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: other or unspecified
199 reports, newest first. Show all
Other or unspecified, Apr 25, 2026
Like many others in this make/model, dashboard is melting, resulting in glare onto windshield, off-gassing of chemicals, and concerns that airbags may not properly deploy. Inspected only by vehicle repair technician, but available for inspection by others at any time.
Other or unspecified, Oct 30, 2025
Had to have AC system repaired three times for the same issue. Evaporator/Heater Core needed to be replaced twice along with other repairs to AC system. Nissan would not back up evaporator repair.
Other or unspecified, Jul 5, 2025
I bought this used from a private owner, on consignment at a used car lot Pinellas County FL May 2020. The previous owner installed a dashboard mat to cover up the melting, cracking dashboard, after 5 years of ownership, the dashboard is in serious degraded condition worse when I purchased it. I was unaware of the class action lawsuit 2017 over the safety concerns. Obvious resale value will be an issue as well. I continue to maintain this vehicle with 176,000 miles. I wanted to add my vehicle to the NHTSA complaint against Nissan for this issue and the loss of value upon resale. That would be great if NHTSA gets Nissan to issue nation wide recall, but given Nissan dire financial issues, it's unlikely they will recall for this issue
Structure, Other or unspecified, Dec 21, 2024
The dashboard of the car melted that causes a very bright glare.
Other or unspecified, Sep 16, 2024
Dashboard material defective melted sticky and very reflective. No idea how toxic could be.
Other or unspecified, May 3, 2024
The dash is melting from the heat and is very sticky. It’s really unsafe due to the glare that affects the driver vision. It has already caused me to have one near miss when a tractor pulled into road and I was unable to see him until the last second. Then I jerked the steering missing the tractor.
Other or unspecified, Jan 11, 2024
The dashboard is sticky and melted down. Also has cracks from the heat.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Oct 23, 2023
Glare off dash board is blinding on sunny days. Dashboard is melting, the melted dash reflection is distraciton/ binding on sunny days, and smell from dash is not pleasant. Not knowing actual product that is melting is concerning since melting plastics and vinyl can be toxic. Took car out for ride on sunny day had to pull over because of glare dashboard. Tried to contact Nissan about any products to resurface and contain the melted mess an smell. They offered no solutions besides take in to local dearliship. Not shelling out 500 dollars for nationally known defective material. You can contact any quality managment firm or producer that have working knowledge with plastics and vinyl to confirm that this is a major quality defect. I can not even find out what actual material was used to cover for soft dash.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Aug 18, 2023
The dash as a sticky substance that causing a bad glare.Back rear window as a film on it blocking vision.And car as foul Oder when you get in it.
Structure, Other or unspecified, May 13, 2023
The dashboard of this vehicle has become sticky to the touch and excessively shiny, and appears to be melting in spots, causing glare on the windshield that obstructs vision while driving.
Other or unspecified, Mar 28, 2023
The dashboard is melting. It's sticky and shinny. On sunny days it causes a glare on the windshield making it hard to see out of it.
Other or unspecified, Mar 5, 2023
The dashboard in my 2008 Nissan Altima has been melting, cracking and deteriorating. When it is warm outside, It’s sticky to the touch and becomes glossy causing a major glare on my windshield plus, if I graze a finger nail across it when wiping it for dust or cleaning the windshield it comes apart showing nicks and indentations. I looked this up on the web today and apparently there was a class action lawsuit filed against Nissan that was settled in 2017 for 2008 and 2009 models but on for those folks living in Florida. I live in North Carolina. I started to notice this in 2016 but didn’t give it much thought because the car is garage kept and I have a company car so I only drive this vehicle now sparingly (mainly on weekends). You can’t see how sticky it is by the photos so I took my car registration paper and stuck it to the dash. The dash when warm has a “sticky note” type feel to it. The hotter it gets the more glazed and sticky the dashboard becomes. Today it’s on 61 degrees: https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2021/nissan-melting-dashboard-lawsuit.shtml https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/melting-dashboards-consumers-demand-answers-recall-from-nissan/232577/
Other or unspecified, Structure, Oct 24, 2022
2008 Nissan Altima: Noticed this year a shiny gleam on the dashboard. This windshield gets hazy. The dashboard is melting, it is sticking and shiny. When a fingernail is pressed, it will actually sink into the dashboard and leave a mark. The dashboard cannot take any cleaning or friction. When the dashboard is touched it leaves fingers sticky. Became more of an issue this year now that I have a grandchild. MY other vehicle is a mini cooper 2 door which is not feasible to hold a car seat and baby. I now have the carseat in the Nissan and now it has become more of a problem because i cannot use the other car as alternative transportation when I have my grandchild. It is very difficult to drive with the glare it causes, and it is a safety issue not only for me but for others. When the sun is out and it is hot (this summer) it is worst and causes the windshield to get hazy. Not sure if it is leaking chemicals as the dashboard is now soft, shiny and cannot be removed by cleaning. The glare is very dangerous and difficult to drive under the conditions. Thank You, [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
Other or unspecified, Jun 2, 2022
Melting dashboard causing sun & lights to reflect in face when driving.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Apr 19, 2022
The dashboard in this vehicle similar to other Nissan models that have already been recalled is cracked, sticky, shiny and glossy. It’s dangerous to have cracks in the dashboard in case of airbag deployment. The glossy shiny dashboard creates a blinding glare and is extremely dangerous while driving. It creates a glare that makes the front windshield appear black and unable to see through.
