Steering rack and steering column Kia: problems by model and engine

Documented faults, from most to least important

Severity × frequency. Below each one, the Kia models it appears in.

- Critical severityFrequency: OccasionalKia Soul IILoose joint between the steering column and the steering box: three recallsSafety Gate recorded three notices about the steering of the Soul built between July 2013 and September 2015 (in 2014, 2016 and 2018). They describe a loose joint between the column or the rod and the steering box, and a steering box fault that could leave the driver unable to steer the car.
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonKia Ceed IIWear of the steering ball joints and linkagesGerman periodic inspection reports point to the steering joints and suspension ball joints as systematic weak points of this generation, a pattern that matches owner reports of power steering faults and clicking noises when turning.
- Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalKia Rio IIINoises, a tight spot or play in the power steering columnFiches-auto.fr records accounts of clicking, a tight spot or play in the electric power steering column of the Kia Rio III, and gebrauchtwagenberater.de places the steering joints among the items that fail most often in German TÜV inspections (the equivalent of the Spanish ITV).

By Kia model

Open yours to see only the faults that affect it, by engine and by year.

Frequently asked questions

What faults with the steering rack and column do Kia cars have?

In 3 models from Kia there are 3 documented faults with the steering rack and column. The most important: loose joint between the steering column and the steering box: three recalls, wear of the steering ball joints and linkages and noises, a tight spot or play in the power steering column. Each fault has its own page with the affected years and versions, the symptoms and the repair cost.

Which Kia models have the most problems with the steering rack and column?

Kia Rio III (1 fault), Kia Ceed II (1 fault) and Kia Soul II (1 fault).