2012 Kia Optima Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 09/08/2026

186Steering complaints

20.2%Of all 919 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How steering ranks on this vehicle

ENGINE398 · 43.3%

STEERING186 · 20.2%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM121 · 13.2%

Unspecified / other87 · 9.5%

POWER TRAIN53 · 5.8%

Share of the 919 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Kia Optima overview page.

What owners report

“VEHICLE HAS TROUBLE MAINTAINING PROPER STEERING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE STEERING NEEDS TO ALMOST CONSTANTLY BE TURNED RIGHT TO LEFT TO TRY TO MAINTAIN STRAIGHT…”NHTSA complaint 10716349 — filed 05/13/2015

“WE PURCHASED THE CAR ON 4/3/15 HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN CARY NC DROVE 5 MILES HOME BACK TO DEALER SHIP NEXT MORNING FOR PAPERWORK TO FINISH…”NHTSA complaint 10712399 — filed 04/23/2015

“WHILE TAKING A CURVE ON THE INTERSTATE, THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD HOLD ITSELF IN POSITION AS IF IT WERE ALMOST IN THE LOCKED POSITION. HAD…”NHTSA complaint 10705562 — filed 04/14/2015

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Kia Optima have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Kia Optima: 186 of 919 complaints on file (20.2%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Kia Optima have in total?

919 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 09/08/2026. Across all categories, 25 involved a crash, 77 involved a fire, 34 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's steering category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the STEERING category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 09/08/2026.