2008 Kia Optima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about the front passenger air bag system — the passenger air bag indicator showing "off" with an adult seated, or the air bag warning light staying on. Many of these reports come in at low mileage, often soon after purchase, and several owners say dealers told them the system was working or that the occupant was not sitting correctly. Engine stalling and shifter cable problems are the next most common themes, and both tend to appear at higher mileage.

1. 1
   Air bags

   Passenger air bag reads 'off' with an adult seated

   • 39 complaints (27%)
   • median 27,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (30 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2025

   Complaints describe the front passenger air bag indicator showing the bag as off while a normal-sized adult is sitting in the seat, sometimes intermittently and sometimes most of the time. Owners say shifting position, getting out and back in, restarting the car, or refastening the seat belt sometimes brings the indicator back on. Several report the dealer could not duplicate the condition or told them the occupant was not seated correctly; others were quoted roughly $1,600 to $1,700 to replace the seat sensor mat and seat bottom. Reported from near-new mileage through about 75,000 miles, and often described as intermittent.

   6 related service bulletins

   What to check: Sit in the passenger seat and watch the air bag status indicator with the key on; try a couple of seating positions and see whether it consistently reads on. Ask whether the occupant classification sensor mat was replaced under the extended warranty coverage described in the service bulletins.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “After 50,000+ miles on our 2008 Kia Optima the passenger air bag light would come on (meaning the air bag was automatically turned off by the car's computer system) while driving with a passenger in the front seat. It would intermittently happen...sometimes it would and sometimes it wouldn't. We had it checked by a dealer and even though they saw the problem (passenger sitting in front seat and air bag was off ) it did not register a code in the car's computer system. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10475125, filed 2012-09, 59,800 miles

   “I have a 2008 Kia Optima that I purchased brand new in 2007 I have noticed that when I have a passenger the airbag lights states that air bag is off this is scary are my passengers not being protected by the air bag.”

   NHTSA complaint #10369016, filed 2010-12, 30,000 miles
2. 2
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Shifter cable detaches or gear does not engage

   • 18 complaints (13%)
   • median 101,500 mi at 10.7 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 4 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2021

   Owners describe the shifter moving freely while the transmission stays in neutral or drive, the display not matching the lever position, or the car rolling when placed in park. In several cases a mechanic found the shift cable detached or disconnected from the shifter assembly and replaced it. Some owners reference the shift cable recall and say their vehicle was not included by VIN. Generally reported from about 58,000 miles upward, including several over 100,000 miles.

   Recall 11V153000

   What to check: With the engine running and the brake applied, move the lever through each gear and confirm the dashboard indicator matches, and check that the car holds in park on a slight incline. Ask whether the shift cable has been inspected or replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had to have my 2008 Optima taken to the only dealership in town for a broken shifting cable. I went on the internet for some information and I read that Optima has had several problems over the years with the shifting cable on the car over different years. Internet is saying that at the end october that Kia is going to announce that install shifting cable incorrectly.”

   NHTSA complaint #11365615, filed 2020-10, 88,000 miles

   “My husband went to walmart to drop off a movie. When he came out he saw one of the employees holding the car from behind because it was rolling back. My husband put the car in park and turned it off and the car still rolled back. When he got in the car and turned it on the head board showed it was on 'n'. No check engin light or any other warning light was on. The shift gear was stuck on n. And if manual brake is not on then the car will roll back. You can move the gear stick in car to park or drive but the actual car is stuck on n. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11103720, filed 2018-06, 136,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine stalls, sometimes with a knock

   • 14 complaints (10%)
   • median 70,000 mi at 6.3 yrs old (13 state mileage)
   • 2 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2010–2020

   Complaints describe the engine cutting out at random, whether parked, idling, backing out of a space, or at highway speed, sometimes restarting immediately and sometimes not restarting at all. Some owners say no warning light appears and that neither dealers nor independent mechanics could find the cause. A few describe a knocking or clattering noise and low oil before the engine stopped, and one reported the engine cracking at low mileage. Mostly reported between about 60,000 and 145,000 miles; the low-mileage engine crack is an outlier.

   3 related service bulletins

   What to check: Listen for a knock or clatter at cold start and after a test drive, check the oil level and condition, and ask whether any stalling episodes have been diagnosed. Be aware that complaints describe this as hard to diagnose.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #11269069, filed 2019-10, 96,000 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #11307579, filed 2020-02, 29,061 miles
4. 4
   Air bags

   Air bag warning light on (clock spring)

   • 16 complaints (11%)
   • median 74,666 mi at 5.6 yrs old (12 state mileage)
   • 1 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2023

   Owners report the air bag warning light coming on and staying on, with the dealer diagnosing a failed clock spring in the driver's side air bag circuit. Several say their vehicle was outside the build range covered by the earlier recall for this part and that they paid for the repair themselves. One owner also reported the light returning after clock spring recall work, with a high-resistance code stored. Spread from moderate mileage up to about 130,000 miles; several reports come from vehicles built after the recalled range.

   Recall 12V014000

   What to check: Check that the air bag light goes out after the bulb check when you start the car. Ask whether the clock spring has been replaced and whether the vehicle's build date falls inside recall 12V014000.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I noticed that there was a recall for 05 thru 08 on the clock spring in the front airbag. My airbag light came on and I guess mine is not covered. I took it in and they said mine was not covered under the recall but it was the same problem. Why if this is the same problem isn't it covered. I guess there needs to be an injury or death before its covered.”

   NHTSA complaint #10633437, filed 2014-09, 64,000 miles

   “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.”

   NHTSA complaint #10462688, filed 2012-06, 79,333 miles
5. 5
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Sun visors will not stay up

   • 7 complaints (5%)
   • median 56,000 mi at 4.8 yrs old (7 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2012–2015

   Complaints describe the driver or passenger sun visor failing to stay in its stowed position, hanging down into the driver's line of sight or blocking the view to the right, and in one case dropping down while driving on the freeway. Owners say the dealer quoted a replacement part and labor rather than covering it, and some describe the visor as fractured at the mounting point. Typically reported from around 38,000 to 56,000 miles, and in some cases after about two years of use.

   What to check: Flip both visors up and down a few times and check that they hold firmly against the headliner and do not wobble at the mount.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The driver's side sun visor suddenly dropped down from its stowed position, directly in the driver's line of sight while driving on the freeway at 55mph. This blocked the driver's view of the road and other traffic. The driver attempted to push the visor back up to the roof, but it would not stay and again fell, blocking vision. The driver also tried to push the visor up toward the windshield, but again, it would not stay and dropped back into the line of sight. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10701471, filed 2015-03, 67,235 miles

   “The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the sun visors on the front passenger and driver side failed to remain closed. The contact discovered that both sun visors were fractured. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unavailable. The failure mileage was 56,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10639209, filed 2014-09, 56,000 miles

Buying note. Air bag system complaints dominate this model year, so verify the passenger seat sensor and air bag warning light behavior on any example you look at, and check recall coverage by build date rather than assuming it applies. Also test the shifter through every gear and listen for engine knock, since those reports cluster at higher mileage.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.