IllustrationAIRBAG 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.
2008 Nissan Maxima
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Similar to other model years
Owner complaints for the 2008 Nissan Maxima do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 99.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Maxima years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
120–25K
625–50K
1050–75K
1175–100K
15100–150K
5150K+
59 reports with mileage · 19 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.
- Air Bags. Review the 23 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Structure. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
7 crash reports0 fire reports3 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
6 reportsMY 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.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM REGISTERED THE KEY AS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NO…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED BECAUSE THE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM REGISTERED THE KEY AS FAULTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT SPOKE TO METRO NISSAN OF REDLANDS (1665 INDUSTRIAL PARK AVE, REDLANDS, CA 92374) WHO STATED THAT THE REPAIR WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE ENTIRE ANTI-THEFT SYSTEM WOULD NEED TO BE RE-MAPPED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
THE LOCAL DEALER REPAIR DEPARTMENT ELIMINATED THE FLASHING AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WITH AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE COMPUTER. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE SAME DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND THE FLASHING LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED. AGAIN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE SAME EVENT RECURRED AN…
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THE LOCAL DEALER REPAIR DEPARTMENT ELIMINATED THE FLASHING AIR BAG LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD WITH AN ADJUSTMENT TO THE COMPUTER. A FEW WEEKS LATER, THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED AGAIN. THIS TIME, THE SAME DEALER REPLACED THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT AND THE FLASHING LIGHT WAS EXTINGUISHED. AGAIN A FEW WEEKS LATER THE SAME EVENT RECURRED AND THE SAME DEALER ONCE AGAIN EXTINGUISHED THE FLASHING LIGHT AND TOLD ME THAT A "GLITCH" CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WHILE ON A LONG TRIP OF 2600 MILES THE AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHED ONCE AGAIN. AT THIS TIME THE ODOMETER READ 90,000 MILES AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THE PASSENGER SEAT CONTROL MODULE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1800.00. NOTE THAT OF THESE FOUR VISITS, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT PERSONNEL DID NOT GIVE ME ANY DOCUMENTATION NOR CHARGE ME FOR THE VISITS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE PREVIOUS THREE VISITS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE LAST VISIT WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY. HIGHER PERSONNEL DID NOT OFFER ANY RECOMMENDATIONS TO RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM. IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE? IS THIS THE PROCEDURE FOR UNDERTAKING THIS REPAIR? HOW CAN I BE REASSURED THAT THIS SEAT CONTROL MODULE RESOLVE THE PROBLEM? *TR
I GOT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO START IT AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. THIS HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR OCTOBER 2007. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A BUILT IN SAFETY FACTOR AND JUST TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULD WORK. WELL I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I THEN TRIED TO G…
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I GOT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO START IT AND THE IGNITION WOULD NOT TURN. THIS HAS HAPPEN SEVERAL TIMES SINCE WE PURCHASED THE CAR OCTOBER 2007. WE WERE TOLD IT WAS A BUILT IN SAFETY FACTOR AND JUST TURN THE STEERING WHEEL AND IT WOULD WORK. WELL I TRIED TO TURN THE WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES AND IT WOULD NOT BUDGE. I THEN TRIED TO GET OUT OF MY CAR AND COULDN'T. I ALSO COULD NOT OPEN THE WINDOWS BECAUSE THEY ARE POWER WINDOWS AND WITHOUT THE CAR RUNNING YOU CANNOT OPERATE THEM.( YOU CAN CHECK THE RECORDS JULY 4TH WAS AN EXTREMELY HOT DAY, IN THE 80'S AT THAT TIME) I FINALLY I CLIMBED OVER THE GEAR SHIFT AND CENTER CONSOLE TO GET TO THE PASSENGER DOOR WHICH I WAS ABLE TO OPEN. ( I AM 75 YEARS OLD SO YOU CAN IMAGINE IT WAS NOT EASY, NOR WOULD IT BE FOR ANYONE. WHEN MY SON CAME HOME FROM WORK HE TRIED AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL BUT SAID IT TOOK EVERYTHING TO TURN IT, AND THEN HE WAS ABLE TO START THE CAR. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD NOT A SAFETY FACTOR. I WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN AGAIN. *TR
WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT WILL NOT ADJUST BUT WILL EVENTUALLY ADJUST AFTER THE DRIVER HAS ALREADY STARTED TO DRIVE. THE SEAT THEN ADJUSTS ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT WHICH PUTS THE DRIVER AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO PUTS THE DRIVERS FEET CLOSE TO THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSES I…
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WHEN TRYING TO ADJUST DRIVERS SIDE SEAT, THE SEAT WILL NOT ADJUST BUT WILL EVENTUALLY ADJUST AFTER THE DRIVER HAS ALREADY STARTED TO DRIVE. THE SEAT THEN ADJUSTS ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT WHICH PUTS THE DRIVER AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE STEERING WHEEL AND ALSO PUTS THE DRIVERS FEET CLOSE TO THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL WHICH CAUSES INADVERTENT PRESSING OF BOTH GAS AND BRAKE. *TR
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
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
1PE08045 · Transmission Hose Leak
Opened Jul 23, 2008 · Closed Oct 24, 2008
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Power Train:automatic Transmission; Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
THIS PE WAS OPENED FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 2008 NISSAN MAXIMA VEHICLES BASED ON EARLY WARNING DATA THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE MAY HAVE PINHOLES AND/OR CRACKS RESULTING IN A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.THE LEAKED FLUID CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGNITE.NISSAN HAS SHOWN THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PINHOLES AND/OR CRACKS IN THE HOSE IS EXCESSIVE STRESS DURING THE MANUFACTURE FORMING PROCESS RESULTING IN HOSE DEFORMATION AT LOADING ONTO A MANDREL, OR DAMAGE DURING UN-LOADING.REGARDING LOADING STRESS, NISSAN STATES, WHEN EXCESSIVE STRESS IS APPLIED WHILE LOADING THE HOSE ONTO THE MANDREL, HOSE DEFORMATION (WHICH LOOKS LIKE A BULGE) CAN OCCUR AROUND THE BENDING AREA.A CRACK WILL START TO FORM ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOSE AT THE AREA OF DEFORMATION.REGARDING UNLOADING STRESS, NISSAN STATES, AFTER THE CURING PROCESS, IN SOME INSTANCES THE HOSE STUCK TO THE MANDREL TIGHTLY AND THE OPERATOR HAD TO APPLY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE TO PULL THE HOSE FROM THE MANDREL.IF THIS OPERATION WAS PERFORMED ROUGHLY, THE INTERIOR OF THE HOSE COULD BE DAMAGED BY THE MANDREL EDGE. NISSAN ALSO STATES, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOSES RECEIVED INTERNAL DAMAGE, A DAMAGED HOSE WAS PRODUCED AS A RARE, RANDOM EVENT RATHER THAN SYSTEMATICALLY.THE TRANSMISSION HOSE SUPPLIER, COOPER STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE, IMPLEMENTED PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT LIMIT EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE HOSE DURING MANUFACTURE. NISSAN HAS SHOWN THAT THIS TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE WAS ASSEMBLED ON MY 2007 AND MY 2008 MAXIMA VEHICLES.NISSAN REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE ON MY 2009 MAXIMA, AND THE HOSE IS MANUFACTURED BY A NEW SUPPLIER.NISSAN HAS ALSO SHOWN THAT THE LEAKS MOSTLY OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST 2000 MILES OF SERVICE WITH A SEVERE DROP IN INCIDENTS BEYOND 2000 MILES OF SERVICE.MOST LEAKS HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED, AND THE ONE FIRE WAS MINOR. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooling Unit And Lines
