THETRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM (V8 ENGINE) IN COMBINATION WITH VERY POOR TRACTION TIRES (HANKOOK OPTIMO H426) MAY GET YOU KILLED. WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURNS ONTO WET HIGHWAY THE LEFT REAR WHEEL BREAKS LOOSE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL TRIES TO STOP THE WHEEL SPIN BY APPLYING THE LEFT REAR BRAKE WHICH BREAKS THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL LOOSE AND THEN IT'S BRAKE GETS APPLIED. AFTER A FEW OF THESE BACK AND FORTHS THE TRACTION CONTROL CUTS POWER TO THE ENGINE TRYING TO GET CONTROL OF THE REAR WHEEL SPIN. SO THERE YOU ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION WITH CARS BEARING DOWN ON YOU AT 65MPH. FORTUNATELY, I MANAGED TO GET THE CAR POINTED DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE ONCOMING CARS. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE. COMPLAINED TO KIA AND THEY SAY THAT IS HOW IT IS DESIGNED. THE HANKOOK OPTIMO H426 TIRES ARE RATED #41 OF 42 (TIRERACK.COM) TIRES FOR THIS CAR SO KIA HAS PUT THE WORST QUALITY TIRE THEY COULD FIND ON THEIR TOP LINE CAR! I ORDERED NEW TIRES WITH MORE WET / DRY TRACTION AND MY DEALER AGREED TO INSTALL THEM (NO HELP FROM KIA). I HAVE ALSO LEARNED TO TURN OFF THE TRACTION CONTROL WHEN I DRIVE. THAT AND THE NEW TIRES WILL HOPEFULLY SAVE ME FROM ANY MORE SCARY RIDES IN THIS CAR! BY THE WAY THIS SAME SCARY TC SYSTEM IS ON THE KIA OPTIMA AND HAS MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM ON THIS SITE!
NHTSA ODI 10875812