2014 Kia Optima Steering Problems

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

93Steering complaints

16.1%Of all 578 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

ENGINE278 · 48.1%

STEERING93 · 16.1%

Unspecified / other87 · 15.1%

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM58 · 10%

STRUCTURE:BODY48 · 8.3%

Share of the 578 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2014 Kia Optima overview page.

What owners report

“DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE IT PULLS EXTREMELY BAD ALMOST CAN'T CONTROL IT , ESPECIALLY IF THERE'S ANY WIND BLOWING . VERY HARD TO DRIVE IT…”NHTSA complaint 11102909 — filed 06/20/2018

“AS MANY OTHER DRIVERS HAVE STATED, 2014 KIA OPTIMA DRIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. TAKES CONSTANT CORRECTION TO KEEP IN LANES > 55 MPH. HAS HAPPENED…”NHTSA complaint 11078684 — filed 03/12/2018

“THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT…”NHTSA complaint 11012363 — filed 08/02/2017

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

Steering complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2014 Kia Optima have steering problems?

Steering is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2014 Kia Optima: 93 of 578 complaints on file (16.1%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2014 Kia Optima have in total?

578 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 19 involved a crash, 41 involved a fire, 20 reported injuries, and 2 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.