Is the 2008 Nissan Altima a bad year?
1,031 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Altima years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2008 Nissan Altima are in line with other Altima years. Body structure and visibility and wipers stand out for this year: see below.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2008 Altima owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 65,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body structureSTANDS OUT | 312 (30%) | 47k–86k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipersSTANDS OUT | 188 (18%) | 50k–95k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Air bags | 142 (14%) | 35k–119k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Electrical system | 90 (9%) | 50k–115k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 80 (8%) | 64k–129k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 37 (4%) | 46k–125k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Speed control | 35 (3%) | 32k–123k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Seats | 24 (2%) | 9k–93k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 21 (2%) | 42k–109k miles · around this mileage | Fuel pump replacement $220–$1,500 · Fuel injector replacement (one injector) $300–$1,200 |
| Suspension | 16 (2%) | 45k–90k miles · around this mileage | Ball joint replacement (one joint) $200–$500 · Control arm replacement (one arm) $200–$900 |
| Wheels | 9 (1%) | 41k–92k miles · around this mileage | Wheel bearing / hub assembly replacement (one wheel) $230–$750 |
| Stability control | 8 (1%) | 61k–127k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Engine | 70 (7%) | 66k–119k miles · ahead | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Brakes | 93 (9%) | 24k–60k miles · mostly behind | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 65,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 1,031 complaints: 54 mention a crash · 13 mention a fire · 27 report an injury · 16 say the car was towed.
4 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Vehicle was driving along with other normal traffic when it suddenly lost power and stalled on an incline. Driver carefully steered vehicle to a safe place downhill and called a towing company to tow vehicle to driver's residence.
While being shifted into reverse from a stop in a parking space, our '08 Nissan Altima coupe 6SPMT made a loud clunk from the engine compartment and the clutch pedal went immediately to the floor.
My CVT transmission went out with 126k miles. I was never notified of any recalls regarding the transmission and there have been a few.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 65,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2008 Nissan Altima: 4
The batteries contained in the affected GPS units can overheat. Overheated batteries could result in a fire.
A varistor in the OCS control unit located in the passenger seat cushion may have been manufactured out of specification. Under certain conditions, this could cause an interruption of signal between the OCS and the air bag control unit (ACU). This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.
The left side front suspension transverse link bolt may not have been tightened to specification. This condition could cause the bolt to become loose while the vehicle is being driven. If the bolt were to come out, the driver may experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.
On certain passenger vehicles that have had the body control module (BCM) replaced during service at a dealership, the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) may have been inadvertently deactivated due to an issue with the dealer service software. Driving on under-inflated tires is unsafe and could result in a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Nissan: 64
Repair instructions Nissan sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2008 Nissan Altima. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
DTC P0456 caused by EVAP leak at vent control valve o-ring
CVT fail-safe condition
The vehicle speed is, or was, reduced by the CVT fail-safe (reduced vehicle speed) after continuous operation under the following conditions: * High RPM and/or…
When diagnosing possible power steering gear (rack and pinion steering rack, or steering rack) leak issues…
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
Brake Master Cylinder Internal Leak
Neighbouring years
2007 Altima: 471 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission · 2009 Altima: 1,547 complaints, keep it.
Every Nissan Altima year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Altima years side by side
Other Nissan models: Nissan 350Z · Nissan 370Z · Nissan Armada · Nissan Cube · Nissan Frontier · Nissan Juke · Nissan Kicks · Nissan Leaf · Nissan Maxima · Nissan Murano · Nissan Pathfinder · Nissan Quest · Nissan Rogue · Nissan Rogue Sport · Nissan Sentra · Nissan Titan · Nissan Titan XD · Nissan Versa · Nissan Versa Note · Nissan Xterra. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2008 Nissan Altima a bad year?
1,031 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Altima years. At 65,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Altima?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: body structure (312), visibility and wipers (188), air bags (142), electrical system (90), transmission and drivetrain (80).
How many recalls does the 2008 Nissan Altima have?
4 recall campaigns list this model year: Equipment (NHTSA 10V-401), Electrical system (NHTSA 08V-521), Suspension (NHTSA 08V-363), Electrical system (NHTSA 07V-599). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.