2008 Nissan Maxima: problems, recalls and reliability
0 recalls and 78 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is air bags (25% of complaints).
Data updated weekly
0
recalls
78
owner complaints
0
fire reports
81,000
typical failure mileage, mi
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
No fire reportsNo recall campaignsProblems tend to appear late (median 81,000 mi)Weak spot: air bags (25%)
Common problems
Computed from 78 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
Air Bags (airbags and crash sensors)25% · 19 complaints
Structure (body, frame, doors, rust)23% · 17 complaints
Power Train (transmission, axles, driveline)11% · 8 complaints
Tires11% · 8 complaints
Electrical System (battery, wiring, electronics)7% · 5 complaints
Suspension (shocks, springs, ride quality)5% · 4 complaints
“Heavy Rust/corrosion/hole in driver & passenger floorboard. Visible from underneath vehicle when the vehicle is up on the lift. I'm concerned my feet will go through the floor. Inspected by an authorized auto body shop and they confirmed this is very unsafe and a manufacture defect.”Owner report · Structure · Jan 2023
“Airbag light has turned on. They where not deployed. Tried to reset the light but it still came on. Tried to erase the light with obd2 reader but the code never showed. The light turned on out of nowhere. Its been on for months.”Owner report · Suspension · Dec 2019
“Vehicle stopped forward movement in middle lane of I-95 north. Engine revolutions jumped to red zone but no forward movement. Had to coast, in light traffic, to edge of roadway merge lane. Engine then died. Engine re-started about 35 minutes later and traveled to us hwy 1 when same thing happened. Vehicle died in outer lane. State police arrived and assisted in pushing vehicle to business shoulder/driveway entrance. Had vehicle towed approximately 30 miles to transmission shop in fredericksburg, va where they told me the transmission was gone.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2019
Show 7 more owner reports
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan maxima. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator illuminated when the vehicle was started. The indicator remained illuminated for the past week. The dealer (94 nissan of south holland, located at 16269 van dam rd, south holland, il 60473, (708) 333-2000) was contacted by phone and informed of the failure. The contact was informed that a diagnostic test should be performed to verify the cause of the failure, but the contact declined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 96,000.”Owner report · Air Bags · Aug 2019
“The timing chain tensioners prematurely wear, causing a whining noise as the chain rubs against the tensioner while the vehicle is turned on. This wear eventually grinds through the tensioner resulting in complete engine failure which can lead to a crash or injury. This began to happen for me just outside of the manufacturer warranty, and is a costly repair for a part of the engine that should not have to be maintained within the engines expected lifetime.”Owner report · Engine · Mar 2019
“Airbag light keeps flashing. Sensor is defective. Nissan said they dont cover. Its not included on the warranty. Cluster light on dash is blinking on and off making car unsafe to drive.”Owner report · Air Bags · Mar 2018
“The airbag system stopped working. The airbag light continues to flash and the cruise control has stopped working. The vehicle was stationary when this started.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jun 2017
“Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan maxima. While driving approximately 50 mph, the vehicle stalled and the service engine soon warning indicator illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle and drove to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the camshaft position sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure recurred two other times. The manufacturer was not notified. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.”Owner report · Engine · Feb 2017
“Upon starting the car, air bag light continues to blink and does not go out. The indication is that something is wrong with the air bag system, thus making the vehicle unsafe to drive.”Owner report · Air Bags · Jan 2017
“My airbag light stays on when I'm driving and I'm sure it is faulty. Also the light indicator for my tire pressure stays on even though I've put adequate air in the tire. This occurs while the car is motion and when it is not in motion.”Owner report · Electrical System · Jan 2017
When filing, owners marked a crash in 7 of these complaints and injuries in 4 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2008 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
Engines3.5L
Cylinders6
FuelGasoline
How other years compare
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Is the 2008 Nissan Maxima reliable?
NHTSA has 78 owner complaints and 0 recall campaigns on record for the 2008 Nissan Maxima. The most complained-about area is air bags (25% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2008 Nissan Maxima problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 81,000 miles or less.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.