THIS PE WAS OPENED FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 2008 NISSAN MAXIMA VEHICLES BASED ON EARLY WARNING DATA THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE MAY HAVE PINHOLES AND/OR CRACKS RESULTING IN A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.THE LEAKED FLUID CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGNITE.NISSAN HAS SHOWN THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PINHOLES AND/OR CRACKS IN THE HOSE IS EXCESSIVE STRESS DURING THE MANUFACTURE FORMING PROCESS RESULTING IN HOSE DEFORMATION AT LOADING ONTO A MANDREL, OR DAMAGE DURING UN-LOADING.REGARDING LOADING STRESS, NISSAN STATES, WHEN EXCESSIVE STRESS IS APPLIED WHILE LOADING THE HOSE ONTO THE MANDREL, HOSE DEFORMATION (WHICH LOOKS LIKE A BULGE) CAN OCCUR AROUND THE BENDING AREA.A CRACK WILL START TO FORM ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOSE AT THE AREA OF DEFORMATION.REGARDING UNLOADING STRESS, NISSAN STATES, AFTER THE CURING PROCESS, IN SOME INSTANCES THE HOSE STUCK TO THE MANDREL TIGHTLY AND THE OPERATOR HAD TO APPLY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE TO PULL THE HOSE FROM THE MANDREL.IF THIS OPERATION WAS PERFORMED ROUGHLY, THE INTERIOR OF THE HOSE COULD BE DAMAGED BY THE MANDREL EDGE. NISSAN ALSO STATES, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOSES RECEIVED INTERNAL DAMAGE, A DAMAGED HOSE WAS PRODUCED AS A RARE, RANDOM EVENT RATHER THAN SYSTEMATICALLY.THE TRANSMISSION HOSE SUPPLIER, COOPER STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE, IMPLEMENTED PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT LIMIT EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE HOSE DURING MANUFACTURE. NISSAN HAS SHOWN THAT THIS TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE WAS ASSEMBLED ON MY 2007 AND MY 2008 MAXIMA VEHICLES.NISSAN REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE ON MY 2009 MAXIMA, AND THE HOSE IS MANUFACTURED BY A NEW SUPPLIER.NISSAN HAS ALSO SHOWN THAT THE LEAKS MOSTLY OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST 2000 MILES OF SERVICE WITH A SEVERE DROP IN INCIDENTS BEYOND 2000 MILES OF SERVICE.MOST LEAKS HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED, AND THE ONE FIRE WAS MINOR. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.
Power Train:automatic Transmission
THIS PE WAS OPENED FOR MODEL YEAR (MY) 2008 NISSAN MAXIMA VEHICLES BASED ON EARLY WARNING DATA THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE MAY HAVE PINHOLES AND/OR CRACKS RESULTING IN A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK.THE LEAKED FLUID CAN CONTACT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM AND IGNITE.NISSAN HAS SHOWN THAT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE PINHOLES AND/OR CRACKS IN THE HOSE IS EXCESSIVE STRESS DURING THE MANUFACTURE FORMING PROCESS RESULTING IN HOSE DEFORMATION AT LOADING ONTO A MANDREL, OR DAMAGE DURING UN-LOADING.REGARDING LOADING STRESS, NISSAN STATES, WHEN EXCESSIVE STRESS IS APPLIED WHILE LOADING THE HOSE ONTO THE MANDREL, HOSE DEFORMATION (WHICH LOOKS LIKE A BULGE) CAN OCCUR AROUND THE BENDING AREA.A CRACK WILL START TO FORM ON THE INSIDE OF THE HOSE AT THE AREA OF DEFORMATION.REGARDING UNLOADING STRESS, NISSAN STATES, AFTER THE CURING PROCESS, IN SOME INSTANCES THE HOSE STUCK TO THE MANDREL TIGHTLY AND THE OPERATOR HAD TO APPLY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FORCE TO PULL THE HOSE FROM THE MANDREL.IF THIS OPERATION WAS PERFORMED ROUGHLY, THE INTERIOR OF THE HOSE COULD BE DAMAGED BY THE MANDREL EDGE. NISSAN ALSO STATES, BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE HOSES RECEIVED INTERNAL DAMAGE, A DAMAGED HOSE WAS PRODUCED AS A RARE, RANDOM EVENT RATHER THAN SYSTEMATICALLY.THE TRANSMISSION HOSE SUPPLIER, COOPER STANDARD AUTOMOTIVE, IMPLEMENTED PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS THAT LIMIT EXCESSIVE STRESS ON THE HOSE DURING MANUFACTURE. NISSAN HAS SHOWN THAT THIS TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE WAS ASSEMBLED ON MY 2007 AND MY 2008 MAXIMA VEHICLES.NISSAN REDESIGNED THE TRANSMISSION COOLER HOSE ON MY 2009 MAXIMA, AND THE HOSE IS MANUFACTURED BY A NEW SUPPLIER.NISSAN HAS ALSO SHOWN THAT THE LEAKS MOSTLY OCCUR WITHIN THE FIRST 2000 MILES OF SERVICE WITH A SEVERE DROP IN INCIDENTS BEYOND 2000 MILES OF SERVICE.MOST LEAKS HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED, AND THE ONE FIRE WAS MINOR. A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT NO SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT EXISTS.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.