Model year guide

2008 Kia Amanti

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2008 Kia Amanti is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 13 on record.

2008 Kia Amanti — representative photo
Representative photo · via Wikimedia Commons

2008 Kia Amanti at a glance

Safety recalls1
Owner complaints25
Combined19 mpg
Typical price$6,760

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2008 Kia Amanti recalls 1

Exterior Lighting:brake Lights:switch NHTSA Campaign #13V114000 · manufacturer #SC098 · 01/04/2013

Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, m…

Fix: Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2008 Kia Amanti common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Air Bags
Confirm the airbag light turns on then off at startup — if it stays lit there's a fault (costly, and a safety risk). Check for signs of prior deployment.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Visibility
Test wipers, washers, defrosters and all mirrors. Check the windshield for cracks and any camera/sensor for fogging or faults.
Visibility/wiper
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

2008 Kia Amanti MPG & running costs

Combined19 mpg
City17 mpg
Highway24 mpg
Est. annual fuel cost$3,550
EPA size classLarge Cars
TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd
Passenger volume106 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
5-yr fuel cost vs average new car$5,750 more

Source: U.S. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov.

What's a 2008 Kia Amanti worth?

Low
$4,000
Typical price
$6,760
High
$8,400

From 13 comparable 2008 Kia Amanti listings.

Estimated 5-year cost to own

A rough guide to what running a 2008 Kia Amanti costs over five years and 75,000 miles.

Fuel (5 yrs)$17,750
Depreciation (5 yrs)$5,900
Total$23,650
Per mile$0.32

How this is estimated: fuel is the U.S. EPA annual cost at 15,000 miles a year. Depreciation compares today's typical asking price for this model year ($6,760) with the same model 4 model-years older ($2,038), from CarLogs listing data. Not included: insurance, maintenance, repairs, taxes, registration and finance costs. Treat it as a comparison guide, not a quote.

Dimensions & weight

Length
196.9 in
Width
72.8 in
Height
58.7 in
Wheelbase
110.2 in
Curb weight
3,770 lb
Front track
61.8 in
Rear track
61.8 in

Manufacturer-reported figures for the 2008 Kia Amanti. Source: Transport Canada vehicle specifications via NHTSA.

Investigations & service bulletins

Manufacturer service bulletins 13

Technical notes the manufacturer sent to dealers about known issues and fixes. Useful to mention to a mechanic — they are not recalls and repairs may not be covered. Showing the 10 most recent of 13.

TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This bulletin has been revised to include additional information. New/revised sections of this bulletin are indicated by a black bar in the margin area. This bulletin provides inf…

Bulletin TSB_BOD055_R1 · Structure, Exterior Lighting · Sep 2021

PITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed during engine repairs should be considered serviceable, and should be thoroughly cleaned and transferred to the new engine.

Bulletin PS539 · Engine And Engine Cooling · Mar 2018

TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners, which are designed to lock into place once fully attached, are utilized in various Kia models and are strictly intended for ?one time use.? Some examples are: axle shaft nu…

Bulletin TSB-GEN085R1 · Equipment, Equipment Adaptive/mobility · Jan 2017

TSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners utilized in various Kia models are strictly intended for ?one time use?. Though not limited to the following, some examples are: axle shaft nuts with stake collar, cotter pi…

Bulletin TSB-GEN085 · Latches/locks/linkages, Equipment Adaptive/mobility · Nov 2016

TSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides information regarding the use of USB ports and 12V power outlets to connect/charge mobile phones. Customers may experience issues with their head units that may be related to…

Bulletin PS443 · Electrical System, Equipment, Equipment Adaptive/mobility · Apr 2016

PITSTOP: STOP LAMP SWITCH IDENTIFICATION MATRIX (SC098) - KMA HAS RECEIVED A NUMBER OF INCORRECT WARRANTY RETURN PARTS RELATED TO CAMPAIGN SC098 AND HAS DETERMINED THAT AT TIMES DEALER STAFF MAY HAVE DIFFICULTY IN QUICKLY AND EASILY IDENTIFYING THE CORRECT SWI…

Bulletin PS382 · Electrical System, Exterior Lighting · Mar 2015

TSB: AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID APPLICATION GUIDE - THIS BULLETIN PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATING TO THE CORRECT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUIDS THAT ARE REQUIRED FOR EACH KIA MODEL. REFER TO THE SHOP MANUAL ON KGIS FOR THE SPECIFIC KIA MODEL, THEN REFERENCE THE…

Bulletin TSBTRA046 · Power Train · Dec 2013

KIA: DUE TO DESIGN OF DRAIN HOLES IN VALLEY OF LAMBDA V6 ENGINES, A MISDIAGNOSE OF A POSSIBLE OIL LEAK SOURCE IN REAR MAIN SEAL OR OIL PAN, WHEN ACTUAL LEAKS COMING FROM ENGINE VALLEY,OIL FILTER HOUSING, OIL PRESSURE SWITCH, AND/OR GASKETS. *PE

Bulletin PS-211 · Engine · May 2012

KIA: PROVIDES INFORMATION RELATED TO THE ECM SOFTWARE UPGRADE OF SOME VEHICLES WITH 3.8L AND 2.7L ENGINES WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP ILLUMINATED WITH THE PCM (POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE) SYSTEM RELATED DTC(S). *PE

Bulletin TSB-061 REV 1 · Power Train, Electrical System · Jul 2010

KIA: ECM UPGRADE WITH TP SENSOR REPLACEMENT-MIL ON WITH DTC P2135/P0638. INFORMATION RELATED TO ECM SOFTWARE AND TP SENSOR UPGRADE ON SOME VEHICLES WITH 2.7L ENGINES WHICH MAY EXPERIENCE A MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP (MIL) ILLUMINATED WITH THE ELECTRONIC THROTT…

Bulletin TSB-044 · Engine And Engine Cooling, Electrical System · Nov 2009

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the AMANTI FWD. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

Canadian recalls 1

Transport Canada recall campaigns for the 2008 Kia Amanti. Relevant if the car was first sold in, or imported from, Canada.

Electrical

On certain vehicles, the stop lamp switch may fail and cause intermittent operation of the brake lights. Failure of the brake lights to illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed could result in a crash causing property damage and/or personal injury. Correction: Dealers will replace the switch. Note: This is an expansion of recall 2013-098.

Transport Canada #2013324 · Sep 2013

Source: Transport Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database.

About the Kia Amanti

The Kia Opirus is an executive car/full-size sedan, manufactured by Kia Motors and marketed over a single generation for model years 2003–2012 globally and 2004–2009 in North America. Having debuted internationally at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, the four-door, five-passenger, front-engine, front-drive sedan was launched to the North American market at the New York International Auto Show and in San Diego, bearing the Amanti nameplate — and prioritizing luxury content and comfort over dynamic performance and agility.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2008 Kia Amanti trims & engines on record

Trims
Base · GH
Engines
3.8L 6-cyl 264 hp

2008 Kia Amanti vehicles on record

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Other Kia Amanti model years

2009 2007 2006 2005 2004

2008 Kia Amanti — frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Kia Amanti have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2008 Kia Amanti. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Kia Amanti?

Across all 25 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are electrical system, air bags, power train.

What gas mileage does the 2008 Kia Amanti get?

The 2008 Kia Amanti has a U.S. EPA estimate of 19 mpg combined (17 city / 24 highway).

How much is a 2008 Kia Amanti worth?

Comparable 2008 Kia Amanti listings run roughly $4,000–$8,400, typically around $6,760 (from 13 vehicles).

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.