YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Pathfinder Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

68/100

#7 most-complained of 20 Pathfinder years

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

The 2008 Nissan Pathfinder has 328 owner complaints and 4 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 68 out of 100 — #7 highest of 20 Pathfinder model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (155 complaints, 47% of the total). Complaints report 9 crashes and 7 injuries.

Complaints
328
Recalls
4
Crashes / fires
9 / 0
Injuries / deaths
7 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
15.5
13.5 city / 19 hwy

Top 2008 Nissan Pathfinder problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain155 (47%)
  2. Engine89 (27%)
  3. Fuel System81 (25%)
  4. Airbags41 (13%)
  5. Other22 (7%)
  6. Electrical System21 (6%)
  7. Brakes13 (4%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (3%)
  9. Structure & Body8 (2%)
  10. Steering3 (1%)
2008 Nissan Pathfinder complaints: complaints filed per quarter372007 Q42010 Q42012 Q42014 Q42016 Q42018 Q42021 Q12023 Q2
448 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2007 Q4 to 2025 Q1; peak 2014 Q3 (37).

2008 Nissan Pathfinder recalls

4 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 4 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder →

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

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’05’06’07’08’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Avoid84837316.5
2007Avoid79561116.5
2008Caution68328415.5
2009Good1137316
2010Best1640416.5

All Nissan Pathfinder years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder ranks #7 of 20 among Pathfinder model years (Complaint Index 68/100, verdict: Caution). It has 328 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 Pathfinder?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (155 complaints), engine (89 complaints), and fuel system (81 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 106,534 miles.
Does the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, most recently reported 2023, covering airbags, other, and fuel system.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder?
EPA rates the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder at 15.5 MPG combined (13.5 city / 19 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $5,150. 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.