NHTSA Investigation PE10030

Steering Shaft Separation

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is aware of a single complaint on the subject vehicles that alleges the hand wheel became mechanically de-coupled from the road wheels when the intermediate steering shaft universal joint separated from the upper steering column.It appears that the intermediate steering shaft in the complaint vehicle was disassembled and then improperly re-assembled with the universal joint not fully engaged with the upper steering column's splined shaft and the pinch bolt was not secured in the retaining groove when fastened.The component supplier has added additional fool-proofing measures to the assembly process to further reduce the likelihood of improper assembly.Kia inspected a total of 3,695 subject vehicles and steering column assemblies at the component supplier, the vehicle assembly plant in Korea and at US ports in the weeks immediately following the opening of this pursuit and found no evidence of improper assembly.Kia also conducted a service action (SA057) to inspect another 169 subject vehicles (out of 336) manufactured on the same day as the complaint vehicle and a total of 594 subject vehicles (out of 1,747) manufactured during the same week as the complaint vehicle and found no issues to report.An additional 342 subject vehicles outside the scope of the service action were also inspected and again Kia found no evidence of improper assembly.A safety-related defect trend has not been identified at this time and further use of agency resources does not appear to be warranted.Accordingly, this investigation is closed.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by NHTSA that a safety-related defect does not exist.The agency will take further action if warranted by the circumstances.

An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.