EXAMPLE: 2 AND 4 DEGREES TO EITHER SIDE). IT FEELS AS IF THE STEERING CLICKS INTO THOSE POSITIONS. WHEN THE WHEEL IS IN ONE OF THESE POSITIONS - AND, THE ARC OF THE TURN MATCHES THE 2 OR 4 DEGREE STEERING ANGLE - YOU CAN GO AROUND CORNERS WITH NO HANDS ON THE WHEEL. IT FEELS ELECTRICALLY STUCK IN POSITION. IF A TURN IS NOT THE SAME ANGLE AS THE STUCK POINTS - YOU OFTEN FIND YOURSELF COUNTER-STEERING THROUGH THE TURN. EXAMPLE: YOU'RE GOING THROUGH A 3 DEGREE LEFT HANDER. THE STEERING WHEEL FAVORS A 2 OR 4 DEGREE POSITION. THE 2 DEGREE POSITION HAS YOU DRIFTING TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE TURN. YOU CORRECT TO TIGHTEN IT UP. THE WHEEL CORRECTS BY GOING TO THE FAVORED 4 DEGREE POSITION. YOU HAVE TO HOLD PRESSURE ON THE WHEEL TO THE RIGHT(COUNTERSTEER) TO HOLD YOUR LINE IN A LEFT HAND TURN. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE IS NO FAVORED POSITION FOR GOING STRAIGHT. DANGEROUS! *TR

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VEHICLE DEMANDS CONSTANT CORRECTING OF THE STEERING WHEEL IN ORDER TO SAFELY REMAIN INSIDE A LANE. SMALL CORRECTIONS TO ONE SIDE WILL RESULT IN THE VEHICLE OVERTURNING TO THE OTHER SIDE AND VICE VERSA. IT IS PHYSICALLY EXHAUSTING TO MAINTAIN THE VEHICLE SAFELY ESPECIALLY ON LONGER DRIVES. DEALERSHIP DENIES THERE IS ANY PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WHEN THERE CLEARLY IS. COULD POSSIBLY BE THAT THEY KNOW THE PROBLEM EXISTS BUT DO WANT TO LOSE SALES BY ADMITTING TO IT. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE AS THERE ARE MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ON OTHER WEBSITES SUCH AS CARCOMPLAINTS.COM ABOUT THE SAME ISSUES AND IT IS A VERY DANGEROUS PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE PREVENTED. *JS

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CAR DEMANDS CONSTANT CORRECTION OF STEERING WHEEL TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT LINE. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY TIME OR STEERING WHEEL POSITION WHERE CAR WILL TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE LEAST CORRECTION TO THE LEFT WILL RESULT IN THE CAR MOVING LEFT PAST WHERE IT SHOULD BE TRACKING, NECESSITATING A SMALL CORRECTIVE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, WHICH RESULTS IN THE SAME OVER-CORRECTING. THERE IS NO CENTER NULL SPOT WHERE IT DOESN'T REQUIRE MORE AND CONSTANT ATTENTION. THREE SECONDS OF INATTENTION AND YOU COULD BE EITHER OVER THE CENTER LINE OR OFF ON THE SHOULDER. VERY TIRING TO DRIVE. IN ALL THE CARS I HAVE OWNED OVER MY LIFETIME, I HAVE NEVER HAD ONE THAT WAS THIS HARD TO HANDLE OR WAS AS INHERENTLY DANGEROUS. IT WAS PURCHASED FOR MY WIFE AND I AM AFRAID FOR HER TO DRIVE IT. KIA HAS ATTEMPTED TO FIX IT BY TRYING ALL FOUR STEERING SETTINGS AND IT HAS MADE NO DIFFERENCE. FRONT END ALIGNMENT AND TIRE PRESSURES HAVE BEEN CHECKED. KIA HAS GIVEN UP ON FIXING IT SAYING IT MEETS ALL THEIR SPECS, BUT OFFERED ME $400 AND A $50 VISA CARD TO JUST GO AWAY. PROBLEM IS THIS: IT WILL COST ME $5000 TO TRADE IT FOR SOME OTHER MAKE OF 2014 LIKE-EQUIPPED CAR, SO I HAVE NO RECOURSE BUT BINDING ARBITRATION SINCE THAT IS PART OF THE CONTRACT I SIGNED EVEN THOUGH I PAID CASH FOR THE VEHICLE. *TR

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I RECENTLY FILED 2 COMPLAINTS WITH YOUR OFFICE BUT WOULD NOW LIKE TO AMEND OR RETRACT THESE. AFTER A LITTLE MORE THAN 1K ON THE ODOMETER I FIND I AM BECOMING MORE USED TO THE ELECTRIC (MDPS) TYPE OF STEERING. I ALSO BECAME MORE AWARE THAT AS MY SPEED INCREASED THE STEERING ALSO BECAME MORE NOTICEABLY TIGHTER AND ALSO RETAINED BETTER TRACKING. WITH MY HANDS OFF THE WHEEL, AND NO OTHER CARS AROUND, IT WAS MOST OBVIOUS THAT THERE WERE NO ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS OR A SENSE THAT MY CAR WOULD SOON BE SWAYING INTO A DITCH. HOPE YOU FIND THIS HELPFUL. THANK YOU. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VEERED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS WORKING UP TO STANDARDS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 14,000.

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THE CAR IS IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY. IF YOU CORRECT FOR ONE DRIFT YOU START GOING THE OTHER WAY. IN WINDY CONDITIONS OR WHEN LARGER TRAFFIC PASSES YOU, YOU BETTER HAVE A LOT OF EXTRA ROAD TO DEAL WITH. *TR

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WHEN BUYING THE CAR I NEVER TESTED IT ON A HIGHWAY OR ABOVE 45MPH. AFTER BUYING I TOOK IT ON THE HIGHWAY AND HAD TO USE EVERY MUSCLE IN MY BODY TO KEEP THE CAR ON A STRAIGHT LINE. IT WAS FIRGHTENING. WILL NOT EVEN LET MY WIFE DRIVE OT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE STEERING HAS A MIND OF ITS OWN. TOOK IT BACK TO DEALER AND THEY STATED IT WAS FINE AND PART OF THE NEW STEERING CONTROL SYSYTEM KIA DEVELOPED. EVEN TRIED NEW TIRES BUT THE CAR IS STILL ALL OVER THE ROAD. THEY ALSO CHANGED VIA SOFTWARE UPDATE THE STEERING TO "SPORT MODE" TO TOGHTEN UP THE STEERING. WHILE IT DID FEEL BETTER THE STEERING IS STILL FRIGHTENING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS - ESPECIALLY IF THERE ARE WING GUSTS. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SERIOUS ISSUE.

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2014 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE STEERING PROBLEMS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE STEERING ISSUE CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO WANDER TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE CONSUMER HAS ATTEMPTED TO GET THE STEERING ISSUE FIXED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED IT WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE ELECTRIC ASSISTED POWER STEERING. HOWEVER, THE DEALER CHANGED THE STEERING MODE FROM NORMAL TO SPORT SETTING, WHICH MADE NO IMPROVEMENT IN THE PROBLEM. DRIVING THE VEHICLE DEMANDED CONSTANT CORRECTION OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT LINE. *JB

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THE CAR HAS A HARD TIME CONTINUING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE STEERING ALWAYS PULLS TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT. THE CAR EITHER GOES 1 LEFT OF 1 RIGHT. THERE IS NO CENTER. IT IS A STRAIN TO TRY TO KEEP THE CAR IN A LANE AT HIGH SPEEDS. *TR

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WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE PULLS SHE YOU TRY TO CORRECT IT GETS WORSE. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. VEHICLE WILL NOT GO STRAIGHT. WHILE DRIVING ON LONG TRIP I AM EXHAUSTED FROM TRYING TO KEEP THE VEHICLE ON THE ROAD. SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KILLED BY THE STEERING OF THIS VEHICLE! *TR

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2014 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POWER STEERING ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE POWER STEERING WAS TOO SENSITIVE, TO THE POINT THAT IT WAS DIFFICULT KEEPING THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT ON THE ROAD. THE CONSUMER NOTICED THE ISSUE, TEN DAYS AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER, WHERE THEY TRIED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM, BY ALIGNING THE FRONT END, AND EVEN REPLACING THE TIRES. BUT, TO NO AVAIL. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE ONLY WAY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WAS TO RE-DESIGN THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP STATED THE VEHICLE HANDLED FINE. *JB

