Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Nissan Frontier owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at speeds over 40 MPH, the vehicle would shake and vibrate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the radiator fluid had leaked into the transmission causing severe damage to the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 86,000.
Transmission fluid cooler integrated in the radiator that allowed engine coolant to mix with and contaminate the automatic transmission fluid causing damage to the transmission. Radiator had to be replaced along with flushing out of the trans fluid at a service station costing a few thousand of dollars. Months later the check engine light went on and found out that the transmission is slipping caused by the fluid contamination.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed but the vehicle did not accelerate. In addition, the vehicle started smoking. The contact stated that the front driver's side air bag warning indicator illuminated continuously. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence where it was diagnosed by an independent mechanic that the radiator and the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,514.
1) $1473 to replace timing chain system @ 53,610 miles 2) Nissan had issued a service bulletin ntb09-128 revealing a knowledge of the issue on at least 3 models over a 5 year period of time 3) called Nissan consumer affairs to check on reimbursement since Nissan knew it was a problem. In fairness, they responded within 24 hrs. Only to take less than 1 minute to deny the claim 4) wrote 3 letters (1 per month) to Nissan consumer affairs until they contacted me again today 1/13/2016 only to deny the claim once again. I've owned only Nissan trucks since 1984 and been very happy with their products and quality. I bought this truck new in 2008 and only had 53,610 miles when this issue came up. I'm thankful I heard the noise and had it fixed before the chain(s) seized and caused major engine damage or even a wreck. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving at low speeds, he observed an abnormal thumping sound from the hood of the vehicle without warning. The contact made the manufacturer aware of the failure, and the manufacturer referred the contact to his local dealer to have the vehicle diagnosed. The vehicle was taken to local dealer (tom hesser Nissan , 900 oneil hwy, dunmore, pa, 18512) where it was diagnosed that the radiator hose was leaking fluid into the transmission causing the transmission to fail. The dealer stated that the transmission and radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 46,892. ... .updated 11/16/17 the consumer requested to be reimbursed for the repairs. Updated 11/30/2017
My check engine light went on as I was driving home on a Sunday afternoon. With in an hour, and almost arriving home... The vehicle began to slow down and could not accelerate past 25mph. I stopped at a traffic light and felt a very large bang under the truck. As I tried to accelerate from the light I could only get up to 25mph. Then the truck stalled completely, in the middle of a busy street. Luckily no one was close behind me and I had my hazard lights on, otherwise this would have been a sure crash. I took it to a mechanic who checked and informed me that my radiator was faulty and had contaminated and ruined my transmission. I paid $2900 to have it fixed. No help, or money back from Nissan, not even an apology for their faulty parts.
My truck would go in to gear but would not drive. I had it diagnosed by a transmission shop and they said that the radiator was leaking water and coolant in to my transmission and it would need to be replaced. I then had my vehicle towed to the Nissan dealer where the technician said that this is caused by a faulty hose on radiator and it was happening to a lot of frontiers and xterras. When my husband questioned the tech on this being a recall he stated that it should be, but is not because it does not cause a safety issue. He told us we would need a new radiator, hoses, and transmission. The truck breaking down is a safety issue! We then had our truck towed to our normal mechanic and he is repairing it now.
My Nissan dealer told me today that the timing chain on the 4.0l v6 engine in my truck requires replacement. This truck has less than 60,000 miles on it and the dealer charges $2,140 for the work. Timing chains are normally expected to last for the life of the vehicle. Failure of the timing chain would destroy the engine and, if it occurred while the vehicle was in motion, could result in a crash. