2008 Nissan Altima Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a dashboard pad that turns sticky and glossy with age and then reflects sunlight across the windshield. Passenger airbag warning lights that stay on, CVT transmission trouble at higher mileage, and brake noise or a brake warning lamp are the other recurring themes, with complaints spread from very low mileage up past 150,000 miles.

1. 1
   Body and structure

   Sticky, melting dashboard that glares on the windshield

   • 510 complaints (50%)
   • median 72,000 mi at 6.7 yrs old (280 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,830 (median of 22 quotes)
   • filed 2012–2026

   Complaints describe the top of the dashboard becoming tacky and shiny over time, leaving a residue that is hard to wipe off. Owners say the glossy surface reflects sunlight onto the windshield and reduces forward visibility, most noticeably when driving toward a low sun. Several asked dealers about replacement and report being told there was no recall or coverage, and some paid for or considered an independent dashboard replacement. Reported from roughly 25,000 to 120,000 miles, often after several years of sun exposure in warm climates.

   What to check: Run a hand over the dash top on a sunny day and look for a tacky or mirror-like finish, then sit in the driver's seat and check how much it reflects into the glass. Ask whether the dash pad has ever been replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The dashboard is starting to melt. I thought it was just dirty, but in fact, when I tried cleaning it, a sticky glue type substance came up. This has become a safety hazard as the shiny glare shines on the windshield making it hard to see. I did a basic search on the internet to find out that this is a common issue with my vehicle.”

   NHTSA complaint #11349957, filed 2020-08, 100,000 miles

   “The dashboard is starting to melt bad. I've been trying to protech it with sunshades but it still continues to melt. This is causing glare on my windshield and causing obstruction for my driving and becoming a safety issue. Not sure why nhsta is waiting for some accident to happen. I would request recall and fix the dashboard issue”

   NHTSA complaint #10783042, filed 2015-10, 80,000 miles
2. 2
   Brakes

   Brake noise, brake warning light and sudden brake loss

   • 115 complaints (11%)
   • median 44,140 mi at 4.1 yrs old (104 state mileage)
   • 17 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $550 (median of 14 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2026

   Owners describe squealing or grinding from the brakes shortly after purchase, and in some cases a brake warning lamp on the cluster that led a dealer to replace the master cylinder. Other complaints describe the pedal going down with little or no braking response, brakes that stayed applied, and an anti-lock system that did not engage on a wet road. Dealers reportedly inspected or replaced master cylinders and resurfaced rotors. Brake noise and warning-light cases appear from under 10,000 miles up to about 27,000, while loss-of-braking complaints come in much later, including one past 150,000 miles.

   4 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for brake service records and whether the master cylinder or the brake warning lamp was ever addressed; have the fluid level, pedal feel and rotors checked before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I would like to report a chronic brake problem I have had with my 2008 Nissan Altima, since the date of purchase in may of 2008. To date, I have had to bring in the car for repairs ranging from squealing noises right down to out and out grinding which began only 3-4k miles after I purchased the car. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10346504, filed 2010-07, 3,800 miles

   “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, filed 2009-04, 27,252 miles
3. 3
   Air bags

   Passenger airbag OFF light and seat sensor faults

   • 95 complaints (9%)
   • median 73,200 mi at 7.2 yrs old (64 state mileage)
   • owner-quoted repair $800 (median of 9 quotes)
   • filed 2007–2025

   Owners describe the passenger airbag warning light or an airbag off message appearing whether the seat is empty or occupied, sometimes intermittently. Dealers and independent shops diagnosed the front passenger seat cushion sensor or occupant classification hardware and, in some cases, applied a software update; owners report the light returning after the repair. Several checked their VIN against the occupant classification recall and were told their vehicle was not included. Mostly reported between about 50,000 and 160,000 miles, in vehicles bought both new and used.