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CAR DEMANDS CONSTANT CORRECTION OF STEERING WHEEL TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT LINE. THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY TIME OR STEERING POSITION WHERE CAR WILL TRACK IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE LEAST CORRECTION TO THE LEFT WILL RESULT IN THE CAR MOVING LEFT PAST WHERE IT SHOULD BE TRACKING, NECESSITATING A SMALL CORRECTIVE MOVEMENT OF THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT, WHICH RESULTS IN THE SAME OVER-CORRECTING. THERE IS NO CENTER NULL SPOT WHERE IT DOESN'T REQUIRE MORE AND CONSTANT ATTENTION. ONE SECOND OF INATTENTION AND YOU ARE OVER THE LINE OR OFF ON THE SHOULDER. VERY TIRING TO DRIVE. CAR IS NOW FIVE MONTHS OLD AND HAS ONLY 3900 MILES ON IT BECAUSE WE ONLY USE IT WHEN WE HAVE TO. DEALER HAS TRIED TWICE TO FIX IT, BUT HAS MADE NO IMPROVEMENT. I NOTICE PAGES DEVOTED TO SIMILAR COMMENTS ON A CALIFORNIA WEBSITE SINCE MODEL YEAR 2011. HOW CAN KIA GET AWAY WITH SOMETHING THIS DANGEROUS AND ANNOYING WITHOUT IT BEING REPORTED IN SOME OF THE CAR MAGAZINES? I AM CONSIDERING BINDING ARBITRATION BUT DON'T EXPECT ANY HELP BECAUSE THESE RETIRED LAWYERS AND/OR JUDGES MAY BE GREAT LEGAL WIZARDS BUT DUMB AS A SACK OF ROCKS WHEN IT COMES TO MECHANICAL THINGS. *TR

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I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER ABOUT THE ROUGH RIDE AND HARSH RIDE BUT WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY. I THEN TOOK IT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE STEERING PULLED TO THE LEFT AND I NEVER FELT CONFIDENT ABOUT THE STEERING ONLY TO SAY THAT IT DID NOT FEEL RIGHT AND IT WAS WORRISOME TO ME. IT SIMPLY DID NOT FEEL RIGHT TO ME. I'VE BEEN DRIVING 50 YEARS AND HAVE NEVER FELT THIS UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING/STEERING A CAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *TR

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VEHICLE WANDERS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT IS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO GO STRAIGHT WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT. EVEN WITH CONSTANT ADJUSTMENT THE CAR WILL NOT TRACK STRAIGHT. *TR

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VEHICLE WANDERS FROM SIDE TO SIDE ON THE HIGHWAY, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (60+ MPH) AND REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTION FROM LEFT TO RIGHT TO MAINTAIN LANE POSITION. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM THE TIME WE PURCHASED IT NEW LESS THAN 3 WEEKS AGO. THE STEERING IS VERY HYPER-SENSITIVE AT SPEED AND A CORRECTION TO THE RIGHT REQUIRES A CORRECTION TO LEFT WITH NO APPARENT "GRAY" OR MIDDLE CENTER AREA WHICH WOULD KEEP THE VEHICLE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. MOST OF THIS IS ON VERY STRAIGHT SURFACES WITH LITTLE TO NO CROWN & CAMBER ON THE ROAD. STEERING MODE WAS CHANGED BY THE DEALER SERVICE DEPT. (AT OUR REQUEST) FROM EX SPORT TO EX STANDARD, WITH MINIMAL IMPROVEMENT. WE REPLACED THE OEM TIRES, WITH UPGRADED TIRES. WHILE TRACTION AND TURNING PERFORMANCE HAVE IMPROVED, STILL NO NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT IN THE WANDER. MY WIFE REFUSES TO DRIVE THE CAR ON THE HIGHWAYS, AS SHE FEELS FEAR, STRESS AND EXHAUSTION FROM THE CONSTANT CORRECTION DURING LENGTHY DRIVES. *TR

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION OR DIAGNOSIS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100.

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