YearToAvoid

2008 Kia Optima Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

47/100

#9 most-complained of 16 Optima years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Kia Optima has 144 owner complaints and 3 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 47 out of 100 — #9 highest of 16 Optima model years (verdict: Good). The most reported problem area is airbags (57 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 20 crashes, 4 fires, 22 injuries, and 8 deaths.

Complaints
144
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
20 / 4
Injuries / deaths
22 / 8
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
25
21 city / 31 hwy

Top 2008 Kia Optima problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Airbags57 (40%)
  2. Engine29 (20%)
  3. Electrical System22 (15%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain18 (13%)
  5. Visibility & Wipers14 (10%)
  6. Structure & Body10 (7%)
  7. Other9 (6%)
  8. Brakes7 (5%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (4%)
  10. Fuel System5 (3%)
2008 Kia Optima complaints: complaints filed per quarter92008 Q22010 Q22012 Q12013 Q42015 Q32017 Q42020 Q12022 Q4
183 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q2 to 2026 Q3; peak 2014 Q3 (9).

2008 Kia Optima recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 13V114000Apr 1, 2013Electrical System980,377 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch

    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 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.

    Risk: Failure to illuminate the stop lamps during braking or inability to disengage the cruise control could increase the risk of a crash. Additionally, when the ignition is in the 'ON' position, the transmission shifter may be able to be moved out of PARK without first applying the brake. This may lead to unintentional movement of the car which may increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: 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. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

  2. NHTSA 12V014000Jan 17, 2012Airbags145,755 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    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 21, 2008. The clock spring contact assembly for the driver's side air bag supplemental restraint system (SRS) may become damaged through usage over time. If the clock spring contact assembly becomes damaged, the driver's air bag electrical circuit will experience a high resistance condition potentially causing the driver's air bag to not deploy.

    Risk: If the clock spring develops high resistance, in the event of a crash, the drivers air bag will not deploy and will not be able to properly protect the driver, increasing the risk of injuries.

    Remedy: 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 assistance center at 1-800-333-4542.

  3. NHTSA 11V153000Mar 9, 2011Transmission & Powertrain70,115 vehicles

    Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:column shift

    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 condition could cause the cable to detach from the shifter assembly's dowel pin preventing the transmission from being shifted. The shift lever can then be moved into the park (p) position while the vehicle's transmission is still in the last used gear before detachment.

    Risk: If the driver leaves the vehicle without engaging the parking brake, there is a possibility that the vehicle can roll injure a person in its path or cause a crash.

    Remedy: 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.

2008 Kia Optima fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
31 MPG
Combined
25 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other Optima years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Best0155223
2007Best20167225
2008Good47144325
2009Good27116125
2010Best1375125

All Kia Optima years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Kia Optima a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Kia Optima ranks #9 of 16 among Optima model years (Complaint Index 47/100, verdict: Good). It has 144 complaints and 3 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Kia Optima?
The most reported problem areas are airbags (57 complaints), engine (29 complaints), and electrical system (22 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 62,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Kia Optima have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 3 recall campaigns for the 2008 Kia Optima, most recently reported 2013, covering electrical system, airbags, and transmission & powertrain.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Kia Optima?
EPA rates the 2008 Kia Optima at 25 MPG combined (21 city / 31 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $2,600. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.