2008 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability
188 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2008 Kia Optima, alongside 3 recall campaigns and 3 defect investigations. It scores 14/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Airbags leads the reports, typically around 65,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 2008 Kia Optima has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 2008 sits among all Optima years
What owners report
“"air bag" light stays on after vehicle is turn on. Dealer said there is no recall. Code b1481.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2008 Optima
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 127 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 71,233 miles. Half of those reports fall between 36,000 and 100,000 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (3)
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009…
Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge.…
KIA MOTORS AMERICA, INC. (KIA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 KIA OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JANUARY 29, 2008, AND MODEL YEAR 2007 AND 2008 KIA RONDO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 13, 2006, THROUGH MARCH…
Fix: KIA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE VEHICLE'S AIR BAG CLOCK SPRING CONTACT ASSEMBLY, FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 11, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT KIA CUSTOMER…
KIA IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2006-2008 OPTIMA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM SEPTEMBER 29, 2005, THROUGH JUNE 13, 2007. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT THE SHIFT CABLE MAY HAVE BEEN INSTALLED INCORRECTLY, CAUSING TENSION IN THE CABLE. IF PRESENT, THIS…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SHIFT CABLE AND REINSTALL IF NECESSARY FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 23, 2011. OWNER MAY CONTACT KIA AT 1-800-333-4542.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 11V153000.
Technical service bulletins
30 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on airbags and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2008 Kia Optima. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2008 Optima TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2008 Kia Optima reliable?
The 2008 Kia Optima drew 188 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 14/100, scored against the model's worst year (2013).
What are the most common 2008 Kia Optima problems?
The top reported problems for the 2008 Kia Optima are airbags (58 complaints), electrical (24), and engine (23).
At what mileage do 2008 Kia Optima problems show up?
Owners most often report 2008 Kia Optima problems around 71,233 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 36,000 and 100,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Kia Optima have recalls?
3 recall campaigns apply to the 2008 Kia Optima. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.