There are 3 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2008 Kia Spectra in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 3 of 3 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)ON 9/19/2016 I WAS DRIVING ON THE 91 FREEWAY ABOUT 40 MILES FROM HOME, MY CAR MADE A LOUD NOISE AND SHUT OFF, I WAS IN THE LEFT (FAST LANE) AND LOST ALL POWER, I PUT ON THE HAZARD LIGHTS AND HONKED THE HORN AS I STEERED THE CAR TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY CROSSING SEVERAL LANES, LUCKILY I MADE IT WITHOUT HAVING AN ACCIDENT, I CALLED FOR THE NEAREST TOW COMPANY TO COME AND TOW MY CAR HOME. WHEN I GOT HOME I OPENED THE HOOD AND SEEN THE CRANKSHAFT CAME THROUGH THE PLASTIC...
I PAID CASH FOR A KIA 08/09,THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN IT WAS DROP OFF BY THE DEALERSHIP.I CALL RIGHT BACK I WAS TOLD TO BRING IT IN. THIS CONTINUE 3 TIMES AFTER, THE CRANK SHAFT WENT OUT,THE FUEL SENSOR WAS THE 4 TIME WITH ME 1 TIME WITH THE OTHER OWNER. SHE PUT 3500MI. ON THE CAR FACT. MY TITLE SAID, 200 MI. THEN, THE GAS PEDDLE WAS SO HOT I COULD NOT KEEP MY FOOT ON IT. I WAS CALL BY KIA, PARK THE CAR OR IT WILL BLOW UP ON YOU. I WAS ON THE ROAD NEXT TO A CANE FIELD NO HOUSES CLOSE TO ME. I'M 65 YRS. OLD, BEEN GOING FOR OVER 38 MO. BECAUSE THE DEALER WAS LOUISIANA NEW CAR COMMISSIONER(1) HE KEEPING ME AT BAY. THIS CAR WAS ON IT WAY BACK TO KIA MANFACTURE. BUT WAS SOLD TO ME BECAUSE I PAID CASH. THEY THEY TRIED TO BUY BACK THE CAR FROM A LOAN CO. WHERE I TOOK A LOAN ON IT. THEY LAUGH AT ME TELL ME I'M ON MY OWN. I STILL HAVE THE WARRANTY ON IT. COULD YOU HELP ME. THIS WAS A NEW CAR I WAS SOLD EVEN THOUGH SOME ONE ELSE HAD IT BEFORE ME FOR MONTHS 3500MI. YET ON MY TITLE IT SAID 200MI. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 KIA SPECTRA. UPON STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE FUEL SYSTEM SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED THREE TIMES. AFTER EACH FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE SAME SENSOR. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE MOTOR SHOOK, THE BRAKES SQUEAKED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME VERY HOT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 232 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 35,000. UPDATED 04-05-13 *BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR FAILED.
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.