10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 1 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 88,176 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
While driving, I tried to reverse my vehicle and it got stuck in drive, and wouldn't and my gear shift no longer responded to the gear and my vehicle was locked in place in drive mode.
- Chesapeake, VA, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while his daughter was parking the vehicle, the shifter cable detached and the vehicle kept rolling. The contact stated that the gear shifter was in park but the transmission was still in drive position. The contact stated that his daughter had to use the emergency brake to stop the vehicle. The contact stated that he temporary fix the vehicle and later the vehicle was taken to taylor Kia of boardman, 7870 market St, youngstown, oh 44512, and was diagnosed that the entire shift cable needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 134,000.
- Struthers, OH, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that while in reverse, the gear shifted without warning into neutral. The contact managed to stop the vehicle but was unable to change the gear from neutral to drive. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the shifter cable was defective and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 11V153000 (power train) as a possible solution to the failure however, the VIN was not included. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but no further assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 57,960.
- Jacksonville, FL, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. While the contact was waiting to have the oil changed in the vehicle, he shifted from park into neutral; however, the gear failed to engage. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was towed by aaa to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the shifter cable disconnected from the shifter. The vehicle was not repaired. Greenway Kia of rivergate (1536 gallatin pike N, madison, tn 37115, (615) 860-9888) was contacted and stated that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure recurred. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 79,000.
- Westmoreland, TN, USA
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.
- Locust Grove, GA, USA
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. shift gear will not change from N. if it had not been for the walmart employee stopping our car than it could have been alot worse by crashing into other cars behind it or even running over somebody causing a fatality!!! called Kia company to report it but they denied it being related to the recall that shows online on Kia Optimas 2006-2008. They told me only specific Optimas have that recall. We haven't ever had any issues with our car since we bought it new in 2008. We have always maintained it and taken good care of it. This is a first for our car and this incident we had with our car is the same description as the recall. We feel that Kia should cover this cost due to it being a manufactuer error. The recall states ' incorrectly installed cables have the potential to come loose from the transmission, disabling the shifter. If the cable comes loose, a car in park wouldn't shift into any gear while a vehicle already in gear wouldn't shift to reverse, neutral or park. If a car was parked and accidentally left in gear, and if the parking brake was not applied, the car could potentially roll away and cause an accident or injury.' Kia should be held responsible and take care of the problem and stop saying only specific vehicles have the recall. Well my car did!! its a 2008 Kia Optima and had the same incident happen thats on recall. Help!!
- Longview, TX, USA
The gear shifter is freely allowed to move, yet the electrical system is registering that the car hasn't left neutral. (example: When I place the car in P(ark), the display above the odometer will remain in N(eutral). The shifter is freely allowed to move when the car is on and the brake is pressed down as usual.
- Gulf Shores, AL, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the shift lever ailed to shift gears. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included under NHTSA campaign number: 11V153000 (power train). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to her local Kia dealer to have her vehicle diagnosed. The contact informed that she was unable to have the vehicle diagnosed due to the diagnostic fee. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Roeerfield, WV, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that upon driving the vehicle, the contact was unable to remove the gear from out of park. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
- Westfiled, MA, USA
My car suffered the same problem with the shift lever explained under NHTSA campaign number: 11V153000, however. My car was not part of that recall. The dealer said that the problem was caused by a damage bushing in the shift cable. The cost of the repair was $150 labor, $8.28 bushing and $50 for the tow.
- Quebradillas, PR, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. While the vehicle was parked, the contact was unable to change gears without warning. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic for further inspection. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 12V014000 (air bags); however, the clock spring assembly failed. The mechanic indicated that the part was on backorder and that the clock spring needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
- Tahlequah, OK, USA
The contact owns a 2008 Kia Optima. The contact stated that the gear lever was difficult to shift out of park. The contact mentioned that excessive force was required when shifting out or into the park position. The contact mentioned that when the failure occurred, the key remained stuck in the ignition switch. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure recurred on numerous occasions. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.
- Lexington, KY, USA
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 should have still had a lot more miles left.
- Baltimore, MD, USA
- Chesapeake, VA, USA