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2003 Kia Optima Steering problems

Owners have filed 2 complaints about the 2003 Kia Optima's steering with NHTSA - 1% of all its complaints, most recently on February 3, 2025. Loss of power steering, stiff or loose steering, wandering, column and rack problems.

Complaints
2
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
0

Steering complaints

SteeringSuspensionEngine & cooling

While driving on the roadway, I was almost to a four way intersection, as i was going to get into the left turn lane, I turned the steering wheel slightly to the left as the steering wheel turned but the car almost did little adjusting to turn into the left turn lane. As this occurred you could here a noise underneath the vehicle . As I wasn't sure exactly what had happened, I attempted to limp the vehicle down the road to a friend's. As I did the steering got worse and as I could nearly stear the vehicle something...

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was in the road which because of the steering I couldn't avoid it as it was late at night and raining and I ran over something that gave me a flat on the passenger side front tire . I got to my friends drive a few feet away and almost didn't get it pulled in because of the steering. As I took a look at my car, I noticed that two bolts on the driver side on the rack and pinion were almost about to fall out, two ball joints were bent and one nut was completely missing from the lower ball joint, as well as the sway bar was out of place and If I would have been driving down the highway, I do belive I would have wrecked.

Filed Incident Steering · Suspension · EngineNHTSA 11640256
SteeringSuspensionWheels & tires

I was leaving my driveway and drove approximately 2 car lengths, my car stopped and started shaking, it wouldn't go forward or backwards. Turned the emergency flashers on as I placed the car in park. I got out and went around to the passenger side of my car; the wheel was against the firewall. I found a recall 2-15-13, called kia customer service, they sent a towing company; in which, towed my car to mike smith kia in paducah, ky. They found that my lower control arm had separated from the sub-frame due massive...

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corrosion. Replaced the sub-frame & drive axle,2 new tires. Picked my optima 3-20-2013. 3-27-2013, Noticed power steering leak, called set-up an appointment to have it checked out for 4-4-2013. April 3, 2013 my brakes go out! Jesse hodges (mike smith kia) has my car towed to their facility; in which, the brake line cracked my the gas tank. I paid to replace the brake & gas lines, they repaired the power steering leak! The problem now is: abnormal wear of the tires they replaced from the recall. Mike smith kia will replace my tires but wants me to pay for the front-end alignment; in which, was to be done when replacing the sub-frame. I feel this is their responsibility because they failed to properly repair my car. I have been in contact with kia corporation, they seem to be having problems in receiving copies of my file from mike smith kia to resolve this. Please help me resolve this!! (Recall case number: [[redacted]] with kia corporation) information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.S.C. 552(B)(6). *Tr

Filed Incident Steering · Suspension · WheelsNHTSA 10522638

Kia Optima steering complaints by year

Optima steering problems, every year

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Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data

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