2014 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

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

2012-2014 KIA OPTIMA AND POSSIBLY OTHER CARS. HEADREST POSITION IS VERY MUCH INCORRECT. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD LEAD TO MANY PEOPLE BEING PARALYZED OR KILLED AS IN A SIMILAR MANOR AS HAPPENED TO RACE CAR DRIVER DALE EARNHARDT. HERE'S A LINK TO PICTURE...WHICH SHOWS THE AGGRESSIVE ANGLE AND FORWARD POSITION OF THE HEADREST. HTTP://IMAGES.DEALER.COM/EVOX/STILLS_0640/9259/9259_ST0640_051.JPG THE HEADREST IS SHOWN FULLY ADJUSTED TO IT'S REAR POSITION AND AS ONE CAN SEE IT ENDS UP PUSHING YOUR HEAD FORWARD SO YOUR CHIN IS IN YOUR CHEST AND YOU CAN'T DRIVE BECAUSE YOUR LOOKING AT YOUR FEET. THUS YOUR FORCED TO DRIVE SITTING OFF THE BACK OF THE SEAT WHICH IS EXTREMELY UNCOMFORTABLE. YOU CAN ADJ THE HEADREST TO THE FULL UP POSITION (OUT OF THE WAY) HOWEVER IN A COLLISION, THE TOP OF THE HEADREST WOULD HIT YOUR HEAD AND THE FORCES COULD SNAP YOUR NECK AND KILL YOU. HERE'S A QUOTED COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET... "IS ANYONE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THEIR HEADRESTS? I CAN'T SEEM TO BE ABLE TO SIT WITHOUT HITTING MY HEAD ON THE REST. I HAVE FOUND ONE SOLUTION. I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS, BUT IT IS ALL I HAVE FOUND THAT WORKS. I TURN THE HEAD REST AROUND." -------------------- TURNING THE HEADREST AROUND DEFEATS THE SAFETY ASPECT OF THE HEADREST, HOWEVER YOU CAN DRIVE THE CAR COMFORTABLY. VIEWING THE FRONT AND REAR SEATS THERE IS A DRAMATIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TWO AS ONE CAN SEE IN THE PICTURE. THE REAR HEADREST ARE PERFECTLY COMFORTABLE AND PROPERLY DESIGNED. I'VE CONTACTED KIA AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS THE FIRST ONE TO COMPLAIN. YEA RIGHT... QUOTED COMPLAINT ON THE INTERNET... I WILL BE CONTACTING KIA ABOUT THIS ISSUE, BUT AS THEY HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS PREVIOUS CONCERNS, I AM NOT HOPEFUL. ---------------- FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT ANYTIME FOR ANYTHING THAT MAY BE NEEDED OR REQUIRED TO GET THIS ISSUE RESOLVED. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE TO ACCELERATE AND WOULD ATTEMPT TO STALL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD ACCELERATE INDEPENDENTLY. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.

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

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.

PURCHASED MY NEW OPTIMA ON 4/14/2014 (MONDAY) AND LATER THAT SAME WEEK AND FIRST OF THE FOLLOWING WEEK HEARD A NOISE BEST DESCRIBED AS A DIESEL ENGINE IDLE SOUND AT STARTUP. TOOK IT INTO MY DEALERSHIP ON 4/24/2014 TO FIND OUT IT WAS IN NEED OF A NEW ENGINE. AFTER LOOKING ON A FORUM FOR THESE CARS, THIS SITE AND OTHERS, THIS SEEMS TO BE AN ISSUE WITH THE TURBO MODEL OF THIS CAR AND YEAR. I BELIEVE THAT KIA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE DUE TO IT'S SEVERITY. *TR

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

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.