YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Frontier Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Avoid

Complaint Index

75/100

#6 most-complained of 21 Frontier years

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

The 2008 Nissan Frontier has 136 owner complaints and 5 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 75 out of 100 — #6 highest of 21 Frontier model years (verdict: Avoid). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (54 complaints, 40% of the total). Complaints report 2 crashes, 2 fires, and 5 injuries.

Complaints
136
Recalls
5
Crashes / fires
2 / 2
Injuries / deaths
5 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15.5 city / 20 hwy

Top 2008 Nissan Frontier problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain54 (40%)
  2. Engine37 (27%)
  3. Airbags21 (15%)
  4. Brakes16 (12%)
  5. Fuel System16 (12%)
  6. Electrical System15 (11%)
  7. Other6 (4%)
  8. Structure & Body6 (4%)
  9. Suspension, Wheels & Tires6 (4%)
  10. Seat Belts4 (3%)
2008 Nissan Frontier complaints: complaints filed per quarter92008 Q12010 Q12012 Q12014 Q22016 Q12017 Q42019 Q32023 Q1
185 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q1 to 2024 Q4; peak 2013 Q1 (9).

2008 Nissan Frontier recalls

5 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 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.

  3. NHTSA 10V075000Mar 3, 2010Fuel System80,689 vehicles

    Fuel system, gasoline:storage:auxillary tank

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when the fuel tank is empty.

    Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before march 22, 2010. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

See all 5 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Frontier →

2008 Nissan Frontier fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15.5 MPG
Highway
20 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
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 Frontier 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
2006Avoid100617417
2007Avoid95520117
2008Avoid75136517
2009Good1537317.5
2010Caution6059417

All Nissan Frontier years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Nissan Frontier a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Nissan Frontier ranks #6 of 21 among Frontier model years (Complaint Index 75/100, verdict: Avoid). It has 136 complaints and 5 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Frontier?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (54 complaints), engine (37 complaints), and airbags (21 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 85,000 miles.
Does the 2008 Nissan Frontier have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 5 recall campaigns for the 2008 Nissan Frontier, most recently reported 2023, covering airbags, other, and fuel system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Nissan Frontier?
EPA rates the 2008 Nissan Frontier at 17 MPG combined (15.5 city / 20 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800. 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.