YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Pathfinder Airbags Problems

NHTSA has 41 owner complaints about airbag problems in the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, 13% of all 328 complaints for this model year. That is #4 highest airbag complaint count among 20 Pathfinder model years. These complaints report 7 crashes and 6 injuries. Median mileage at failure: 130,000 miles.

Airbags complaints
41
13% of 328
Crashes reported
7
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
6
Median mileage
130,000 mi
Related recalls
2

When 2008 Nissan Pathfinder airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 14, 2007, latest Oct 6, 2023.

2008 Nissan Pathfinder airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2007Oct 2010Sep 2014Dec 2015Jul 2017Jul 2018Jul 2019Jan 2023
41 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2007 to Oct 2023; peak May 2016 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder

  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 08V690000Dec 29, 2008Airbags242,720 vehicles

    Air bags:frontal

    Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west virginia, wisconsin, and the district of columbia. In those areas of the country which use heavy concentrations of road salt in the winter, a mixture of snow/water and salt can enter into the front crash zone sensor (czs) housing. If this occurs, the czs may internally rust resulting in a signal interruption. If this happens, the red air bag warning light will illuminate to alert the vehicle operator.

    Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be notified of the warranty extension by mail and will receive a sticker to place in their warranty booklet explaining the extended warranty coverage. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Airbags complaints by Pathfinder model year

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

  1. 200522 (2%)
  2. 200614 (2%)
  3. 200723 (4%)
  4. 200841 (13%)
  5. 200911 (30%)
  6. 201011 (28%)
  7. 201112 (27%)
  8. 20124 (17%)
  9. 2013177 (20%)
  10. 201492 (16%)
  11. 201555 (17%)
  12. 201618 (17%)
  13. 20177 (4%)
  14. 20184 (5%)
  15. 20194 (5%)
  16. 20201 (2%)
  17. 20225 (4%)
  18. 20232 (2%)
  19. 20241 (1%)
  20. 20252 (4%)

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder have airbag problems?
NHTSA has 41 owner complaints about the airbag in the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, 13% of all complaints for this model year, including 7 that report a crash. Median mileage at failure is 130,000 miles.
Which Nissan Pathfinder year has the most airbag complaints?
The 2013 Nissan Pathfinder has the most airbag complaints (177), compared with 41 for the 2008.
Is there a airbag recall for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder?
Yes — 2 NHTSA recall campaigns for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder concern the airbag: 23V067000 and 08V690000.

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.