2014 Kia Optima Complaint Log

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT, WHEN DRIVING AT HIGH SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

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

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

I HAD MY CAR KID OPTIMA 2014 2 WEEKS (800 MILES ON MY NEW ).THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A KNOCKING NOISES TOOK IT BACK TO DEALERSHIP IT WAS THE PISTON NOT WORKING FULLY THEY SAID I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE ENGINE REPLACED .I DON'T WANT THE CAR ! I'M NOT HAPPY. *TR

MY KIA OPTIMA 2014 STARTED A NOISE NEAR THE ENGINE THAT SOUNDS LIKE A CLAPPING NOISE. THE FIRST KIA DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT IT IS NOT TO WORRY AND IS PART OF THE KIA ENGINEERING DESIGN. THE SECOND KIA DEALER I TOOK IT TO SAID THAT THE NOISE IS BAD NEWS AND AFTER FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS, THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ENTIRE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JUST 5,000 MILES INTO THE LIFE OF MY BRAND NEW KIA OPTIMA 2014. I WANT PEOPLE TO BE AWARE THAT IF YOU HEAR A CLAPPING NOISE NEAR THE TOP OF THE ENGINE THAN PLEASE TAKE IT INTO A KIA DEALER IMMEDIATELY WHILE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. IT IS NOT CURRENTLY A KIA RECALL BUT I FEEL IT SHOULD BE SINCE THIS CAN LEAD TO REPLACING THE ENTIRE ENGINE. THANK YOU. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS WOULD LEAVE STREAKS AND SMEAR THE WINDSHIELD CAUSING A VISIBILITY HAZARD TO THE DRIVER DURING INCLEMENT WEATHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER ARM WAS REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20. UPDATED 01/05/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED AFTER CHANGING THE WIPERS MULTIPLE TIMES THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO CHANGE THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS AND WINDSHIELD WITH THE FACTORY PARTS FOR A 200.00 DEDUCTIBLE. THE CONSUMER DECLINED. *JS

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.

I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY INFORMATION REGARDING THE RECALL NOTICE ON THE ENGINE OF MY VEHICLE.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Optima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V331000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that there was a burning odor coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that while driving 5 - 10 MPH, the vehicle suddenly stalled and lost all power. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The ABS, check engine, and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 133,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

ON OUR 2014 OPTIMA LX MODEL THE PASSENGER SEAT IS ADJUSTED TO LOW TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND MY PARTNER WHICH IS 61 YEARS OLD AND 4'10" IS STARING RIGHT AT THE DASH CANNOT SEE OVER THE TOP OF DASH AND IF AIR BAG SHOULD DEPLOY MAYBE VERY DANGEROUS NOT TO MENTION WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE OUTSIDE WORLD . *TR