2008 KIA OPTIMA Complaints

View complaints related to 2008 KIA OPTIMA. The complaints found here are submitted by actual consumers with first hand experience. There are more than 140 complaints submitted for the 2008 KIA OPTIMA. You can submit your own complaint to the NHTSA or call the Hotline, Monday-Friday 8am to 8pm at (888) 327-4236, TTY: (800) 424-9153.

  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - FORT MYERS, FL

    AFTER CLOCKSPRING RECALL/ AND REPAIR THE CARS AIR BAG SIGNAL NOW COME ON WITH A CODE OF B1378 IN WHICH KIA HAS TOLD ME THAT THERE IS S HIGH RESISTANCE DSAB. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THIS CODE IS FOR A BAD OR FAULTY AIRBAG. THE CAR HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND THE AIRBAG HAS NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED. *TT

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - BLOUNTSVIILLE, AL

    WE WERE HIT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE AND THE ENTIRE SIDE OF THE CAR WAS CRUSHED AND NONE OF THE AIR BAGS EVER DEPLOYED AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK. I HAD REPORTED THE FACT THAT WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THAT THE AIRBAG LIGHT WAS NOT COMING ON TO THE CAR DEALERSHIP THAT I PURCHASED THE CAR FROM BUT THEY JUST MADE EXCUSES THAT THE PERSON SITTING IN THE SEAT WAS NOT HEAVY ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH THEY WEIGHED OVER 150LBS. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - SUFFOLK, VA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ONLY WHEN SOMEONE WAS SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO STATED WHEN THE LIGHT WAS ON IT INDICATED THAT THE AIR BAG MAY NOT DEPLOY IN A CRASH OR IT MAY DEPLOY WITHOUT A CRASH OCCURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 69,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 06/26/12 *BF A DIAGNOSTIC REVEALER THE OC PASSENGER SENSOR MAT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. HOWEVER, THREE DAYS LATER WHEN A PASSENGER SAT IN THE SEAT, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AGAIN. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE REPAIR SHOP AGAIN. THE MECHANIC STATED IT SEEMED THAT IF SOMEONE SAT IN THE PASSENGER SEAT, DID A LOT OF MOVING AROUND, OR WAS SLIGHTLY HEAVY IN WEIGHT, IT TRIGGERED THE AIR BAG LIGHT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LIGHT IS CURRENTLY ON. UPDATED 06/27/12. *JB

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - SAUGUS, MA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND A FATALITY WAS REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 06/12/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED A RECALL CAME IN THE MAIL ON APRIL 12. 2012. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPDATED 06/13/12

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - NORTH PROVIDENCE, RI

    SUMMARY: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR WOULD NOT IDENTIFY THAT A PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO INDICATE THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE OFF. COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY WRONG.. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS FIRST REPORTED 30,000 NOW HAS 49,000. THEY SHOULD RECALL THESE KIA. LAST TIME AT THE DEALER WAS FEBRUARY, 2012. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - ALBANY, NY

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR WOULD NOT IDENTIFY THAT A PASSENGER WAS SITTING IN THE VEHICLE, CAUSING THE AIRBAG TO INDICATE THAT THE AIR BAGS WERE OFF. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 36,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - EASTON, PA

    MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA STALLED, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY NEAR AN EXIT. THE CAR LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING STEERING. THE CAR ENDED UP RIDING A GUARDRAIL AND LANDED ON TOP OF IT. THE END RESULT WAS, FOR ME, A BROKEN NECK! THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICK MY 3 YEAR OLD SON UP FROM SCHOOL. HAD HE BEEN IN THE CAR, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC! MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE CAR IS UNDERGOING BODYWORK REPAIRS AND I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO STEP FOOT IN THIS DEATH TRAP EVER AGAIN. CALLS TO THE KIA DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR GO UNANSWERED, AS THEY USUALLY DO. THIS IS SERIOUS! IF YOUR OPTIMA HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING PLEASE POST A COMPLAINT. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL! *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - AUSTIN , TX

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 65 MPH WHEN THE BRAKE WAS APPLIED AND THE ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE STEERING WHEEL TO SEIZE AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER OF THE SECOND VEHICLE WAS INJURED. THE CONTACT ALSO SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE RIGHT WRIST. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE COMPANY AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED (AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT CASE NUMBER: 1200904053). THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - DISTRICT HEIGHTS, MD

    DECEMBER 28, 2011, I NOTICED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT LOCATED ON THE DASHBOARD CONTINUOUSLY STAYS ILLUMINATED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE LOCATED IN THE DRIVER/ PASSENGER SEATS. THE MECHANIC AT KIA DEALER TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE SENSORS. I'VE VIEWED THE COMPLAINTS OF PEOPLE THAT OWN KIA OPTIMA 2008. IT STATES THAT THESE CARS WERE RECALLED BECAUSE OF SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DEFECTS. (I ONLY HAVE 43,000 MILES) IN ADDITION, A WEEK AGO I'VE STARTED HEARING A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA WHEN I ACCELERATE GOING UP IN A ROLLER COASTER CLIMBING POSITION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPEDITIOUS RESPONSE. *TR

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - PARMA, OH

    WHEN I FILL MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA WITH GASOLINE, THE PUMP SHUTS OFF BUT GAS GUSHES OUT OF THE TANK. *KB

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE