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2008 Nissan Altima

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most Altima years

Owner complaints for the 2008 Nissan Altima are substantially higher than the model-year median of 231.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

685 reports with mileage · 343 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Structure. Review the 312 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Visibility/wiper. Review the 168 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 142 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

53 crash reports13 fire reports26 injury reports

Structure complaints

312 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2014
StructureVisibility/wiper

I BOUGHT A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA IN FLORIDA. I FIRST STARTED TO NOTICE MY DASHBOARD HAD A STICKY RESIDUE IN JULY 2011. IT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE EVERYDAY. I HAVE ALSO BEGIN TO NOTICE MY DASHBOARD IS ALSO CRACKING. I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. THE VISIBILITY HAS BECOME A SAFETY CONCERN. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I C…

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I BOUGHT A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA IN FLORIDA. I FIRST STARTED TO NOTICE MY DASHBOARD HAD A STICKY RESIDUE IN JULY 2011. IT HAS BEEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE EVERYDAY. I HAVE ALSO BEGIN TO NOTICE MY DASHBOARD IS ALSO CRACKING. I KNOW THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. THE VISIBILITY HAS BECOME A SAFETY CONCERN. THERE ARE TIMES WHERE I CAN'T EVEN SEE THE ROAD DUE TO THE GLARE. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO LOOKED AT IF NOT RECALLED. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668891

Mileage unknown · Dec 29, 2014
StructureVisibility/wiper

MY DASHBOARD IS MELTING. WHEN I DRIVE, THE SUN HITS THE DASHBOARD. IT LOOKS LIKE A SHEET OF WATER BECAUSE IT IS MELTED. THE REFLECTION HITS MY EYES AND AFFECTS VISIBILITY. EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES THE DASHBOARD GETS STICKY AND BLACK MARKS. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THIS RESOLVED WITH NISSAN, BUT THEY REFUSE TO COVER ALL OF THE COSTS…

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MY DASHBOARD IS MELTING. WHEN I DRIVE, THE SUN HITS THE DASHBOARD. IT LOOKS LIKE A SHEET OF WATER BECAUSE IT IS MELTED. THE REFLECTION HITS MY EYES AND AFFECTS VISIBILITY. EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES THE DASHBOARD GETS STICKY AND BLACK MARKS. I HAVE TRIED TO GET THIS RESOLVED WITH NISSAN, BUT THEY REFUSE TO COVER ALL OF THE COSTS. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THE HUGE LABOR COSTS AND I DO NOT FEE THAT I SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR A FACTORY DEFECT. THIS IS NOT ONLY COSMETIC, BUT A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668812

53,000 miles · Dec 29, 2014
StructureVisibility/wiper

THE DASHBOARD ON THIS VEHICLE IS MELTING. THIS IS CAUSING A DANGEROUS GLARE WHILE DRIVING. NISSAN WILL DO NOTHING ABOUT THIS. A RECALL NEEDS TO OCCUR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10668800

780,324 miles · Dec 19, 2014
StructureVisibility/wiper

DASHBOARD IS STICKY, MELTING AND CAUSING VISUAL GLARE IMPENDING SITE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10667334

Mileage unknown · Dec 17, 2014
StructureSuspensionVisibility/wiper

THE DASHBOARD HAS MELTED AND IS NOW A SHINY STICKY BLACK SURFACE THAT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. I DID NOT USE ANY CHEMICALS ON THE DASHBOARD BEFORE THIS STARTED APPEARING. ALSO, THE DASHBOARD EMITS GASES THAT FOG THE WINDOW AND CANNOT BE FIXED BY DEFROST. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10666987

Mileage unknown · Dec 16, 2014
StructureCrash

I JUST BROUGHT THE CAR ON THE 12 AND I NOTICE THAT THE DASHBOARD MELTING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10664618

730,000 miles · Dec 15, 2014
Structure

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING WITH THIS STICKY SUBSTANCE THAT CAN'T BE WIPED OFF. IT IS SO BAD NOW THERE IS A TERRIBLE GLARE THAT MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10664212

