2008 Kia Optima Engine Problems

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 LIGHT SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON. HAVE READ MANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS. *TR

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.

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 FROM THE CAR, WHERE DID THE OIL GO??? THE DEALER SAYS THAT I NEED TO COME UP WITH RECEIPTS BEFORE THEY WILL HONOR THE WARRANTY. IF MY DAUGHTER WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE MOTOR LOCKED UP, SHE WOULD HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTROL IT WITH ALL POWER GONE. I HAVE READ MANY CASES JUST LIKE THIS ONE. SOMEONE WILL GET SERIOUSLY HURT FROM THIS KIND OF ENGINE FAILURE. WILL KIA STEP UP AND RECOGNIZE THAT MAYBE THE OIL CONTROL VALVE IS THE WEAK LINK. MY DEALER SAID THAT WAS WHAT SENT THE CODE TO THE COMPUTER AND OVER-RETARDED THE TIMING. *TR

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.

DECEMBER 28, 2011, I NOTICED THAT MY AIRBAG LIGHT LOCATED ON THE DASHBOARD CONTINUOUSLY STAYS ILLUMINATED. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED OUT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AIRBAG SENSORS ARE LOCATED IN THE DRIVER/ PASSENGER SEATS. THE MECHANIC AT KIA DEALER TRIED TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO REPLACE THE SENSORS. I'VE VIEWED THE COMPLAINTS OF PEOPLE THAT OWN KIA OPTIMA 2008. IT STATES THAT THESE CARS WERE RECALLED BECAUSE OF SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF DEFECTS. (I ONLY HAVE 43,000 MILES) IN ADDITION, A WEEK AGO I'VE STARTED HEARING A TICKING NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE AREA WHEN I ACCELERATE GOING UP IN A ROLLER COASTER CLIMBING POSITION. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EXPEDITIOUS RESPONSE. *TR

MY 2008 KIA OPTIMA STALLED, WITHOUT WARNING, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35-40 MPH ON A BUSY HIGHWAY NEAR AN EXIT. THE CAR LOST ALL POWER, INCLUDING STEERING. THE CAR ENDED UP RIDING A GUARDRAIL AND LANDED ON TOP OF IT. THE END RESULT WAS, FOR ME, A BROKEN NECK! THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING. I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICK MY 3 YEAR OLD SON UP FROM SCHOOL. HAD HE BEEN IN THE CAR, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC! MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. THE CAR IS UNDERGOING BODYWORK REPAIRS AND I AM SCARED TO DEATH TO STEP FOOT IN THIS DEATH TRAP EVER AGAIN. CALLS TO THE KIA DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR GO UNANSWERED, AS THEY USUALLY DO. THIS IS SERIOUS! IF YOUR OPTIMA HAS STALLED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT WARNING PLEASE POST A COMPLAINT. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL! *TR

2008 KIA OPTIMA 4CYL AUTOMATIC. I LIVE IN FLORIDA, HOT ALL THE TIME, USE AIR ALMOST ALL YEAR. CAR WILL STALL OUT WHILE IN MOTION WITHIN FIRST FEW MINUTES WHILE AC IS ON WHEN I AM SLOWING DOWN TO STOP SIGNS OR WHEN CROSSING INTERSECTIONS WHERE I HAVE TO GET ACROSS QUICKLY THEN LET OFF GAS TO MAKE TURN. CAR BECOMES HARD TO STEER WHEN ENGINE CUTS OFF, WORSE THAN A CAR WITHOUT POWER STEERING, SOMETIMES IT FEELS LIKE IT WONT MAKE IT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION TO THE MEDIAN SAFELY. CAN START THE CAR AGAIN, BUT IT TAKES A FEW SECONDS TO THROW CAR INTO NEUTRAL, TURN IGNITION, AND PUT BACK INTO DRIVE. AS I SAID THIS HAPPENS A LOT WHILE GOING THROUGH THE TURN OF INTERSECTION/ DIVIDED HIGHWAY AND THOSE FEW SECONDS MAKE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SAFELY TIMED TURN AND A POTENTIAL COLLISION. PROBLEM OCCURS FREQUENLTY FOR A WEEK OR TWO, THEN GOES AWAY FOR A WHILE AND COMES BACK. ONCE THE ENGINE HAS WARMED UP AND HAS BEEN MOVING FOR 5 MINUTES OR SO, IT DOESN'T HAPPEN. TOOK IT TO KIA DEALERSHIP SINCE THIS VEHICLE HAS 45000 MILES ON IT AND IS STILL UNDER MANUFACTURES BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY, DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID THEY WERE AWARE OF THE ISSUE WITH THAT GENERATION OF OPTIMAS AND THAT IT WAS ONLY WITH THE 4CYL MOTORS, THE V6'S WERE FINE. SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID AT THIS TIME THERE IS NOT A FIX FOR IT AND WOULD NOT REPLACE ANY PARTS SINCE THEY DON'T KNOW WHICH PART(S) ARE CAUSING THE MALFUNCTION. WAS TOLD TO LET MY CAR WARM UP LONGER AND TO HOPE THAT KIA/HYUNDAI COMES UP WITH A RECALL ON IT SOON. *KB

2008 KIA OPTIMA STALLS WHILE IN MOTION. VEHICLE WILL SHUT ITSELF OFF. IT IS AS IF SOMEONE REACHES OVER AND TURNS THE KEY OFF. IT HAS HAPPENED WITH THE CAR STANDING STILL AND WITH THE CAR IN MOTION. STALLING USUALLY OCCURS WITHIN FIRST FEW MINUTES OF OPERATION AND WITH HOT OUTDOOR TEMPERATURES. FIRST VISIT TO KIA RESULTED IN REPLACED FUEL TANK (CODES FOR BAD ROLL OVER VALVE). PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR ABOUT A YEAR THEN CAME BACK. CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES OVER THE LAST MONTH AND A HALF. SHOP CAN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, SO THEREFORE, CAN'T FIX THE PROBLEM. THE CAR IS SUBJECT TO SHUTTING ITSELF OFF AT ANYTIME WITH NO WARNING, THE LAST OCCURRENCE HAPPENED JUST BEFORE MY WIFE WAS TO MERGE ONTO A BUSY HIGHWAY. APART FROM FUEL TANK, DEALER HAS DONE NOTHING SUBSTANTIAL TO REPAIR THE ISSUE (COMPUTER UPDATE, TIGHTENED LOOSE WIRES). *TR

2008 KIA OPTIMA EXV6, SINCE NEW, WHEN LIGHTLY BRAKING WHILE DECELERATING FROM 40 MPH, THE CAR DOWNSHIFTS AND HAS AN ACCELERATION SURGE AT AROUND 25 MPH. WHEN COMPLAINING TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THE KIA'S WERE MADE THAT WAY. THIS IS AN UNSAFE CONDITION THAT CAN CAUSE A REAR END COLLISION. THE CAR SHOULD HAVE NORMAL ENGINE BRAKING THAT ALLOWS FOR CONTINUOUS DECELERATION AS LONG AS THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS NOT TOUCHED. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF THIS COMPLAINT. *TR