The Lemon Index2008 Nissan Altima.
The 2008 Nissan Altima is better than average by owner complaints: 174 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 65, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about brakes, it has 4 recalls, and it gets 22 to 34 mpg combined. The best Nissan Altima year is 2022.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 1,046 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Nissan Altima year. 2008 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 40K to 100K miles on the car (698 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- body structure complaints mostly came at 45K–85K miles
- wipers & visibility complaints mostly came at 50K–96K miles
- airbags complaints mostly came at 28K–118K miles
Recalls 4
- equipment 2010
NISSAN IS RECALLING CERTAIN VEHICLES THAT WERE EQUIPPED WITH A GARMIN NUVI MODEL 750 NAVIGATION SYSTEM.
- airbags 2008
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 EQUIPPE…
- suspension 2008
NISSAN IS RECALLING 1,018 MY 2008 ALTIMA VEHICLES.
Show all 4 recalls
- electrical 2007
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 T…
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Nissan told dealers about
Nissan sent dealers 117 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- If continuously variable transmission (cvt) fluid temperature rises above a certain threshold, it
- The cvt fail-safe logic has caused a reduction with the vehicle's maximum speed
- "altima, sentra, and rogue; cvt fail-safe condition service information this bulletin has been…
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Government investigations
- ClosedBrake master cylinder internal leak2011–2012
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★★★
Fuel cost and engines
About $1900–3600 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
In owners' words
The passenger airbag indicator shows the airbag to be off with an adult passenger in the seat. Repeated visits to the dealership have resulted in Nissan service stating the system is working properly, but repeated cases continue.
2008 Nissan Altima owner · NHTSA complaint 10297084
More owner reports
Master cylinder leak, had to replace master cylinder or it could have lead to a brake failure.
NHTSA complaint 10438004
I have just purchased a used 2008 Nissan Altima sedan. The brakes are very squeaky. The brakes squeak when you press on them lightly going around 10 mph or less.
NHTSA complaint 10266235
Quick answers
Is the 2008 Nissan Altima reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.5× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 65; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Nissan Altima year by this measure is 2022.
What are the most common 2008 Nissan Altima problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are brakes (29%), airbags (21%) and transmission & drivetrain (9%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2008 Nissan Altima have?
4 safety recalls (latest: equipment). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2008 Nissan Altima get?
22 to 34 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2008 Nissan Altima problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 40,000 and 100,000 miles. The middle report was at 70,000 miles, from 698 complaints.
Does the 2008 Nissan Altima have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 9% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2008 Nissan Altima cost in fuel a year?
About $1900 to $3600 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2008 Nissan Altima have?
2.5L 4-cyl, 3.5L 6-cyl.
What Nissan Altima year is better than the 2008?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2022, 2011 and 2021.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works