Most common 2008 Kia Spectra5 problems
Share of the 16 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Kia Spectra5 complaints by model year
Best Spectra5 years: 2007. Years to avoid: 2006, 2008. Compare all years →
What 2008 Kia Spectra5 owners say
Air bags
I was in a car accident on June 19, 2017. A vehicle hit my Kia at a speed of 30 - 40 MPH in the front driver's wheel base. None of the airbags deployed. I was making a left turn out of a shopping center, moving less than 10 MPH.
Purchased a 2008 Kia spectra 5 in 2009. For 3 years it was a good commuter car. Then weird things started happening out of the blue. First, the car wouldn't allow us access by use of the key fob. It would unlock then lock. The vehicle flip the door unlock lever back and forth like a ghost was moving. Second, the car would blow a front head lamp almost every 6 months like clock work when the vehicle was shifted into drive from park. Third, the front console controlling the fan, heat etc. Would just stop working only to start working a few hours or days later. Especially problematic in winter. Fourth, the ocs sensor mat for the front passenger air bag has malfunctioned. This happens when the car is moving or stationary. In addition the car has a dangerous lag in gaining speed when trying to merge into traffic at high speeds on interstates. …
Fuel & propulsion system
This had been an ongoing problem since about 24,000 miles, but dealer just said to add power booster or something...by the time of this first documented dealer check out, it had gotten much worse... It has been in several times to no avail, and other than spending money on various solutions (that did not work) it has progressively gotten much worse. Finally I was told by dealer to not overfill or top off the tank when filling with fuel. Something that I do not do!!! The vehicle has now reached the point after filling with fuel, I have to use about 1/4 of a tank before it will run somewhat normally (up to 100 miles). It dies at stops, will suddenly cut out going down the road, and when going slowly around curves, will die. This is very hazardous, as the power steering quits at the same moment, making it very difficult to turn. …
Sudden unintended acceleration (sua): cruise control (cc) set to ~85 MPH, sudden lurching red-line acceleration occurred, cc would not disengage. Had to fight my vehicle (pull e-brake) to get safely to freeway shoulder then turn ignition off. Car continued to try to red line after ignition killed, shifting thru all gears, battery terminals disconnected or cc module disconnected. Verified brake lights worked fine after pulling over. 1st incident - behind an 18-wheeler, almost rear ended said 18-wheeler! After ~2hrs the car "resolved" itself & stopped trying to accelerate. 2nd incident - had to navigate multiple cars around & pulled over in a curve! Did not resolve itself this time - root cause per pitre Kia: cc cable "broken" (would not engage/disengage acceleration coil as needed). Extremely dangerous situations even with an experienced driver!! 1. …
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Kia Spectra5 a good car?
Based on 16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Spectra5 rates use caution: 1.4× as many complaints as a typical year of the Spectra5 at the same age. It is one of the Spectra5 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Kia Spectra5?
The air bags — 11 complaints, 69% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the fuel & propulsion system (3) and electrical system (2).
How many recalls does the 2008 Kia Spectra5 have?
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Kia Spectra5. You can still confirm with your VIN using our VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Kia Spectra5?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2007. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2006 and 2008. See the full Kia Spectra5 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Kia Spectra5 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 80,000 miles; 7% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.