YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Armada Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

90/100

#3 most-complained of 21 Armada years

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

The 2008 Nissan Armada has 161 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 90 out of 100 — #3 highest of 21 Armada model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is brakes (68 complaints, 42% of the total). Complaints report 1 fire and 7 injuries.

Complaints
161
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
0 / 1
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
14
12 city / 17.5 hwy

Top 2008 Nissan Armada problems

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

  1. Brakes68 (42%)
  2. Structure & Body41 (25%)
  3. Electrical System24 (15%)
  4. Other19 (12%)
  5. Fuel System16 (10%)
  6. Suspension, Wheels & Tires13 (8%)
  7. Airbags11 (7%)
  8. Engine6 (4%)
  9. Visibility & Wipers3 (2%)
  10. Seat Belts2 (1%)
2008 Nissan Armada complaints: complaints filed per quarter152008 Q32011 Q32013 Q22015 Q12017 Q12019 Q22022 Q32026 Q3
207 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q2 (15).

2008 Nissan Armada recalls

6 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 23V067000Feb 10, 2023Airbags404,690 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.

    Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver’s airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.

  2. NHTSA 10V349000Jul 22, 2010Airbags21 vehicles

    Air bags:side/window

    Nissan is recalling model year 2008 nissan armada and infiniti qx56 vehicles manufactured from february 7, 2007 through february 14, 2007. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 201, "protection in interior impact." an out-of-specification a-pillar finisher might impede the correct inflation of the side curtain air bag near the upper portion of the b-pillar.

    Risk: Incorrect inflation of the side curtain air bag may increase the risk of injury to a vehicle occupant in the event of a crash requiring deployment of that air bag.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace both right and left front pillar finishers free of charge. The safety recall began on august 16, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  3. NHTSA 10V074000Mar 3, 2010Fuel System340,000 vehicles

    Fuel system, other:storage:fuel gauge system

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 titan, armada, and infiniti qx56 vehicles. The instrument panel fuel gauge may inaccurately display that the vehicle still has some fuel, typically about one quarter tank, when the fuel tank is empty.

    Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall on the highway, which could cause a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel sender unit inside the fuel tank with a new improved sender card. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall began on march 22, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

See all 6 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Armada →

2008 Nissan Armada fuel economy and fuel cost

City
12 MPG
Highway
17.5 MPG
Combined
14 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,650
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 Armada 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
2006Avoid95266314
2007Caution5586214
2008Avoid90161614
2009Caution7023314
2010Caution5048414

All Nissan Armada years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Nissan Armada a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Nissan Armada ranks #3 of 21 among Armada model years (Complaint Index 90/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 161 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Armada?
The most reported problem areas are brakes (68 complaints), structure & body (41 complaints), and electrical system (24 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 79,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Nissan Armada have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2008 Nissan Armada, most recently reported 2023, covering airbags, fuel system, brakes, and structure & body.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Nissan Armada?
EPA rates the 2008 Nissan Armada at 14 MPG combined (12 city / 17.5 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,650. 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.