Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Nissan Pathfinder problems

Owners filed 328 complaints about the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder with NHTSA between Nov 2007 and Jan 2025. The most-cited component is power train (155).

Complaints
328
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
7
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train155
  2. Engine61
  3. Fuel/propulsion system51
  4. Air bags41
  5. Fuel system, gasoline30
  6. Engine and engine cooling23
  7. Electrical system21
  8. Vehicle speed control10
  9. Suspension7
  10. Service brakes6
  11. Electronic stability control (esc)4
  12. Structure4
  13. Steering3
  14. Tires3

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 5, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
20071
20082
20093
201014
20117
201213
201326
201446
201550
201650
201736
201829
201923
20208
20217
20225
20236
20241
20251

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Power train

155 reports1 crash
“Crack in defective radiator allowed coolant to mix in with transmission fluid. Coolant caused transmission to fail while driving it. transmission changed gears on its own and would not shift properly and engine just shut down”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 2, 2022Power trainODI 11491867

Engine

61 reports
“Bought vehicle I’m second owner it was sold as is from a dealership with airbag lights on after a certain amount miles check engine light came on said I had e -regular voltage to fuel injectors 1 gear started slipping then loss of power when accelerating next revolutionary trans-sensor went and now when I start the vehicle the A/T ECU Fuse keeps blowing out and the radiator coolant has transmission fluid mixing into it.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 23, 2022Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11486041

Fuel/propulsion system

51 reports
“There was a recall concerning the fuel gauge not working correctly. The sensor in the tank needed replaced. Well my car had that recall fixed or so it says, but it is doing the same thing again. So are you gonna replace it again for no cost?”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 15, 2025Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11636189

Air bags

41 reports7 crashes2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V067000 (Air Bags) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The dealer was not made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 175,610. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 6, 2023Air bagsODI 11548600

Fuel system, gasoline

30 reports1 related recall
“2008 NISSAN PATHFINDER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NEVER BEING NOTIFIED ABOUT FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY RECALL NOTICE (10V-075) UNTIL VEHICLE RAN OUT OF FUEL. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HIS WIFE RAN OUT OF FUEL, WHILE DRIVING ON AN EIGHT LANE FREEWAY, DUE TO THE FUEL GAUGE INACCURACY. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT NISSAN, INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE RECALL ENDED IN 2013. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 12, 2016Fuel system, gasolineODI 10905254

Engine and engine cooling

23 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN PATHFINDER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE DIAGNOSED, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND DAMAGED THE TRANSMISSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 19, 2019Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 11181191
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 5, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.