YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Altima Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

85/100

#4 most-complained of 21 Altima years

Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology

The 2008 Nissan Altima has 1,028 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 85 out of 100 — #4 highest of 21 Altima model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is structure & body (343 complaints, 33% of the total). Complaints report 53 crashes, 13 fires, 33 injuries, and 2 deaths.

Complaints
1,028
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
53 / 13
Injuries / deaths
33 / 2
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
24
21 city / 29 hwy

Top 2008 Nissan Altima problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Structure & Body343 (33%)
  2. Other203 (20%)
  3. Visibility & Wipers188 (18%)
  4. Airbags142 (14%)
  5. Engine104 (10%)
  6. Brakes99 (10%)
  7. Electrical System95 (9%)
  8. Transmission & Powertrain80 (8%)
  9. Steering37 (4%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires33 (3%)
2008 Nissan Altima complaints: complaints filed per quarter982007 Q42010 Q22012 Q42015 Q22017 Q42020 Q22022 Q42025 Q2
1351 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2026 Q2; peak 2014 Q3 (98).

2008 Nissan Altima recalls

4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 10V401000Sep 10, 2010Other7,948 vehicles

    Equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning system)

    Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected gps units can overheat.

    Risk: Overheated batteries could result in a fire.

    Remedy: Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  2. NHTSA 08V521000Oct 7, 2008Electrical System204,361 vehicles

    Electrical system:software

    Nissan is recalling 204,361 my 2007-2008 altima, altima hybrid, 350z, 350z roadster, my 2008 altima coupe, rogue, my 2009 murano, and infiniti my 2007-2008 g35 sedan, my 2008 g37 coupe and ex35 passenger vehicles equipped with continental automotive systems' occupant classification system (ocs) control units. A varistor in the ocs control unit located in the passenger seat cushion may have been manufactured out of specification. Under certain conditions, this could cause an interruption of signal between the ocs and the air bag control unit (acu).

    Risk: This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will test the signal between the ocs and acu systems using a special tool to check that it is functioning as designed. If necessary, the seat cushion (containing ocs hardware) will be replaced with a new one manufactured to specification. The recall began on november 4, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.

  3. NHTSA 08V363000Jul 31, 2008Suspension, Wheels & Tires1,018 vehicles

    Suspension

    Nissan is recalling 1,018 my 2008 altima vehicles. The left side front suspension transverse link bolt may not have been tightened to specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven.

    Risk: If the bolt were to come out, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will tighten the transverse link bolt to specification free of charge. The recall began on august 11, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

See all 4 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Altima →

2008 Nissan Altima fuel economy and fuel cost

City
21 MPG
Highway
29 MPG
Combined
24 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,075
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2008 compared with other Altima years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Caution70824321
2007Good45471324
2008Avoid851,028424
2009Avoid951,547424
2010Caution60380323

All Nissan Altima years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Nissan Altima a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Nissan Altima ranks #4 of 21 among Altima model years (Complaint Index 85/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 1,028 complaints and 4 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Altima?
The most reported problem areas are structure & body (343 complaints), visibility & wipers (188 complaints), and airbags (142 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 70,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Nissan Altima have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Nissan Altima, most recently reported 2010, covering other, electrical system, and suspension, wheels & tires.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Nissan Altima?
EPA rates the 2008 Nissan Altima at 24 MPG combined (21 city / 29 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,075. Where several configurations exist, the median is shown.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.