Structure, Other or unspecified, Mar 29, 2022
Problem - Car dashboard is melting and becoming sticky due to heat. Safety - Severe glare from the black dashboard on the windshield makes it a safety risk to drive on the roads during day time. Potential health hazard due to melting dashboard material and any harmful gases from dashboard material while driving the car with heater or AC ON. This is a known issue to Nissan and a class action lawsuit was filed and settled in the state of FL.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Mar 7, 2022
My vehicle was purchased used in North Carolina October 2015 and after about 3 years I noticed my dash became very sticky. In the last year there is now I glare from the dash on my windshield. I just recently discovered this is a manufacturer's defect that was only covered in FL.
Other or unspecified, Feb 23, 2022
Dash board melting , becomes sticky and puts off a severe glare in the windshield. Class action lawsuit in Florida identified this as a design issue and made Nissan responsible due to dashboard melting under heat from sun.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Engine, Feb 20, 2022
When I start my car and let it warm up, then reverse then put it in drive, I put my foot on the gas and the RPMS SHOOT UP TO 3 to 4 RPMS, I have to remove my four from the gas then my car is very slow and stays at 2 1/2 - 3 RPMS for several miles . Checked Fluids etc and still have the same issue with it every day. Also my passenger air bag is always off , no matter if someone who is 50 lbs or 250 lbs it is always off and I can not get it to come on . Finally when using my turn signals my blinkers work but never go off unless I manually do it myself. And I fo not get a warning sound telling me that my blinker is still on . It will stay on for hours if I do not notice it and I am driving long distance.
Other or unspecified, Jan 16, 2022
Dashboard is cracking, sticky, gooey and melting in places
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Dec 6, 2021
The dashboard covering has deteriorated to the point it is sticky and shiny. Sun glare on the dash reflects off the windshield making it difficult to see. This is a known defect of this Make, Model and Year. State of Florida settled with the manufacturer and owner's cars were repaired.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Oct 3, 2021
Air bag light on dash board. Which I don’t know if it’s related to the melting windshield issue. Top of dashboard melting and causing severe reflection on windshield and I almost ran someone over because of the severe windshield glare due to melting dashboard causing blinding reflection. Nissan defect is a liability and negligence which needs to be recalled. This is not a cosmetic issue!!! It is a great safety hazard and easily cause a fatal accident since due to the manufacturer’s defect it is unsafe to drive. This needs to be recalled because they will be held accountable if someone dies.
Other or unspecified, Sep 28, 2021
The Dashboard is melting and creates a glare on the windshield, making it difficult and dangerous when driving on a sunny day. The glare is such that anyone or thing in front of the vehicle is very hard to see.
Other or unspecified, Visibility/wiper, Aug 15, 2021
The dashboard is defective and breaking down chemically. The chemical compound that the dashboard is made of is not resistant to sunlight causing it to crack break down and become very shiny. Not only does this admit harmful toxins that can be breathed in by the passengers, more dangerously it creates a glare on the windshield making it difficult to see through the window. This can impair vision resulting in an accident by the driver. In addition from what I understand the airbag is under this piece of equipment which is degrading and faulty.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jul 22, 2021
While driving down the highway at about 60 mph the vehicle shut off and has not restarted in almost 2 weeks. There was no indication or warning of any engine trouble prior to it shutting off. Luckily, I was getting off an exit and nobody was injured. Had I NOT been exciting the highway, there would have most certainly been a MULTI vehicle accident with severe injuries and possibly even death because of the high speeds. Once the car was completely stopped and off towards the shoulder I tried to restart but got a fast clicking noise, but wouldn't start. Let the car sit for a little tried to jump start it, but now the key indicator was being displayed which means the car wasn't recognizing the key even in the slot. This leads me to believe the security system/ immobilizer could've been what caused it to shut off. The car has not been looked at yet. Still waiting for Nissan dealer to diagnose it.