2016 Kia Sorento steering problems

“The Steering binds/ sticks at the 12 o’clock position on the highway, requiring sudden extra physical force to break free, which causes the vehicle to oversteer left to right. For record, Auffenberg Kia verified a steering torque measurement of 7.3 Nm (failure limit: 4.5 Nm) per TSB CHA060, but denied warranty repair under WTY023 solely because the instrument cluster lamp was not illuminated. I paid $163.69 and the dealer released an unsafe car back to me.”

“Car completely stalled while on the freeway with no warning, no engine lights, nothing….luckily we were going downhill and were able to pull over to the side safely. Still owe 6k to the finance company but mechanic claimed I needed a new waterpump…after being changed and charged the car still wouldn’t turn on despite the new waterpump….and a bunch of new obd codes showed up & now I need a new engine. After a lot of research I’ve learned this car is notoriously known for many recalls and overall complains…..I wish I had done research before buying it, now I’m in debt for a car I can’t even drive”

“3 to 4 months ago my truck steering wheel light with an exclamation point will appear and my steering wheel will lock up and it is hard to steer unless I cut the truck off and back on, it is so dangerous that it went out when I was in the middle of a turn that I almost ran into a truck. I cannot get this issue fixed because my warranty ran out. So what am I to do. It's terribly scary. I Haven't had it checked put i had a paper from Kia headquarters for it to be fixed free of charge within the warranty date but it has expired and I can't get it done. Something to do with the electric power steering”

“Steering has a "sticky feeling". While driving, when you try to turn steering wheel a fraction to one side or the other there is resistance and then a release which results in in oversteering that has to be corrected. When trying to correct the oversteering, there is again resistance and then release with oversteering again. So it constantly goes back and forth. There is a string of posts on [XXX] " with owners of the Kia Sorento having this same issue. Not only is this annoying but also unsafe. This has been going on since about summer of 2025. I do not driver this vehicle very often or I would have gotten on this issue sooner.”

“The red steering wheel with an exclamation point pops up on the dashboard and instantly I lose power steering the wheel gets really hard, it went out as I was making a turn and I almost hit the truck . I had to yank the wheel really hard to control the steering, then had to pull over turn the truck off then back on to reset the problem. This have been going on mildly for a few years now has gotten to its worst”

“Driving on the freeway going 75-80 mph and my steering wheel locked up. When this happens I am unable to turn my steering wheel. Have to let my foot of the gas and try with all my muscle to get the car to go to the side of the road to put the car in park. Turn it off and turn it back on. This exact incident has happened to me 3 times in a row on the freeway on [XXX]. Once while the road had a curve.”