KiaAmanti2008Overview/kia/amanti/2008/base/

2008 Kia Amanti

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Amanti.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic 5-spd

The 2008 Kia Amanti is a passenger car featuring a 5-speed automatic transmission and an engine requiring 5.5 quarts of 5W-20 or 5W-30 API oil. This model delivers an EPA-rated fuel economy of 17 city, 24 highway, and 19 combined mpg. With 25 total owner complaints and one recall, this year sits within a 2004-2009 model history that peaked at 83 complaints in 2005 and reached a low of four in 2009.

Model year200920082007200620052004

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity5.5 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-20 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque65-80 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy17/24/19 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 124R · 600 CCA battery. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 124R · 600 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnLPOEM · verified

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 5-spd

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length196.9 in
Overall width72.8 in
Overall height58.7 in
Wheelbase110.2 in
Curb weight3770 lb
Track (front / rear)61.8 / 61.8 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)62/38

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined17 / 24 / 19 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume106 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Amanti of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

8.2–8.9 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 8.20 sec — 2005 Sedan
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
2005Sedan 3.5L V68.20 sec16.40 sec200 hpFWD
2004Sedan 3.5L V68.40 sec16.50 sec200 hpFWD
2004Sedan 3.5L V68.90 sec17.00 sec200 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 5.5 qt of 5W-20 / 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 65-80 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity11.5
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil5W-20 · 5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity5.5 qt

Engine torques

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs7-9 ft-lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts209-224 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts53-56 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs14-17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts65-80 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub148-207 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.56-.68 ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance5,950-8,050 ohms
Ignition Timing10, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance5 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.37-1.49 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity4.72-5.40 oz
Standard BCI Group Number124R
Standard BCI Cranking Performance600 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test14-18 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief14-19 psi
Thermostat Opening Temperature177 °F
Regulated Fuel System Pressure (With Vacuum)54.0-56.0 psi
Injector Primary Resistance11.4-12.6 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Oil Pressure11.4 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket16-24 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle58-72 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad Thickness0.079 in
Minimum Shoe Thickness0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0002 in / 0.0004 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0016 in / 0.002 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.1 in / 0.39 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.1 in / 0.39 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9014 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 100,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBody Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Rotor (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 10,000 miCabin Air Filter (replace)
At 15,000 miFuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect)
Every 15,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Brake Line (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Parking Brake System (inspect) · Transmission Assembly (inspect fluid level)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Body Fasteners (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Canister Filter (replace) · Suspension Ball Joint (inspect)
Every 37,500 miFuel Filter (replace)
At 60,000 miEngine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miEngine Valves (inspect valve lash)
Every 100,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Kia Amanti shows a complaint volume of 25, representing a modest uptick from the 15 complaints recorded in 2007 but a dramatic reduction from the 73 complaints logged in 2004 and 83 in 2005. This target year falls within a period where Kia initiated recalls—two in 2007 and one each in 2008 and 2009—suggesting the manufacturer was addressing emerging defects rather than ignoring them. The top complaint categories are vague ("Unknown Or Other" at 7 cases), with Electrical System ranking second at 3 cases, while crash-related complaints number two and fire complaints are absent. Compared to the generation arc, 2008 sits in a transitional phase: post-resolution of early quality issues but before the near-elimination of complaints seen in 2009 (only 4). The takeaway is that 2008 represents a reasonable purchase window—it benefits from the manufacturer's recall responsiveness while avoiding the high complaint volumes of earlier production years.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
13
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
25
Owner complaints
2 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 25 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Unknown Or Other7
Electrical System3
Power Train2
Air Bags1
Suspension1
Electrical System,Air Bags1
Electrical System,Unknown Or Other,Visibility/Wiper1
Exterior Lighting1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

13V114000Exterior Lighting:Brake Lights:SwitchReported 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… Remedy: 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…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 13 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB_BOD055_R12021-09-13StructureTECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN: INFORMATION FOR HEADLAMP CONDENSATION AND MOISTURE - This…
PS5392018-03-02Engine And Engine CoolingPITSTOP - ENGINE COMPONENT RE-USE GUIDELINES - In general, parts and components removed…
TSB-GEN085R12017-01-18EquipmentTSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
TSB-GEN0852016-11-04Latches/Locks/LinkagesTSB: MANDATORY REPLACEMENT OF LOCKING/SECURITY HARDWARE - By design, certain fasteners…
PS4432016-04-04Electrical SystemTSB - USE OF AFTERMARKET USB CHARGING CABLES IN USB/12V PORTS - This article provides…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Amanti. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Amanti take?

5.5 qt of 5W-20 OR 5W-30 API SM, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Amanti have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Amanti get?

EPA figures are 17 city / 24 highway / 19 combined mpg.