YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Frontier Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about transmission problems in the 2008 Nissan Frontier, 40% of all 136 complaints for this model year. That is #4 highest transmission complaint count among 21 Frontier model years. These complaints report 1 fire. Median mileage at failure: 95,500 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
54
40% of 136
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
95,500 mi
Related recalls
0

When 2008 Nissan Frontier transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 27, 2011, latest Sep 26, 2022.

2008 Nissan Frontier transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4Aug 2011Dec 2012Jun 2014Jun 2015Mar 2016Mar 2017May 2018May 2020
54 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2011 to Sep 2022; peak Jan 2013 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2008 Nissan Frontier

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Frontier model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 2005262 (49%)
  2. 2006220 (36%)
  3. 2007222 (43%)
  4. 200854 (40%)
  5. 20098 (22%)
  6. 201015 (25%)
  7. 20119 (14%)
  8. 201220 (26%)
  9. 20136 (13%)
  10. 20146 (14%)
  11. 20155 (15%)
  12. 20163 (7%)
  13. 20176 (16%)
  14. 20182 (8%)
  15. 20197 (25%)
  16. 202012 (52%)
  17. 20215 (26%)
  18. 202224 (22%)
  19. 202313 (20%)
  20. 20246 (27%)
  21. 20252 (25%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Nissan Frontier have transmission problems?
NHTSA has 54 owner complaints about the transmission in the 2008 Nissan Frontier, 40% of all complaints for this model year. Median mileage at failure is 95,500 miles.
Which Nissan Frontier year has the most transmission complaints?
The 2005 Nissan Frontier has the most transmission complaints (262), compared with 54 for the 2008.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2008 Nissan Frontier?
No NHTSA recall campaign for the 2008 Nissan Frontier is classified under transmission & powertrain. Complaints alone do not trigger a recall; check the full recall list and your VIN.

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.