AI Damage2008 Nissan Xterra: common problems
Owners of the 2008 Nissan Xterra filed 119 complaints with NHTSA, most often about powertrain and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 119
- involving a crash
- 9
What fails most often
- 1 Powertrain 39% of all complaints
- 2 Air bags 19% of all complaints
- 3 Engine 19% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 11% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 9% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel/propulsion system 8% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel system 8% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- Powertrain: 47 complaints (39% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Air bags: 23 complaints (19% of all), 5 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 23 complaints (19% of all).
- Service brakes: 13 complaints (11% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (9% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engines and transmissions
US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.
- 4 L · petrol · 6 cylnamed in 1 complaints
- automatic, 5-speed
- manual, 6-speednamed in 2 complaints
Drive: RWD, AWD
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 119 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain | 47 | 3 | 0 |
| Air bags | 23 | 5 | 0 |
| Engine | 23 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 13 | 1 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 2 | 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.
no warning lights or behaviors just shut off at 70+mph on the highway. while sitting broke down [pulled off highway edge as far as I could after vehicle died and before it coasted to a complete stop] we were then rear-ended and my 2 kids spent 2 days being monitored in a children's hospital.
The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained minor injuries and bruises to the hands; however, medical attention was not required. The vehicle was towed to an independent facility. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
While driving through the intersection, my vehicle suddenly lost power causing me to get rear ended. Very minimal damage to my vehicle but my daughter was in the car with me.
The driver frontal air bag failed to deployed; however, the drivers frontal air bag light indicated that the air bag deployed. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the left should, elbow, back and hip. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
I believe that my airbag deployed on it's own for no apparent reason resulting in knocking me unconscious thereby causing an accident.
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 that the Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) & the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) warning lights were illuminated. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired but was pending repairs. A dealer was not contacted.
While operating the vehicle, the fuel gauge displayed false readings. The gauge showed that the fuel tank had less fuel than what was actually present. Also, on several occasions, the brake pedal traveled to the floorboard when it was depressed and the vehicle did not immediately stop.
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 3,153 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Xterra has 172 complaints (18 years in the data). This year has 119, below average.
What to check before buying
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Xterra 2000214 sources
- Xterra 2001150 sources
- Xterra 2002157 sources
- Xterra 200372 sources
- Xterra 200484 sources
- Xterra 2005845 sources
- Xterra 2006780 sources
- Xterra 2007557 sources
- Xterra 200919 sources
- Xterra 201038 sources
- Xterra 201124 sources
- Xterra 201216 sources
- Xterra 20134 sources
- Xterra 201410 sources
- Xterra 201510 sources
- Xterra 201630 sources
- Xterra 99993 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Xterra?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: powertrain, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 119. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (13%), airbag warning light (8%), transmission slipping (8%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2008 Nissan Xterra?
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 Xterra 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.