2008 Nissan Altima recalls and problems

The 2008 Nissan Altima has 4 recalls and 1,031 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is structure.

How the 2008 compares

High

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

High complaint count among 27 Altima model years — 6th most.

4recalls

1,031complaints

54crashes

13fires

34injuries

70,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

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4 recalls

Equipment

Sep 10, 2010 · NHTSA campaign 10V401000 · 7,948 vehicles

Problem: 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.

Original NHTSA wording

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.

Original NHTSA wording

OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to <a href=http://www.safercar.gov>http://www.safercar.gov</a> .

Air Bags

Oct 7, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V521000 · 204,361 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling 204,361 my 2007-2008 altima, altima hybrid, 350Z, 350Z roadster, my 2008 altima coupe, rogue, my 2009 murano, and Infiniti my 2007-2008 G35 sedan, my 2008 G37 coupe and EX35 passenger vehicles equipped with Continental automotive systems' occupant classification system (ocs) control units. 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).

Original NHTSA wording

NISSAN IS RECALLING 204,361 MY 2007-2008 ALTIMA, ALTIMA HYBRID, 350Z, 350Z ROADSTER, MY 2008 ALTIMA COUPE, ROGUE, MY 2009 MURANO, AND INFINITI MY 2007-2008 G35 SEDAN, MY 2008 G37 COUPE AND EX35 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS' OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) CONTROL UNITS. 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).

Risk: This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING SUPPRESSED WHICH COULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will test the signal between the ocs and acu systems using a special tool to check that it is functioning as designed. If necessary, the seat cushion (containing ocs hardware) will be replaced with a new one manufactured to specification. The recall began on November 4, 2008. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261 or Infiniti at 1-800-662-6200.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Suspension

Jul 31, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V363000 · 1,018 vehicles

Problem: Nissan is recalling 1,018 my 2008 altima vehicles. 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.

Original NHTSA wording

NISSAN IS RECALLING 1,018 MY 2008 ALTIMA VEHICLES. 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.

Risk: If the bolt were to come out, the driver May experience difficulty controlling the direction of the vehicle which could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

IF THE BOLT WERE TO COME OUT, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will tighten the transverse link bolt to specification free of charge. The recall began on August 11, 2008. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Electrical System

Dec 28, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V599000 · 114 vehicles

Problem: 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. If the TPMS is turned off, it would not alert the driver to a decrease in the tire pressure as designed.

Original NHTSA wording

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. IF THE TPMS IS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD NOT ALERT THE DRIVER TO A DECREASE IN THE TIRE PRESSURE AS DESIGNED.

Risk: Driving on under-inflated tires is unsafe and could result in a crash.

Original NHTSA wording

DRIVING ON UNDER-INFLATED TIRES IS UNSAFE AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy & notes

Dealers will check the TPMS function and reactivate it if necessary. The recall began on January 18, 2008. Owners May contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.

Nissan recall no. P7267.customers May also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Structure312

Unknown or other199

Visibility188

Air Bags142

Engine74

Vehicle Speed Control35

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Brake Master Cylinder Internal Leak

PE11020 · opened May 23, 2011 · closed Mar 14, 2012

Summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE11-020 to investigate possible brake performance loss due to brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster in the subject vehicles.A total of 237 complaints were identified by ODI and Nissan.The majority of complaints and warranty claims reported that brake malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illumination as the only symptom of a problem.Only 12 complaints alleged any effect on brake performance and in each of these the drivers were able to stop the vehicles without incident.No crash claims could be attributed to the alleged defect. Returned part analysis data provided by Nissan showed that most of the master cylinders replaced under warranty did not have a leak condition.These replacements may have resulted from brake MIL illumination due to pad wear.For most of the warranty claims, in a few cases where a master cylinder leak was found, Nissan's testing showed that the leaks were extremely slow and would require thousands of miles or months of driving before brake performance could be affected.After an extensive study of replaced master cylinders for a presumed leak, Nissan was unable to identify any concern with the parts or design of the subject components that could affect brake performance. Nevertheless, Nissan does recognize a concern with premature brake MIL illumination and has decided to address this problem by conducting a voluntary service campaign covering approximately 1.17 million model year 2…

2008 vs. other Nissan Altima years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2008. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2008 Nissan Altima have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns covering the 2008 Nissan Altima, the latest from Sep 10, 2010 (equipment). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Altima?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention structure (312), unknown or other (199), visibility (188). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.