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
    - ROEERFIELD, WV

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHIFT LEVER AILED TO SHIFT GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V153000 (POWER TRAIN). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT TO HER LOCAL KIA DEALER TO HAVE HER VEHICLE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT INFORMED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED DUE TO THE DIAGNOSTIC FEE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - BLOOMINGTON, MN

    2008 KIA OPTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PROBLEM WITH IGNITION. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE IGNITION WOULD STICK, THE BATTERY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE BACK ROTORS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 05/15/2017 *JS

    Source: CONSUMER LETTER
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - JACKSONVILLE, FL

    MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA STALLS RANDOMLY. IT DOES NOT MATTER IF THE CAR IS STATIONARY OR IN MOTION. THERE ARE TIMES THAT I START IT AND IT WILL STALL IMMEDIATELY AND SOMETIMES IT WILL STALL AS I AM BACKING OUT OF MY PARKING SPACE. THERE ARE ALSO TIMES WHEN I WILL BE DRIVING AND IT WILL STALL WHICH HAS NEARLY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM DOES NOT PRODUCE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND NO ONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE ISSUE THAT I AM EXPERIENCING SOUNDS VERY FAMILIAR TO THE NEWER OPTIMAS THAT HAVE RECENTLY BEEN RECALLED. THE MOST RECENT STALLING OCCURRED YESTERDAY, 04/10/2017, AND THERE WAS A KNOCKING SOUND ALONG WITH THE STALLING OUT.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - ORANGE, CT

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR DID NOT REGISTER WHEN THE PASSENGER SEAT WAS OCCUPIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 15,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - DULUTH, GA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHEN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED TO THE ON POSITION, THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED CONTINUOUSLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SEAT TRACK FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 97,000.

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - AVON PARK, FL

    TAKATA RECALL AIRBAG LIGHT FOR FRONT PASSENGER WAS ILLUMINATED. TOOK IT TO DEALER WHO PUT IT ON DIAGNOSTIC UNIT FOR $95 & GOT LIGHT TO GO OFF FOR NOW BUT STATED THAT THE SEAT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED TO REPAIR IT AT A COST OF $1700.00. APPARENTLY THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT LISTED ON THE RECALL. OWNER HAS THE BILL FOR THIS DIANOSTIC SERVICE & ESTIMATE.

    Source: NHTSA WEB SITE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - WINCHESTER, TN

    LETTER FROM CONGRESSMAN DESJARLAIS RE THE WINCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH AN ISSUE INVOLVING THE DOT. THE OPERATOR OF THE IMPACTING VEHICLE STATED HER 2008 KIA OPTIMA ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL. *SMD PLEASE MARK THIS DOCUMENT FOR DELETION. IT IS BEING REPLACED WITH DOCUMENT NUMBER 10838296. *CW THE CONSUMER REAR ENDED A MINIVAN AND WAS PUSHED ACROSS THE INTERSECTION, INTO A THIRD VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE KIA OPTIMA, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK AT 93 MPH AND THE RMP'S WERE STUCK AT 4500. THE IGNITION WAS STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN NEUTRAL. *JB

    Source: FORWARDED FROM A CONGRESSIONAL OFFICE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - WINCHESTER, TN

    POLICE REQUEST FOR VEHICLE INSPECTION OF 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE INFORMATION IS BEING PROVIDED BY THE DETECTIVE OF WINCHESTER POLICE DEPARTMENT IN WINCHESTER TN...UPDATED*BF LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE WITH AN ALLEGED SUDDEN UNINTENDED ACCELERATION INCIDENT THAT RESULTED IN MULTIPLE FATALITIES. THE DRIVER OF THE 2008 KIA OPTIMA WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH SPEED IN THE AREA OF 90 MPH. THE DRIVER TRAVELED DOWN THE TURNING LANE AND STRUCK A 2003 FORD WINDSTAR FROM THE REAR. THE FORD WINDSTAR WAS PUSHED ACROSS THE INTERSECTION INTO A THIRD VEHICLE WHICH WAS STOPPED IN THE TURNING LANE. THE KIA OPTIMA CAME TO REST IN THE LEFT HAND LANE. THE DRIVER STATED THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED OUT OF CONTROL AND IT COULD NOT BE STOPPED. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE SPEEDOMETER WAS STUCK AT 93 MPH AND THE RPM'S WERE STUCK AT 4500. THE IGNITION WAS STUCK IN THE ACCESSORY POSITION AND THE GEAR SHIFT WAS IN NEUTRAL. *JB

    Source: NHTSA VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - ORCUTT, CA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 85 MPH, THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT WENT INTO AN EMBANKMENT AND CRASHED INTO A TELEPHONE POLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND THE FRONT PASSENGER WAS KILLED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A POLICE IMPOUND LOT. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.....UPDATED 12/30/15 *BF *TR

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE
  • 2008 KIA OPTIMA
    - WHIGHAM, GA

    TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE CLOCK SPRING ASSEMBLY FOR THE AIR BAG WAS DAMAGED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 93,000. UPDATED 02/05/16*LJ THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED, THE VEHICLE WAS ONE MONTH OUT OF THE COVERED DATE. UPDATED 03/01/16.*JB *CN

    Source: HOTLINE VEHICLE OWNERS QUESTIONNAIRE