There is now a Technical Service Bulletin on Kia Global Information System (KGIS) for the left pull issue that some people have been having. It shows how to tell if your car has the issue and what the dealer should do to fix it. Also this is for all KIA's not just Optima's. It looks like KIA is admitting there is a problem and actually trying to fix it instead of just sweeping it under the rug. :clap:
Technical Service Bulletin - Drift/Left Pull Issue
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Pretty Darned Informative...
That's some great info, especially for those having the problem.
It includes test procedures to diagnose/confirm the problem as well.
I have not had the left pull issue but there are times that I think the car wants to wander both left and right when on the highway at speed. I just checked my air pressure and like many others have found, they were overinflated as delivered. I lowered them from 36+ to 33 as spec-ed on the door plate.
I'll test drive later or tomorrow to see how it feels.
JC
That's some great info, especially for those having the problem.
It includes test procedures to diagnose/confirm the problem as well.
I have not had the left pull issue but there are times that I think the car wants to wander both left and right when on the highway at speed. I just checked my air pressure and like many others have found, they were overinflated as delivered. I lowered them from 36+ to 33 as spec-ed on the door plate.
I'll test drive later or tomorrow to see how it feels.
JC
Here 'tis...
JC
edit - JRIDER just attached it - now why didn't I think of that? :huh:
TSB CHA 032
JC
edit - JRIDER just attached it - now why didn't I think of that? :huh:
There doesn't seem to be any reference number other than 032 and is classified under Chassis. I tried to copy and paste the text but I get a too many characters error. The TSB is 12 pages to it. I also tried to pm you the pdf but I don't see any options to attach it. I can email it to you if you would like.
Edit -
Thanks guys you both beat me to it.
Edit -
Thanks guys you both beat me to it.
Great news and thanks for posting and the link. It has more caster angle than I thought but what TE2 posted is the kind of thing that not enough caster will exhibit. For sure tire pressures contribute slightly too but these Nexens act like bias plys.
Better...
Well, I lowered the air pressure to the factory recommended 33 psi and it appears to have improved the driving experience.
Ride seems a little quieter and less harsh on bumps/road joints.
The drift (either direction) I described above seems better as well. It may be road related because sometimes the car is total centered and focused and other times it seemed like very small corrections were needed at highway speeds. Seems that adjusting the air pressure down to spec has eliminated the slightly "busy" feel.
Only more drive time will tell.
JC
Well, I lowered the air pressure to the factory recommended 33 psi and it appears to have improved the driving experience.
Ride seems a little quieter and less harsh on bumps/road joints.
The drift (either direction) I described above seems better as well. It may be road related because sometimes the car is total centered and focused and other times it seemed like very small corrections were needed at highway speeds. Seems that adjusting the air pressure down to spec has eliminated the slightly "busy" feel.
Only more drive time will tell.
JC
2016 Sorento EX V6 AWD, 2005 Kia Sportage LX V6 AWD, 2014 Chevy Volt
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317 Posts
Since I still have the left pull and its intermittent, Im really leaning towards it being a software problem with the steering, than alignment. Mind you im not a kia tech; but if it was an alignment issue; one would think that it would constantly pull left.
My guess is the tires are really bad at tracking on the road you catch a rut or crown that makes your car want to go left, you maintain straight driving by apply slight pressure to the right, steering ecu gets the right-flick bug and tries to correct your input by pulling left.
Easiest way for me to describe it is like a trigger pull (Im trained armor) I can feel whenever the steering is doing this, for the most part its 0-3pounds of pressure for me to maintain a straight line; when it starts to pull left it feels like 6-10lbs pushing against me left hand. As I go faster the strength of the pull increases.
I just test drove a Manual LX Optima yesterday and it had no left pull at all. I even tried slightly tugging it to the right like someone suggested to see if it compensated by making the steering wheel go left and nothing. It tracked straight but I didn't get a chance to go above 60 mph either. Unfortunately I did not check when the vehicle was manufactured either.
Yes some cars have no affliction whatsoever. I drove two and speed isn't the determining factor-both pulled left out of the parking lot, gently accelerating through 20-30 MPH.
Lost1's theory about the cause being the electric assist does not answer why alignment and tire changes cure the problem. The new TSB 032 should be the definitive fix. There has been no factory investigation of the assist by either Kia or Hyundai.
I was pre-emptive. I told the dealership I'm buying the car from this Saturday that I was aware of the left-pull issue, and I wouldn't accept delivery of the car if it had that problem. I recommended they check out TSB #032. The saleswoman wrote back to me that they had it in service within the hour and ensured it was 100% properly aligned and did not pull. We shall see.
My sad tale begins...
Today I met 'my' EX-T for the first time. The car was a locate from a dealer 70 miles away and was driven here. Driver told my salesman it pulled. My salesman, having been fully apprised by me for weeks about issues, got it in for PDI immediately. He knows I'm technically versed about the issues (pull left and turbo reflash) and let service know that too.
After 1 1/2 hours of waiting, he tells me the asst. svc. mgr. drove it and pronounced it fit. I said to salesman to come with me for my test. (No buying yet).
First thing I did was check with my gauge and found all 4 tires between 41 and 42psi. They were relatively even. I shut the car and gave him a crash course in suspension geometry and that everything starts with the tires at the correct factory spec, which is 33psi all. It obviously had been no where near an alignment rack.
He begged me to drive it anyway because "it's been fixed".
It promptly pulled left out of his lot. I then took it on flat and crowned roads, slow and moderately fast. I drove in right lanes, on-coming lanes and city streets.
I showed him how it pulled while accelerating, coasting and at steady throttle. When he stopped shaking, I then asked him why the mgr would attempt to BS me. He said let's find out-you talk to him and I'll verify everything I saw you do.
Well, Mr. mgr could not account for the over psi tires and I took him outside to show him. He said "Hmmm".
I then told him PDI for my car (1-11 build) should include TSB's 069 and 032 checks and corrections. He said they did the 069 (turbo reflash) and showed me his house ticket documenting that. But he never heard of 032-the pull left. I showed him my 12 page copy and he punched it up on his compy. Sure enough, there it was and he'd never seen it and thought it new. I said it was about 3 weeks old.
By now he's really paying attention to me and not just trying to send me home as a know-it-all, BS customer. I said I would leave the car overnight, (it was 5PM and techs were fleeing) and expected the car to get the rack for a check and corrections. I would go back mid-day to retest and discuss the settings.
Thanks to fellow member DM who posted his specs which corrected his pull, I told Mr. mgr. I might want the specs changed to my preference after my test. He agreed. I told him I wanted more caster on left than right, more toe-in left than right and a hair less camber in front. Also less toe and camber in rear. He volunteered a check of the tires for conicity and balance-although it had no vibration.
So rather than trying to tell everyone else what to do, let's see if I'm smart enough to get my own problem fixed by folks who are apparently less motivated than we would all like them to be. They know tonight that the BS to me ain't gonna work and ended today.
Like DM and others most helpful, I will continue to post here wherever this may lead.
On a positive note, the car was really nice to drive excepting the problem and looks just as I like it in SWP and gray. I have this burning fundamental question:
WHY IS KIA (AND PARENT H.) CONTINUING TO LET CARS OFF THEIR LINES WITH A MAJOR CHASSIS ISSUE SUCH AS THIS?? THEY DEVELOPED A TSB FOR THE FIX BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAULT AT THE ASSEMBLY POINT??? I can only ask "WTF'? And I'd really like to know what's causing this.
More tomorrow.
Today I met 'my' EX-T for the first time. The car was a locate from a dealer 70 miles away and was driven here. Driver told my salesman it pulled. My salesman, having been fully apprised by me for weeks about issues, got it in for PDI immediately. He knows I'm technically versed about the issues (pull left and turbo reflash) and let service know that too.
After 1 1/2 hours of waiting, he tells me the asst. svc. mgr. drove it and pronounced it fit. I said to salesman to come with me for my test. (No buying yet).
First thing I did was check with my gauge and found all 4 tires between 41 and 42psi. They were relatively even. I shut the car and gave him a crash course in suspension geometry and that everything starts with the tires at the correct factory spec, which is 33psi all. It obviously had been no where near an alignment rack.
He begged me to drive it anyway because "it's been fixed".
It promptly pulled left out of his lot. I then took it on flat and crowned roads, slow and moderately fast. I drove in right lanes, on-coming lanes and city streets.
I showed him how it pulled while accelerating, coasting and at steady throttle. When he stopped shaking, I then asked him why the mgr would attempt to BS me. He said let's find out-you talk to him and I'll verify everything I saw you do.
Well, Mr. mgr could not account for the over psi tires and I took him outside to show him. He said "Hmmm".
I then told him PDI for my car (1-11 build) should include TSB's 069 and 032 checks and corrections. He said they did the 069 (turbo reflash) and showed me his house ticket documenting that. But he never heard of 032-the pull left. I showed him my 12 page copy and he punched it up on his compy. Sure enough, there it was and he'd never seen it and thought it new. I said it was about 3 weeks old.
By now he's really paying attention to me and not just trying to send me home as a know-it-all, BS customer. I said I would leave the car overnight, (it was 5PM and techs were fleeing) and expected the car to get the rack for a check and corrections. I would go back mid-day to retest and discuss the settings.
Thanks to fellow member DM who posted his specs which corrected his pull, I told Mr. mgr. I might want the specs changed to my preference after my test. He agreed. I told him I wanted more caster on left than right, more toe-in left than right and a hair less camber in front. Also less toe and camber in rear. He volunteered a check of the tires for conicity and balance-although it had no vibration.
So rather than trying to tell everyone else what to do, let's see if I'm smart enough to get my own problem fixed by folks who are apparently less motivated than we would all like them to be. They know tonight that the BS to me ain't gonna work and ended today.
Like DM and others most helpful, I will continue to post here wherever this may lead.
On a positive note, the car was really nice to drive excepting the problem and looks just as I like it in SWP and gray. I have this burning fundamental question:
WHY IS KIA (AND PARENT H.) CONTINUING TO LET CARS OFF THEIR LINES WITH A MAJOR CHASSIS ISSUE SUCH AS THIS?? THEY DEVELOPED A TSB FOR THE FIX BUT DID NOT CORRECT THE FAULT AT THE ASSEMBLY POINT??? I can only ask "WTF'? And I'd really like to know what's causing this.
More tomorrow.
^ My car seems good to go now. I'm no expert and can only pass along what a Kia engineer told me regarding the electic assist when we were taking a drive in my car. I explained the right-flick trick I had noticed, and he said the reason for this is when you flick it right, the wheel bounces back left for a short time. This tells the computer for the car to go approximately one (1) degree left. Now that my alignment is straight I don't notice it. He said they are working on a fix. This was about a month ago.
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