2015 Kia Optima Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/12/2026

68Steering complaints

6.8%Of all 998 complaints

#5Most-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

ENGINE617 · 61.8%

Unspecified / other138 · 13.8%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM126 · 12.6%

STRUCTURE:BODY75 · 7.5%

STEERING68 · 6.8%

Share of the 998 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2015 Kia Optima overview page.

What owners report

“AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE CAR SEEMS TO WANDER BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT AND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT THE STEERING WHEEL WILL "STICK" AND REQUIRES ABNORMAL…”NHTSA complaint 11098299 — filed 05/28/2018

“THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW IN 2015, THE STEERING BOX ON THIS VEHICLE WAS REPLACED IN NOVEMBER 2016 UNDER WARRANTY AS THE STEERING WHEEL WOULD…”NHTSA complaint 11091531 — filed 05/03/2018

“WHEN DRIVING ON FREEWAY "65 MPH AND ABOVE" THE STEERING WHEEL STICKS IN THE 12:00 POSITION CAUSING THE CAR TO SWERVE FROM THE PRESSURE APPLIED…”NHTSA complaint 11074399 — filed 02/22/2018

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2015 Kia Optima have steering problems?

Steering is the #5 most-reported problem area on the 2015 Kia Optima: 68 of 998 complaints on file (6.8%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2015 Kia Optima have in total?

998 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 31 involved a crash, 71 involved a fire, 23 reported injuries, and 1 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 07/12/2026.