YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Sentra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Good

Complaint Index

45/100

#12 most-complained of 21 Sentra years

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

The 2008 Nissan Sentra has a complaint index of 45, ranking 12th among 21 model years, and carries a Good verdict relative to other Sentras. NHTSA lists 167 complaints, 3 recalls, and airbags as the top problem area with 53 complaints.

Complaints
167
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
20 / 3
Injuries / deaths
17 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
26.5
24 city / 30.5 hwy

Top 2008 Nissan Sentra problems

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

  1. Airbags53 (32%)
  2. Engine37 (22%)
  3. Suspension, Wheels & Tires30 (18%)
  4. Brakes24 (14%)
  5. Transmission & Powertrain20 (12%)
  6. Steering15 (9%)
  7. Other13 (8%)
  8. Electrical System11 (7%)
  9. Structure & Body8 (5%)
  10. Fuel System6 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report airbags failing to deploy in frontal and embankment crashes, sometimes leading to serious injury.
  • Some drivers describe sudden unintended acceleration where the brake pedal did not stop the vehicle at low speeds.
  • Brake pedal reportedly extended to the floor with little resistance while slowing for traffic, resulting in collisions.
  • A left rear tire blew out at highway speed, causing loss of control and a rollover.
  • Several incidents occurred while parking or at very low speeds, with the vehicle lurching forward or backward unexpectedly.
2008 Nissan Sentra complaints: complaints filed per quarter112008 Q22010 Q12011 Q42013 Q42015 Q32017 Q32019 Q22022 Q1
224 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q2 to 2024 Q2; peak 2014 Q3 (11).

2008 Nissan Sentra recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 09V431000Nov 3, 2009Brakes10,586 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder

    Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008 sentra passenger vehicles equipped with bosch master cylinders. Brake fluid may leak from the master cylinder. If the amount of brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir decreases to below the minimum level, the brake system warning indicator will illuminate as designed and the brakes will not function properly.

    Risk: If the warning lamp is continuously ignored, one of the brake circuits on the vehicle may fail increasing stopping distances and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the master cylinder brake booster assembly free of charge. The recall began on december 14, 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

  3. NHTSA 08V311000Jul 11, 2008Brakes169,202 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder

    Nissan is recalling 169,202 my 2007-2008 sentra passenger vehicles equipped robert bosch master cylinder. Due to the machining irregularity by the supplier, the internal seal groove in the body of some brake master cylinders may allow for a gap in the groove contact area of the seal. This may result in brake fluid slowly leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster assembly, causing the brake warning light to illuminate.

    Risk: If the warning lamp is ignored, one of the brake circuits on the vehicle may not operate as designed increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect the master cylinder/brake booster assembly and if brake fluid leakage is detected, the master cylinder will be replaced with a new one free of charge. The recall began on august 20, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

2008 Nissan Sentra fuel economy and fuel cost

City
24 MPG
Highway
30.5 MPG
Combined
26.5 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$2,450
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 Sentra 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
2006Caution101165 !25
2007Caution55154126.5
2008Good45167326.5
2009Good1555127
2010Good30144326.5

All Nissan Sentra years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Nissan Sentra reliable?
Relative to other Sentra model years, the 2008 rates Good, with a complaint index of 45 and 167 NHTSA complaints, ranking 12th out of 21 years.
What is the biggest problem with the 2008 Nissan Sentra?
Airbags are the top problem area, accounting for 53 complaints (32% share) and 11 crashes, with a median failure mileage of 67,000 miles for the model overall.
Does the 2008 Nissan Sentra have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2008 Sentra, two covering a Bosch brake master cylinder that could leak fluid and one covering a Garmin GPS unit battery that could overheat.
How does the 2008 Sentra compare to other bad Sentra years?
The 2008 Sentra's complaint index of 45 is much lower than the Avoid-rated 2013 (100), 2015 (95), and 2014 (90) model years.

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.