2008 Nissan Pathfinder Reliability Data: Problems & Recalls
Caution The 2008 Nissan Pathfinder ranks 7th worst out of 20 model years with a complaint index of 68 and a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 328 complaints and 4 recalls, led by transmission and powertrain issues at 47% of complaints, with a median failure mileage of 106,534 miles.
Based on NHTSA complaints per model-year, not a reliability rating. Methodology
YearToAvoid Scorecard
- Complaint Index
- 68/100
- #7 of 20 Pathfinder years
- Verdict
- Caution
- vs. other years of this model
- Complaints
- 328
- unique NHTSA reports
- Recalls
- 4
- distinct NHTSA campaigns
- Crashes
- 9
- reported in complaints
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 7
- Top issue
- Transmission & Powertrain
- NHTSA overall rating
- Not rated
- EPA combined MPG
- 15.5
- 13.5 city / 19 hwy
- Injuries / deaths
- 7 / 0
Top 2008 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of this year’s NHTSA complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.
- Transmission & Powertrain155 (47%)
- Engine89 (27%)
- Fuel System81 (25%)
- Airbags41 (13%)
- Other22 (7%)
- Electrical System21 (6%)
- Brakes13 (4%)
- Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (3%)
- Structure & Body8 (2%)
- Steering3 (1%)
A complaint can list more than one component, so shares add up to more than 100%. Shares are % of complaints.
What owners report
- Front driver airbags reportedly failed to deploy during moderate-to-severe collisions, including a head-on crash and a rear-end impact.
- At least one airbag deployed suddenly at low speed with no impact, causing the driver to strike the vehicle ahead.
- Owners describe the vehicle suddenly accelerating while braking, in one case leading to a low-speed collision.
- The engine and transmission reportedly shut off mid-drive after a check engine light and a CAN communication fault code appeared, briefly disabling brakes.
- Dashboard gauges, speedometer, and warning systems have gone dead while driving, sometimes paired with unintended cruise control acceleration.
- Fuel gauge sensors reportedly stopped working, leaving owners without an accurate fuel level reading.
2008 Nissan Pathfinder recalls
4 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.
- 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 driverÂs 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.
- 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.
- 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.
2008 Nissan Pathfinder fuel economy and fuel cost
- City
- 13.5 MPG
- Highway
- 19 MPG
- Combined
- 15.5 MPG
- Annual fuel cost (EPA)
- $5,150
- 15,000 mi/yr
- Fuel
- Premium
- 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 Pathfinder years
Frequently asked questions
- Is the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder reliable?
- It carries a Caution verdict based on NHTSA data, ranking 7th worst among 20 model years with a complaint index of 68. Transmission and powertrain complaints make up 47% of the total, so it's not the strongest year but not the worst either.
- What problems does the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder have?
- NHTSA data shows 328 complaints, mostly involving transmission and powertrain (47%), engine (27%), and fuel system (25%) issues. Median mileage at failure across all reported problems is 106,534 miles.
- Does the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
- Yes, NHTSA lists 4 recalls for this year, covering airbag emblems, a GPS battery overheating issue, fuel tank deformation, and a frontal airbag sensor replacement. None are do-not-drive recalls.
- What year Nissan Pathfinder should I avoid?
- Based on NHTSA complaint data, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2013, and 2014 carry Avoid verdicts with complaint indexes from 79 to 100. The 2008 model is rated Caution, a step above those years.
- Are there airbag issues with the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder?
- Yes, airbags account for 41 complaints and 7 of the 9 crashes reported for this year. Owners describe non-deployment during crashes and one case of unintended deployment at low speed.