   Recall 08V5210001 related service bulletin

   What to check: With the engine running, confirm the passenger airbag status shows ON with an adult in the seat, and ask the seller whether the occupant classification recall or any related software update was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My 2008 Altima sedan had about 50,000 miles on it when in december 2017 I experienced an air bag warning light that flashed on the instrument cluster along with a warning light on the dash that indicated the passenger air bag was off. These warnings appeared no matter if the passenger seat was empty or if an adult passenger occupied it. This happened anytime the car was running (stopped or moving at any speed). I went online and found out that my VIN was not covered by any active recalls. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11066669, filed 2018-02, 50,000 miles

   “Supplemental safety airbag seatbelt the light keeps blinking and does not go off this a safety issue I took it to dealer and they said it is not a safety issue. I have a seatbelt malfunctioning”

   NHTSA complaint #11316412, filed 2020-03, 186,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   CVT slipping, loss of power and limp mode

   • 131 complaints (13%)
   • median 81,650 mi at 6.8 yrs old (104 state mileage)
   • 15 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $2,000 (median of 7 quotes)
   • filed 2008–2025

   Complaints describe the car losing power or refusing to accelerate beyond 20-30 mph, sometimes with a hard jerk, and recovering only after being shut off for a few minutes. Owners report transmission fault codes, a torque converter code, and in several cases a shop concluding the transmission needed replacement. Dealers and shops are described as quoting a rebuild or replacement rather than a minor repair. Mostly reported above 90,000 miles, with many of these complaints past 150,000 miles.

   What to check: Test drive long enough to reach highway speed and watch for hesitation, shuddering or a delay engaging drive; ask whether the CVT fluid was serviced and whether the transmission was ever replaced.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “I had picked up a nail in my tire on my way home that I didn't know about which came out while I was on highway 94 (traveling at the posted speed limit of 65mph) which cause my vehicle to veer to on coming traffic so. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11324037, filed 2020-05, 100,000 miles

   “We were driving on I-695 in baltimore area when I started to notice that while pressing acceleration paddle, the car was not moving forward. It started to stall and eventually stopped completely. Luckily, I was able to pull it to the curbside before a collision may have occurred. But someone with less driving capabilities may have ended up in an accident due to the car stalling without any warning. Later on I found out the transmission failed and Nissan didn't care at all when I contacted them. I got transmission replaced myself. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11359773, filed 2020-09, 170,000 miles
5. 5
   Air bags

   Airbag did not deploy in a crash

   • 55 complaints (5%)
   • median 72,000 mi at 6.5 yrs old (40 state mileage)
   • 22 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2008–2026

   Owners describe frontal collisions in which the airbags did not go off, in some cases after a warning light had already appeared on the dash. Complaints include a low-speed rear-end impact, a highway collision where only some airbags deployed, and a crash that totaled the car. Owners report dealers telling them a sensor may need replacement or that no fault was found. Reported from about 37,000 to 220,000 miles; several cases followed a previously noted airbag warning light.

   What to check: Check that the airbag warning light goes out after the bulb self-test at start-up and ask whether any airbag sensor or module work has been done.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My husband was just in his first wreck this past week or so in our Nissan Altima 2008 2.5 s, and prior to the accident we had noticed our passenger air bag light had came on out of no where. Well, it didn't deploy when he got into the accident. Every other air bag except the passenger one deployed. Even the ones in our seatbelt area didn't deploy all the way. The wreck happened on a highway. The man my husband rear ended was yielding to turn left. My husband was going 35-40mph.”

   NHTSA complaint #11337192, filed 2020-07, 150,000 miles

   “The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Altima. While driving approximately 10 MPH, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. The air bag warning light illuminated on the instrument panel after the crash. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer for a diagnostic test. The technicians stated that the sensor may have to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 37,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #10439181, filed 2011-12, 37,000 miles

Buying note. The dashboard condition is easy to inspect and is the most common owner complaint, so check it in direct sunlight before anything else. Beyond that, have the brakes and the CVT checked by a shop familiar with these cars, and confirm the passenger airbag status light behaves correctly before committing to a purchase.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.