2008 Nissan Xterra Recalls, Complaints & Specs
6 safety recalls list the 2008 Nissan Xterra, and owners have filed 119 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
6 safety recalls for the 2008 Nissan Xterra
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Air bags: frontal
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the drivers airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
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Navigational system(global positioning system) (equipment)
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.
Remedy: 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.…
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Auxillary tank (fuel system)
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank when…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or before…
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Air bags: frontal
Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, west…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on january 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years. These owners will be…
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Labels (equipment)
Nissan is recalling 5,523 my 2008 titan, frontier and xterra vehicles for failing to comply to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, 'tire selection and rims for motor vehicles.' the tire placard lists an incorrect vehicle capacity weight.
Remedy: Nissan will mail a correct tire placard and installation instructions to owners of the affected vehicles. The recall began on february 25, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
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Service brakes, hydraulic: control unit/module
On certain sport utility vehicles, the antilock brake system/vehicle dynamic control (ABS/vdc) actuator is designed with one ball in the valve section. Some ABS/vdc actuators were manufactured with more than one ball in the valve.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the ABS/vdc actuator with a new one. The recall began on december 31, 2007. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
119 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2008 Nissan Xterra have filed 119 complaints with NHTSA; 9 describe a crash and 3 describe a fire. Reports cite 6 injuries and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 89,298 miles. Complaints peaked in 2015 with 20 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Xterra. 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 li”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, August 11, 2025 · Power train
“The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Xterra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 19, 2023 · Air bags
Fuel economy and specs
EPA ratings for the 2008 Nissan Xterra (Xterra 2WD, Xterra 4WD). Ranges cover every tested configuration.
| Combined | 16–17 mpg |
|---|---|
| City / Highway | 14–16 / 20 |
| Fuel | Regular |
| EPA class | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
| Engine | 6 cyl, 4 L |
| Transmission | Automatic 5-spd; Manual 6-spd |
Compare Nissan Xterra model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Nissan Xterra model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Nissan Xterra | 3 | 214 |
| 2001 Nissan Xterra | 3 | 150 |
| 2002 Nissan Xterra | 5 | 157 |
| 2003 Nissan Xterra | 3 | 72 |
| 2004 Nissan Xterra | 2 | 84 |
| 2005 Nissan Xterra | 3 | 845 |
| 2006 Nissan Xterra | 3 | 780 |
| 2007 Nissan Xterra | 1 | 557 |
| 2008 Nissan Xterra | 6 | 119 |
| 2009 Nissan Xterra | 3 | 19 |
| 2010 Nissan Xterra | 4 | 38 |
| 2011 Nissan Xterra | 2 | 24 |
| 2012 Nissan Xterra | 2 | 16 |
| 2013 Nissan Xterra | 0 | 4 |
| 2014 Nissan Xterra | 0 | 10 |
| 2015 Nissan Xterra | 0 | 10 |
Checking a specific 2008 Nissan Xterra
How do I know if my 2008 Nissan Xterra has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 6 campaigns currently list the 2008 Nissan Xterra; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Nissan dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 07V528000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Nissan models
- Altima15,472 complaints
- Pathfinder7,355 complaints
- Rogue7,322 complaints
- Maxima6,955 complaints
- Murano5,958 complaints
- Sentra5,954 complaints
- Frontier3,357 complaints
- Versa3,325 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.