Mileage unknown · Dec 12, 2014
Structure

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTING AND IT IS CAUSING A DANGEROUS GLARE WHILE DRIVING. NISSAN WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS... *TR

NHTSA ODI #10663992

92,500 miles · Dec 9, 2014
StructureVisibility/wiper

THE DASHBOARD IS MELTED CAUSING AN UNSAFE AND HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITION. THE GLARE PUT OFF BY THE STICKY FILM WHEN THE SUN IS SHINING COMPROMISES THE VISIBILITY. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10663168

45,000 miles · Dec 7, 2014
Structure

THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE HAS A STICKY TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE SPREADING OVER MY DASHBOARD. THIS LIMITS VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING, DRIVING IN THE SUN IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, STREET SIGNS, AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU ARE TRYING TO SEE OUT OF THE FRONT WINDOW. I LOVE MY CAR BUT IT IS DANGEROUS! IT IS IMP…

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THE DASHBOARD ON MY 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE HAS A STICKY TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE SPREADING OVER MY DASHBOARD. THIS LIMITS VISIBILITY WHILE DRIVING, DRIVING IN THE SUN IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE TRAFFIC LIGHTS, STREET SIGNS, AND ANYTHING ELSE YOU ARE TRYING TO SEE OUT OF THE FRONT WINDOW. I LOVE MY CAR BUT IT IS DANGEROUS! IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO CLEAN OR COVER UP . ANYTHING THAT TOUCHES IT GETS TAR LIKE STUFF ON IT THAT WON'T COME OFF.WHEN PUTTING ON AND TAKING OFF THE SUN SHIELD YOU MUST BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO TOUCH ANYTHING WITH THE SUN SHADE OR YOU WILL HAVE TAR IN THE INTERIOR OF YOUR CAR AND YOUR CLOTHES. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10662670

Official recalls

4

10V401000 · Equipment:electrical:navigational System(global Positioning System)

Sep 10, 2010

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.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

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. OWNERS MAY CONTACT GARMIN DIRECTLY AT 1-866-957-1981 OR NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

08V521000 · Air Bags; Electrical System:software

Oct 7, 2008

NISSAN IS RECALLING 204,361 MY 2007-2008 ALTIMA, ALTIMA HYBRID, 350Z, 350Z ROADSTER, MY 2008 ALTIMA COUPE, ROGUE, MY 2009 MURANO, AND INFINITI MY 2007-2008 G35 SEDAN, MY 2008 G37 COUPE AND EX35 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS' OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) CONTROL UNITS. A VARISTOR IN THE OCS CONTROL UNIT LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU).

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING SUPPRESSED WHICH COULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND ACU SYSTEMS USING A SPECIAL TOOL TO CHECK THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. IF NECESSARY, THE SEAT CUSHION (CONTAINING OCS HARDWARE) WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 4, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

Additional source detail variants (2)

Electrical System:software

NISSAN IS RECALLING 204,361 MY 2007-2008 ALTIMA, ALTIMA HYBRID, 350Z, 350Z ROADSTER, MY 2008 ALTIMA COUPE, ROGUE, MY 2009 MURANO, AND INFINITI MY 2007-2008 G35 SEDAN, MY 2008 G37 COUPE AND EX35 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS' OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) CONTROL UNITS. A VARISTOR IN THE OCS CONTROL UNIT LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU).

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING SUPPRESSED WHICH COULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND ACU SYSTEMS USING A SPECIAL TOOL TO CHECK THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. IF NECESSARY, THE SEAT CUSHION (CONTAINING OCS HARDWARE) WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 4, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

Air Bags

NISSAN IS RECALLING 204,361 MY 2007-2008 ALTIMA, ALTIMA HYBRID, 350Z, 350Z ROADSTER, MY 2008 ALTIMA COUPE, ROGUE, MY 2009 MURANO, AND INFINITI MY 2007-2008 G35 SEDAN, MY 2008 G37 COUPE AND EX35 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH CONTINENTAL AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS' OCCUPANT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM (OCS) CONTROL UNITS. A VARISTOR IN THE OCS CONTROL UNIT LOCATED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU).

