YearToAvoid

2008 Nissan Xterra Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

70/100

#4 most-complained of 11 Xterra years

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

The 2008 Nissan Xterra has 119 owner complaints and 6 safety recalls on file with NHTSA. Its Complaint Index is 70 out of 100 — #4 highest of 11 Xterra model years (verdict: Caution). The most reported problem area is transmission & powertrain (47 complaints, 39% of the total). Complaints report 9 crashes, 3 fires, and 6 injuries.

Complaints
119
Recalls
6
Crashes / fires
9 / 3
Injuries / deaths
6 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
Not rated
EPA combined MPG
17
15.5 city / 20 hwy

Top 2008 Nissan Xterra problems

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

  1. Transmission & Powertrain47 (39%)
  2. Engine33 (28%)
  3. Airbags23 (19%)
  4. Fuel System18 (15%)
  5. Brakes15 (13%)
  6. Electrical System13 (11%)
  7. Other10 (8%)
  8. Suspension, Wheels & Tires7 (6%)
  9. Structure & Body3 (3%)
2008 Nissan Xterra complaints: complaints filed per quarter122008 Q12010 Q22012 Q42015 Q12016 Q42018 Q42021 Q4
169 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2008 Q1 to 2025 Q3; peak 2013 Q2 (12).

2008 Nissan Xterra recalls

6 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 6 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Xterra →

2008 Nissan Xterra fuel economy and fuel cost

City
15.5 MPG
Highway
20 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$3,800
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 Xterra years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)025507510020052006200720082009201020112012201320142015
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2006Avoid100780316.5
2007Avoid80557117
2008Caution70119617
2009Caution5019317
2010Caution6038417

All Nissan Xterra years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2008 Nissan Xterra a reliable year?
Judged by NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2008 Nissan Xterra ranks #4 of 11 among Xterra model years (Complaint Index 70/100, verdict: Caution). It has 119 complaints and 6 recalls on file. This reflects reported safety-related problems, not an overall reliability rating.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Xterra?
The most reported problem areas are transmission & powertrain (47 complaints), engine (33 complaints), and airbags (23 complaints). The median mileage at the time of failure in complaints that report it is 95,500 miles.
Does the 2008 Nissan Xterra have any recalls?
Yes — NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2008 Nissan Xterra, most recently reported 2023, covering airbags, other, fuel system, and brakes.
What is the fuel economy of the 2008 Nissan Xterra?
EPA rates the 2008 Nissan Xterra at 17 MPG combined (15.5 city / 20 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $3,800. 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.