2013 Kia Optima Steering Problems

NHTSA component category: STEERING · data through 07/14/2026

211Steering complaints

15.4%Of all 1,371 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

ENGINE609 · 44.4%

STEERING211 · 15.4%

Unspecified / other184 · 13.4%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM142 · 10.4%

STRUCTURE:BODY118 · 8.6%

Share of the 1,371 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2013 Kia Optima overview page.

What owners report

“SHORTLY AFTER BUYING MY BRAND NEW 2013 KIA OPTIMA LX I NOTICED ISSUES WITH THE STEERING WHEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN DRIVING ON ANY…”NHTSA complaint 10722363 — filed 05/29/2015

“I BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 17996 MILES. AFTER A FEW MILES DRIVING ON THE I-95 I NOTICED THAT THE 2013 OPTIMA HAS A VERY WEIRD…”NHTSA complaint 10720961 — filed 05/22/2015

“MY WIFE'S 2013 OPTIMA HAS VERY STIFF STEERING WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE OR LONG STRETCH ROAD. IT'S VERY HARD TO STAY IN A STRAIGHT LINE…”NHTSA complaint 10717675 — filed 05/21/2015

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2013 Kia Optima have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2013 Kia Optima: 211 of 1,371 complaints on file (15.4%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2013 Kia Optima have in total?

1,371 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 48 involved a crash, 112 involved a fire, 36 reported injuries, and 4 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 07/14/2026.