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN THE PASSENGER AIR BAG BEING SUPPRESSED WHICH COULD FAIL TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE PROTECTION IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TEST THE SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND ACU SYSTEMS USING A SPECIAL TOOL TO CHECK THAT IT IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. IF NECESSARY, THE SEAT CUSHION (CONTAINING OCS HARDWARE) WILL BE REPLACED WITH A NEW ONE MANUFACTURED TO SPECIFICATION. THE RECALL BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 4, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261 OR INFINITI AT 1-800-662-6200.

08V363000 · Suspension

Jul 31, 2008

NISSAN IS RECALLING 1,018 MY 2008 ALTIMA VEHICLES. THE LEFT SIDE FRONT SUSPENSION TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN TIGHTENED TO SPECIFICATION. THIS CONDITION COULD CAUSE THE BOLT TO BECOME LOOSE WHILE THE VEHICLE IS BEING DRIVEN.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF THE BOLT WERE TO COME OUT, THE DRIVER MAY EXPERIENCE DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF THE VEHICLE WHICH COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL TIGHTEN THE TRANSVERSE LINK BOLT TO SPECIFICATION FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 11, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

07V599000 · Electrical System:ignition:module

Dec 28, 2007

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE BODY CONTROL MODULE (BCM) REPLACED DURING SERVICE AT A DEALERSHIP, THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM (TPMS) MAY HAVE BEEN INADVERTENTLY DEACTIVATED DUE TO AN ISSUE WITH THE DEALER SERVICE SOFTWARE. IF THE TPMS IS TURNED OFF, IT WOULD NOT ALERT THE DRIVER TO A DECREASE IN THE TIRE PRESSURE AS DESIGNED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: DRIVING ON UNDER-INFLATED TIRES IS UNSAFE AND COULD RESULT IN A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL CHECK THE TPMS FUNCTION AND REACTIVATE IT IF NECESSARY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON JANUARY 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT NISSAN AT 1-800-647-7261.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

1

PE11020 · Brake Master Cylinder Internal Leak

Opened May 23, 2011 · Closed Mar 14, 2012

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:master Cylinder

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE11-020 to investigate possible brake performance loss due to brake fluid leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster in the subject vehicles.A total of 237 complaints were identified by ODI and Nissan.The majority of complaints and warranty claims reported that brake malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) illumination as the only symptom of a problem.Only 12 complaints alleged any effect on brake performance and in each of these the drivers were able to stop the vehicles without incident.No crash claims could be attributed to the alleged defect. Returned part analysis data provided by Nissan showed that most of the master cylinders replaced under warranty did not have a leak condition.These replacements may have resulted from brake MIL illumination due to pad wear.For most of the warranty claims, in a few cases where a master cylinder leak was found, Nissan's testing showed that the leaks were extremely slow and would require thousands of miles or months of driving before brake performance could be affected.After an extensive study of replaced master cylinders for a presumed leak, Nissan was unable to identify any concern with the parts or design of the subject components that could affect brake performance. Nevertheless, Nissan does recognize a concern with premature brake MIL illumination and has decided to address this problem by conducting a voluntary service campaign covering approximately 1.17 million model year 2007 through 2012 Altima vehicles (up to June 25, 2011 production, the date of Nissan's running change for the longer life brake pad).Nissan's owner letter for the service campaign states, As your brake pads wear over time, the brake fluid level in the master cylinder reservoir will drop and may cause the brake warning lamp to illuminate.?Although this is a normal condition, there has been concern that the brake warning light illumination may be caused by a slow fluid leak over time.Nissan's service campaign will inspect the brake pads and test the master cylinder for leakage.If leakage is detected, Nissan will replace the master cylinder at no charge.If excessive pad wear is observed, customers will be notified and will be responsible for repairs.For more details concerning Nissan's service campaign, see the PE11-020 file on www.Safercar.gov. Based on the low failure rate for confirmed master cylinder leakage in the subject vehicles and the low probability that the condition would affect brake performance, this investigation is closed.

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