Fuel Injection Type: Stoichiometric gasoline direct injection (SGDI)
Fuel Type Primary: Gasoline
Make: KIA
Manufacturer: HYUNDAI-KIA AMERICA TECHNICAL CENTER INC (HATCI)
Manufacturer Id: 1034
Model: Optima
Model Year: 2013
Plant City: Hwasung
Plant Company Name: Kia Motors Corporation
Plant Country: South Korea
Seat Belts All: Manual
Series: SX
Series2: TF
TPMS: Direct
Turbo: Yes
Valve Train Design: Dual Overhead Cam (DOHC)
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model year
COMPONENT
Complaint
2009
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
WHEN DRIVING CAR IS OK, BUT WHEN YOU SLOW DOWN TO AROUND 20 MPH THE CAR JERKS , BUT AFTER CAR I DRIVEN FOR AROUND 10-15 MILES IT DOESN'T DO IT. *KB
2013
STEERING
I'VE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK. WITHIN THE FIRST TWO DAYS I NOTICED A SLIGHT DRIFTING OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING ABOVE 40 MPH, BUT DISMISSED IT AS BEING CAUSED BY THE HIGH WINDS THAT WERE OCCURRING DURING THAT TIME. OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS, THESE DRIFTING EXPERIENCES LINGERED. THE WORST EXPERIENCE OCCURRED 02/14/13, BETWEEN 5:30PM AND 6:15PM, A HIGH TRAFFIC PERIOD, ON A FREEWAY WHICH IS CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION. AFTER MAKING A LEFT TURN FROM A TRAFFIC LIGHT ONTO THE FREEWAY, I PROCEEDED INTO THE LEFT LANE. WITHIN A FEW FEET, OR ACCELERATION TO 50 MPH OR SO, THE FRONT WHEELS, BEGAN TO PULL TOWARD THE RIGHT. BOTH OF MY HANDS WERE ON THE STEERING WHEEL THE ENTIRE TIME, BUT I HAD TO STEER SLIGHTLY LEFT TO CORRECT TO AVOID GOING INTO THE RIGHT LANE. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE SAME SCENARIO OCCURRED AS ABOVE. I NEXT CHANGED TO THE RIGHT LANE AS MY EXIT WAS NEARING. WITHIN 3/4 MILE THERE IS A SLIGHT CURVE LEFT, WHICH THE CAR HAD ISSUES CORNERING AND AGAIN LED TO MY HAVING TO STEER TO CORRECT. THIS IS SAFETY CONCERN, A SERIOUS ONE. THIS IS NOT A RANDOM, EVERY SO OFTEN OCCURRENCE. IT IS DAILY, FREQUENT, IF I TRAVEL ON A FREEWAY OR ANYTIME SPEED LIMITS ARE ABOVE 35 MPH. THERE ARE OTHER INSTANCES OF WHAT APPEAR TO BE CORNERING ISSUES. LEFT TURNS ARE AWKWARD IF YOU FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURE FOR TURNING INTO THE LANE CLOSEST TO YOU. MOST TURNS END UP WIDE, AS IF YOU'RE DRIVING A WIDER CHASSIS VEHICLE, I.E. A PICK-UP OR SUV. THE STEERING DEFECT EVEN APPEARS NOTICEABLE UPON PARKING, AS THE STEERING WHEEL IS ALWAYS A HAIR OFF CENTER WHEN YOU PARK STRAIGHT IN A STALL OR SPACE. IN THE CITY I RESIDE IN THE STATE OF NEVADA, CONSTANT ROAD CONSTRUCTION, LANES THAT CHANGE FROM HORIZONTAL TO ZIG-ZAG EVERY FEW FEET, THE LAST THING NEEDED IS A CAR THAT HAS ANY HINT OF A FAULT WITH STEERING OR SUSPENSION. *TR