repaired · 2025 Q3
Air bags: frontal
Risk. A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
2008 Nissan FrontierProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 136 owner complaints about the 2008 Nissan Frontier, most often about the power train. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 23V-067 the manufacturer reports only 16% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 29, 2024. Updated daily. Photo: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Nissan Frontier has problems
136 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
54Power train1 crash/fire/injury
26Engine1 crash/fire/injury
21Air bags4 crash/fire/injury
13Fuel/propulsion system
13Electrical system1 crash/fire/injury
10Service brakes, hydraulic
9Engine and engine cooling
4Seat belts
4Steering
2714 other systems
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 54 | 1 |
| Engine | 26 | 1 |
| Air bags | 21 | 4 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 13 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 13 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 10 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 9 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 4 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 |
| 14 other systems | 27 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
5 recalls
2008 Nissan Frontier recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
no report yet
Electrical: navigational system(global positioning system)
Risk. OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
no report yet
Storage: auxillary tank
Risk. THIS COULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO RUN OUT OF GAS AND STALL IN TRAFFIC, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Air bags: frontal
Risk. THIS ISSUE COULD RESULT IN THE NON-DEPLOYMENT OF THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAGS IN A CRASH, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Show 1 more recall
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR TIRE SELECTION TO PREVENT OVERLOADING.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Nissan.
Mileage at failure
When do power train problems start?
96kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 46 power train complaints. 54% were reported before 100,000 miles.
0under 30k miles25under 100k miles21100k miles or more
Best & worst years
2008 vs. every other Frontier year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Frontier median. How we score
'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2008 Nissan Frontier, and the recalls they led to.
- Transmission FailuresNo recall
In owners' words
What Frontier owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at speeds over 40 MPH, the vehicle would shake and vibrate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the radiator fluid had leaked into the transmission causing severe damage to the transmission.…
The transmission cooler integrated into the radiator failed damaging the transmission by cross contamination of fluids. Loss of power on a narrow country mountain road was not safe. I learned that this problem is very common. I feel that Nissan should have replaced the radiator before thousands in…
Transmission fluid cooler integrated in the radiator that allowed engine coolant to mix with and contaminate the automatic transmission fluid causing damage to the transmission. Radiator had to be replaced along with flushing out of the trans fluid at a service station costing a few thousand of…
Own a 2008 Frontier?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.