2008 KIA OPTIMA Engine Problems

18 NHTSA complaints on file

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Engine Issues in the 2008 KIA OPTIMA

18 engine complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 KIA OPTIMA. Of these, 1 involved a crash, 3 involved a fire, and 0 resulted in injury.

18
Complaints
1
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Injuries
1
Deaths

All Engine Complaints

#11716258 |
Odometer Fraud. The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle's transmission failure. The contact discovered a mileage discrepancy after purchasing the vehicle. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 198,000. It was later discovered that the mileage on the Title was 217,000.
#11432605 |
I bought my car in 2008 a Kia optima lx I stored it till 2021. But in 2013 i took my car to El Paso tx. And I felt that beer to the side and stored it again in a garage toil this it's only got 6000 miles can it still qualify for a recall
#11337790 | Fire
WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES
#11307579 |
CAR HAS 29,061 MILES ON IT WHEN THE ENGINE CRACKED. THE CAR IS 12 YEARS OLD AND WELL MAINTAINED. MY DAD DROVE THIS VEHICLE AND HAD NOTICED THE CAR MAKING GRINDING NOISE. PRIOR TO AND DURING THE DAY IT STOPPED ALONG A WINDY ROAD DRIVING 30 MILES PER HOUR. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM THERE IS A NOTED ISSUE THAT THIS HAPPENS AT THIS MILEAGE. KIA DISTRICT MANAGER DECLINED TO HELP WITH THIS ISSUE. NO CAR AT 29000 MILES SHOULD HAVE ENGINE CRACK.
#11269069 |
WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO KNOCK. AS I PULLED OFF THE INTERSTATE THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND WOULD NOT RESTART. THE CAR ONLY HAS 96,000 MILES. THIS MOTOR HAS BEEN RECALLED BY HYUNDAI AND KIA BUT ONLY IN CERTAIN MODELS, WHILE THE ENGINE HAS YET TO BE RECALLED FOR ALL MODELS. I BELIEVE THE ISSUE IS THE CONNECTING ROD BEARINGS HAVE FAILED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT OIL FLOW. THE CAR'S OIL LEVEL WAS AT THE PROPER AMOUNT.
#11233205 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PARK THE VEHICLE, IT CONTINUED TO MOVE WITHOUT WARNING WHILE IN THE PARK POSITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. ONCE THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS APPLIED, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO SONS KIA (100 SONS DR, MCDONOUGH, GA 30253, (678) 619-1393) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE THROTTLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V114000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC, EXTERIOR LIGHTING); HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CLAIMING THAT THE SHIFTER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.
#11206633 |
I BOUGHT MY KIA OPTIMA IN 2009, IT WAS 1 YR OLD AT THAT TIME. I HAD TO REPLACE MY TIMING BELT IN MARCH OF 2017 AND I AM HAVING TO REPLACE IT AGAIN. IT IS MAY OF 2019. MY CAR ONLY HAS 70,000 MILES ON THE ORIGINAL ENGINE.
#11092281 |
FIRST THING IN THE MORING WHEN I START MY CAR UP. YOU DON'T HEAR THE KNOCKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE BUT SOON AS THE CAR GET THE ENGINE WARMED UP YOU CAN HEAAR A VERY LOUD TICKING NOISE. EVEN AS YOU DRIVING THE CAR DOWN THE HIGHWAY YOU CAN STILL HEAR IT. ALSO THE STEERING IS VERY HARD TO OPERATE IT HAS BEEN LIKE THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR. I SAID SOMETHING TO KIA ABOUT IT THEY STATED THEY DIDN'T SEE A PROBLEM. IT'S VERY HARD TO BACKED UP AND TRY TURNING THE STEERING WHILE OPERATING THE CAR.
#10971860 |
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.
#10717793 | Fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE'S SPEED DECELERATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. SHE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY OTHER DRIVERS ON THE SCENE. THE POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS WERE NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE ENGINE CAUSED THE FIRE. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR THE INSURANCE COMPANY TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,000.
#10638668 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY RESTARTED AND RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THE FAILURE OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.
#10610550 |
2008 KIA OPTIMA. I HAD BEEN DRIVING AROUND TOWN FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES. IT WAS 93 DEGREES OUTSIDE AIR WAS RUNNING. CAME TO A STOP AT RED LIGHT AND THE ENGINE SHUT OFF THE RADIO STILL WORKED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AND THE OTHER LIGHTS THAT COME ON WHEN YOU START THE CAR. THERE WAS NO WARNING TO THIS THE BEFORE IT HAPPENED. I PUT MY CAR BACK IN PARK AND TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AND THEN TRIED TO START IT UP. IT STARTED AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS FOR THE REST OF THE DAY. HAPPENED BEFORE NOON DROVE UNTIL 430 OFF AND ON AND IT WAS FINE. HAS 78000 MILES ON IT. WHEN I TURNED IT BACK ON THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT DID NOT COME BACK ON SO WHEN I WENT TO AUTO ZONE TO CHECK IT NO ALERTS CAM UP BUT THEY SAID IT WAS STRANGE AND THE...
#10606605 |
MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA WAS A GOOD CAR WIITH NO PROBLEMS AT ALL SO WHEN MY CAR CUT OFF ON I 95 DURING RUSH HR. I WAS SCARED TO DEATH. AS I WAS ENTERING THE RAMP FOR I-95 MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON . I HAD A CLICKIN NOISE IN ENGINE BUT WITHIN LESS THEN 2 MIN. AS I MERGED INTO TRAFFIC MY ENGINE SHUT OFF AND WOULD NOT TURN BACK ON. AFTER GETTING IT TOWED TO DEALER ,EVERYONE INCLUDING DEALER THOUGHT IT WAS THE STARTER OR ALTERNATOR BECAUSE OIL WAS FINE AND NOTHIN WAS WRONG.. THE DEALER SAID HE COULDNT FIND ANYTHING THAT SHOULD HAVE CAUSED ENGINE TO LOCK . HE ALSO WAS CONFUSED.STILL TO THIS DAY NO BODY CAN TELL ME WHY THIS HAPPENED. I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED ON THE HIGHWAY.NOW MY ONLY OPTION IS TO BUY A ENGINE WHEN MY OLD ONE...
#10562369 |
ENGINE STARTED MAKING A CLICKING SOUND WHEN THE CAR WAS ACCELERATING. TOOK MY CAR IN TO KIA AND FOUND OUT THAT ONE OF THE RODS IN THE SHORT ENGINE BLOCK WAS FAILING. MY ENGINE ONLY HAS 86464 MILES ON IT AND ITS AN 2008. BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 69000 MILES ON IT, ONLY HAD THE CAR FOR 7 MONTHS BEFORE THE ENGINE BEGAN TO FAIL. I TOOK THIS PROBLEM UP WITH THE DEALERSHIP AND KIA HEADQUARTERS. WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT HONOR THE 100,000 MILE WARRANTY BECAUSE THE CAR WAS NOT CERTIFIED. I WAS NOT OFFERED A WARRANTY/ DID NOT OBTAIN AN EXTENDED WARRANTY, WAS NOT DISCLOSED TO THAT THE 10 YEAR 100,000 MILE WARRANTY DID NOT EXTEND TO THE NEXT OWNER, NOR WAS I TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT CERTIFY IT. WAS NOT OFFERED A CAR FAX, BUYERS GUIDE OR TOLD ABOUT ANY TYPE OF WARRANTY INFORMATION. KIA DEALERSHIPS...
#10550498 | Fire
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, SMOKE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESTART. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR WAS THE VEHICLE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.
#10534028 |
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA OPTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS AND IDLING, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD PUFFING SOUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED BUT DIAGNOSED AS A RESIGNATOR FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,800.
#10499847 |
MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA WHEN SHE NOTICED A LOUD CLATTERING NOISE COMING FROM UNDER HOOD. SHE PULLED OVER AT A GAS STATION. A GENTLEMAN THERE CHECKED THE OIL AND SAID THAT IT WAS LOW, HE ADDED 2 QUARTS, I CHANGE THE OIL IN THIS VEHICLE PERSONALLY AND KNOW THAT IT DOESN'T USE ANY OIL. SHE DROVE HOME 3 MILES WITH THE ENGINE STILL CLATTERING. I CHECKED THE OIL AND THE STICK SHOWED 1 QUART LOW. I IMMEDIATELY DRAINED THE OIL AND PUT ON A NEW FILTER AND POURED 4.5 QUARTS IN THE ENGINE. I STARTED UP THE CAR, IT CLATTERED AND RAN IN THE DRIVEWAY FOR 10 MINUTES AND THE ENGINE LOCKED UP. THE KIA ROADSIDE PICKED UP THE CAR AND TOWED IT TO THE DEALER. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE ENGINE WAS 2 QUARTS LOW ON OIL. THERE WAS NO OIL LEAKING...
#10458486 | Crash 1 Death
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
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