Problems · NHTSA complaints

2008 Nissan Xterra problems

Owners filed 119 complaints about the 2008 Nissan Xterra with NHTSA between Jan 2008 and Aug 2025. The most-cited component is power train (47).

Complaints
119
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
9
Reported by owners
Fires
3
Reported by owners
Injuries
6
People reported injured
Deaths
0
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train47
  2. Air bags23
  3. Engine23
  4. Electrical system11
  5. Fuel/propulsion system9
  6. Engine and engine cooling8
  7. Fuel system, gasoline8
  8. Service brakes7
  9. Electronic stability control (esc)4
  10. Service brakes, hydraulic4
  11. Wheels3
  12. Structure3
  13. Tires3
  14. Vehicle speed control2

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 8, 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
20082
20099
201010
20114
20125
20139
20146
201520
201611
201712
20188
201912
20201
20213
20222
20234
20240
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

47 reports3 crashes1 fire
“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 light illuminated. The contact restarted the vehicle, and the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that the instrument panel displayed that the gear shifter was in reverse while shifted into drive. The instrument panel also displayed that the gear shifter was in neutral while shifted into reverse. The contact stated that to prevent the vehicle from rolling away, the wheels were chocked, and parking brake was engaged. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2025Power trainODI 11679906

Air bags

23 reports5 crashes1 fire2 related recalls
“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 contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Oct 19, 2023Air bagsODI 11550755

Engine

23 reports1 fire
“THE RADIATOR HAS TAKEN IN FLUIDS FROM THE TRANSMISSION OR? THE RADIATOR FLUID APPEARS MILKY AND LOTION LIKE CONSISTENCY FROM THE RADIATOR AND OVERFLOW TANK IT HAS BEEN SHIFTING VERY LOUD AND HARD..”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2020Power train, Unknown or other, EngineODI 11362093

Electrical system

11 reports1 crash2 fires
“Total transmission and radiator failure. a dealership "fixed" the coolant contamination problem when nissan offered the warrantied coverage for what's known as SMOD. all the dealership did was flush the transmission and radiator. they did not repair or replace any components even after being berated by my husband to do so and to do it under the covered warranty.($5k for tranny replacement that we couldn't afford) they claimed the flush had fixed the xterra. less than 3,000 miles later I was driving on the highway with my 2 children in the car and the vehicle just shut off. 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. 1 of which had a concussion. although the xterra only needed a new rear hatch and bumper and etc insurance didn't consider it totalled so it was cosmetically repaired. after reaching out to nissan about the incident they refused to even offer us any sort of discounted repair costs on tranny…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 25, 2021Power train, Electrical systemCrash reportedODI 11426321

Fuel/propulsion system

9 reports
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. 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. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT NO FAILURES WERE FOUND. LATER, WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STALLED AFTER DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 13, 2019Service brakes, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11243511

Engine and engine cooling

8 reports1 crash
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE AND 4WD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. THE CONTACT INSTALLED THE RADIATOR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,316.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 11, 2019Engine and engine cooling, Power trainODI 11231088
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 8, 2026

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