2008 Kia SPECTRA5 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
No safety recalls list the 2008 Kia SPECTRA5, and owners have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
No safety recalls on record
NHTSA's recall database lists no safety campaigns that include the 2008 Kia SPECTRA5. That is good news, with two caveats: recalls can be issued at any time (this page refreshes daily), and a recall filed under a related model name may not appear here. The VIN check above queries NHTSA directly for your exact vehicle.
16 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2008 Kia SPECTRA5 have filed 16 complaints with NHTSA; 3 describe a crash. Reports cite 5 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 89,480 miles. Complaints peaked in 2015 with 4 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“There is absolutely no anti slip resistance on the pedals at all. There has been numerous of times, where my mother or my foot would slip off the brake onto the gas causing us to move forward towards”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 20, 2018 · Vehicle speed control
“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 t”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 1, 2018 · Service brakes
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2008 Kia Spectra. Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 26–27 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 23–24 / 30–32 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Midsize Cars |
| Engine | 4 cyl, 2 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 4-spd; Manual 5-spd |
Compare Kia SPECTRA5 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Kia SPECTRA5 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 Kia SPECTRA5 | 0 | 18 |
| 2007 Kia SPECTRA5 | 0 | 10 |
| 2008 Kia SPECTRA5 | 0 | 16 |
Checking a specific 2008 Kia SPECTRA5
How do I know if my 2008 Kia SPECTRA5 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Kia dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number.
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Kia models
- Sorento10,183 complaints
- Optima7,512 complaints
- Soul5,553 complaints
- Sportage4,699 complaints
- Forte2,553 complaints
- Sedona2,410 complaints
- Telluride2,026 complaints
- Sephia1,705 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.