DEALER PARTS AND SERVICE MANAGER MEMO: CS1604 - KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. IS CONDUCTING A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION / WARRANTY EXTENSION PROGRAM REGARDING THE MOTOR DRIVEN POWER STEERING (MDPS) ON ALL 2011-2013 MY AND SOME 2014 MY KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES. THE MDPS UNIT MAY EXPERIENCE NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL LEFT OR RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHILE THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. KIA’S ANALYSIS HAS IDENTIFIED THAT THIS CONDITION OCCURS MAINLY IN EXTREMELY HIGH HUMIDITY STATES ADJACENT TO WARM OCEAN WATERS DUE TO THE WEAR OF THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING IN THE MDPS, AFTER EXTENDED USAGE OVER YEARS. THE EXTREMELY HIGH HUMIDITY STATES ADJACENT TO WARM OCEAN WATERS INCLUDE: ALABAMA, FLORIDA, GEORGIA, HAWAII, LOUISIANA, MISSISSIPPI, NORTH CAROLINA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TEXAS. • FOR VEHICLES SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN EXTREMELY HIGH HUMIDITY STATES ADJACENT TO WARM OCEAN WATERS, THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE IF IT HAD NOT BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. • FOR VEHICLES SOLD OR REGISTERED IN ALL OTHER STATES, KIA IS EXTENDING THE WARRANTY ON THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING IN THE MDPS FROM 5 YEARS/60,000 MILES TO 10 YEARS/UNLIMITED MILEAGE, STARTING FROM THE FIRST DATE OF SERVICE IN ORDER TO ENSURE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
