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 XterraProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 119 owner complaints about the 2008 Nissan Xterra, most often about the power train. It is covered by 6 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 August 11, 2025. Updated daily. Photo: 2000chevymontecarlo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Complaints by system
Where the 2008 Nissan Xterra has problems
119 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
47Power train4 crash/fire/injury
23Air bags6 crash/fire/injury
23Engine1 crash/fire/injury
11Electrical system3 crash/fire/injury
9Fuel/propulsion system
8Engine and engine cooling
8Fuel system, gasoline
7Service brakes
4Service brakes, hydraulic
2512 other systems1 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Power train | 47 | 4 |
| Air bags | 23 | 6 |
| Engine | 23 | 1 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 0 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 8 | 1 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 8 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 7 | 1 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 4 | 0 |
| 12 other systems | 25 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
6 recalls
2008 Nissan Xterra 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 2 more recalls
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. THIS STANDARD SPECIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR TIRE SELECTION TO PREVENT OVERLOADING.
no report yet
Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module
Risk. IN ABS/VDC ACTUATORS WITH MORE THAN ONE BALL, IT IS POSSIBLE THAT FLUID FLOW COULD BE BLOCKED AND CAUSE A REDUCTION IN BRAKE FORCE IN ONE OR BOTH FRONT WHEELS…
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?
107kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 44 power train complaints. 41% were reported before 100,000 miles.
5under 30k miles18under 100k miles26100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Power train
9 owners mentioned a cost$6,400median
Middle half: $5,500 – $7,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2008 vs. every other Xterra 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 Xterra median. How we score
'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2008 Nissan Xterra safety ratings
2008 Nissan Xterra 4-DR in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
Side barrierNot rated
- Rollover: 3 stars (25.6% risk)
- Stability control: Standard
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
1 investigation
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2008 Nissan Xterra, and the recalls they led to.
- Transmission FailuresNo recall
In owners' words
What Xterra owners report
Recent power train complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Xterra. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the contact shifted the vehicle into drive, and the vehicle unexpectedly went into reverse with no warning light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the failure reoccurred. The contact stated…
A leak developed in the radiator that allowed engine coolant into the automatic transmission and visa versa. Engine coolant in the automatic transmission can cause sudden failure of the transmission which could cause an accident. This is a known design flaw of Nissan transmissions. Nissan has…
Total transmission and radiator failure. a dealership "fixed" the coolant contamination problem when nissan offered the warrantied coverage for what's known as SMOD. all the dealership did was flush the transmission and radiator. they did not repair or replace any components even after being…
Own a 2008 Xterra?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.