AI Damage2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid filed 16 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 16
- involving a crash
- 4
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 31% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 19% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 19% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 6% of all complaints
- 6 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 7 Engine and cooling 6% of all complaints
- 8 Exterior lighting 6% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (31% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (19% of all).
- Engine: 3 complaints (19% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (19% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (6% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 16 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
The contact stated that the brakes failed when applied, causing the contact to crash into a wall and another vehicle. The police were not contacted and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised her that the floor mat could have caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. The contact stated was stopped at a traffic stop with the brakes applied when the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 8,000.
The vehicle began to smoke. The fire department and police were not called to the scene. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an auto body shop for damages sustained in the crash. The authorized dealer inspected the vehicle and was unable to locate the problem.
They suggested that I always use the parking brake. Something that I intend to do. I was not in the car and there was no one in the vehicle that my car hit however, I would like to lodge a complaint for the record and request that there be some sort of review of cases like this.
The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated while driving. The contact was concerned that the air bag could deploy. The contact called paul miller nissan at [phone] (located at 5420, [address], fairfield, [ZIP]) and was informed that there would be a diagnostic fee.
The pedal went down without slowing the car until it was near the bottom of its travel at which time the car came to an abrupt halt, the abs, vdc and brake warning light came on.
1/4 mile away, the car stalled in middle of large intersection making a turn blocking everyone. When it recovered, I returned and he again claimed there was nothing they could do and kept askin
Nissan dealer is saying I must replace part # 48700-9n00b, this same part is under extended warranty on the altima 2009-2012. Can I get a new version of these.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 9,040 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 25% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Altima Hybrid has 23 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 16, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, electrical system, engine. Total complaints: 16. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), vibration (13%), airbag warning light (6%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2008 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.