2008 Nissan Altima
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Structure is the leading concern among 1,029 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 26 Altima model years with reports.
Of the 2008 reports, 53 involved a crash and 13 involved a fire. 33 people were injured and 2 people died.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Equipment, electrical, navigational system(global positioning system)Sep 10, 2010
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.
OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
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.
Campaign 10V401000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsOct 7, 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 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).
THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING SUPPRESSED WHICH COULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.
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.
Campaign 08V521000 on NHTSA.gov
SuspensionJul 31, 2008
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.
IF THE BOLT WERE TO COME OUT, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
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.
Campaign 08V363000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, ignition, moduleDec 28, 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 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.
DRIVING ON UNDER-INFLATED TIRES IS UNSAFE AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.
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.
Campaign 07V599000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: hydraulic
57 reports, newest first. Show all
Service brakes, Hydraulic, May 18, 2009
MY 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA HAD SQUEAKY BRAKES FOR MONTHS BEFORE DEALERSHIP WOULD ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. FIRST TIME I TOOK CAR IN ABOUT BRAKES WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKES SOMETIMES MAKE A NOISE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT. SECOND TIME THEY TOLD ME THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE BRAKES AND BOTH CALIPERS ON FRONT.EVERYTHING WAS FIXED ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE BULLETIN. I'VE NOTICED THAT MY TRANSMISSION MAKES A WHINNY NOISE WHEN DRIVING UP GRADES. TOOK IT IN AND WAS TOLD THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE REPORTED PROBLEM. GO FIGURE.. I WISH SOMEONE WOULD DO US ALL A FAVOR AND RECALL THIS VEHICLE. PLEASE! WE ALL HAVE BEEN RIPPED OFF BY NISSAN! CAR HAS HAD TOO MANY PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE! REGRET BUYING IT!! *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Apr 21, 2009
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. *TR
Steering, Service brakes, Hydraulic, Engine and engine cooling, Tires, Wheels, Apr 2, 2009
VEHICLE RIDES UNSTABLE. SHARP TURNS CAUSES CAR TO BECOME UNSTABLE, LOSES CONTROLS OF TURN. TIRES OR RIMS UNBALANCED. HAVE VEHICLE SEEM MANY TIMES AND THE PROBLEM CAN NOT BE CORRECTED. NEITHER REPRESENTATIVE WOULD CONFIRM PROBLEM. TOLD BY AMERICAN TIRES SALE ASSOCIATE, NISSAN WILL NOT REIMBURSE THEM FOR CORRECTING THE PROBLEMS. THEY REBALANCED THE TIRES, BUT THIS DID NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ADVISE RIGHT FRONT TIRE PROBLEM, BUT THEY WOULD NOT GIVE A WRITE UP ON THE PROBLEM. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD TOO MANY RECALLS. HANLEES RICHMOND HILLTOP NISSAN SHOULD HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE MANY RECALLS, PRIOR TO SELLING THIS VEHICLE. MARCH 26, 2009 HAD CAR IN FOR SERVICING, DRIVER SEAT BROKEN, BRAKE HARDWARE DAMAGED - BRAKES REPLACED. MILEAGE AT TIME OF SERVICING 12,800. I HAD COMPLAINED ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS FROM DAY ONE. I SPOKE WITH THE FINANCE ASSOCIATE ABOUT REPLACING THE CAR, BUT HE REFUSED.. I HAVE NOTED FROM SERVICING ORDER ON MARCH 26, 2009 - HEAT SHIELD PROBLEM - HIGH RPM ON INITIAL STARTUP. ANTIOCH SERVICE ADVISOR DID NOT ADDRESS THIS MATTER, BECAUSE NISSAN HAS NOT ISSUED A CORRECTION ORDER ON THIS AS OF TODAY. THIS IS A BRAND NEW CAR THAT HAS MANY PROBLEMS FROM THE FIRST DAY OF PURCHASE! I HAVE TRIED SO MANY TIMES TO GET HELP FROM THE SERVICE CENTER AS WELL AS NISSAN CONSUMER SERVICES. NOT HELP!!! *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Mar 31, 2009
I HAVE A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE WITH 30K MILES AND THE BRAKES ARE SQUEAKING NONSTOP. I TOOK THE PAD OFF ON ALL 4 SIDES AND THERE IS PLENTY OF PAD LEFT. I SANDED THE SYFACE OF THE PAD, CLEANED THE BRAKE ASSEMBLY AND STILL THEY SQUEAK NON STOP. THE ONLY TIME THEY WILL NOT SQUEAK IS IF I BRAKE SUPER HARD. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Air bags, Seats, Dec 31, 2008
DRIVERS SEAT SQUIRMS MOVES AND IS NOT RIGID. DEALERSHIP SAYS THEY CAN NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. EVERY TIME I TURN THE SEAT MAKES NOISE AND SOUNDS SQUIRMS LIKE ITS NOT PROPERLY SECURE. THE PASSENGER AIRBAG LIGHT ALSO COMES ON WHEN A FULLY GROWN ADULT IS SITTING IN IT. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY ON AN AVERAGE OF 4-5 TIMES MONTHLY. WHEN THE AIRBAG LIGHT COMES ON THE PASSENGER AIRBAG IS DEACTIVATED NOT PROTECTING THE INDIVIDUAL. THERE IS ALSO AN ISSUE WITH THE BRAKES WHEN PRESSED SOMETIMES THE BRAKES IN THE FRONT DO NOT GRAB PROPERLY AND THEY GRIND BADLY CAUSING THE CAR NOT TO STOP AS WELL . THE DEALERSHIP SAYS CAN NOT REPLICATE BUT STATED THEY ARE AWARE OF THESE PROBLEMS AND THAT NISSAN MAY ISSUE A RECALL. FOR THE TIME BEING THE CAR IS UNSAFE AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Nov 22, 2008
2008 NISSAN ALTIMA 7,000 MILES FRONT BRAKE PADS ARE TOO HARD. THEY CUT INTO THE BRAKE ROTORS AND CAUSE CAR TO STOP POORLY. THEY ALSO SCREECH. WHEN STOPPING. AT 7,500 SERVICE SHOP TURNED THE ROTORS BUT DID NOT REPLACE THE PADS, SO THE HARD PADS WILL CONTINUE TO CUT INTO ROTORS AND MAKE STOPPING DIFFICULT. MY 20005 FORD FREESTYLE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND FORD RECALLED AND REPLACED PADS WITH SOFTER ONES AND CURED THE PROBLEMS. NUMEROUS OWNERS OF 2007 AND 2008 NISSAN ALTIMAS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM PLEASE INVESTIGATE. *TR
Service brakes, Hydraulic, Aug 16, 2008
I PURCHASED A NEW 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA IN MARCH OF 2008, AFTER 2000 MILES I HEARD THE BRAKES START TO SQUEAK, I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AUGUST 8TH AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE BRAKES, THEY DID AND TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE THE CALIPERS REPLACED, I ASKED IF THERE WAS A RECALL AND WAS TOLD NO, THERE IS A BULLETIN THOUGH. I THOUGHT THAT OTHER OWNERS SHOULD HAVE THIS PROBLEM BROUGHT TO THEIR ATTENTION BEFORE THE WARRANTY IS UP AND THEY HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR OUT OF POCKET. *TR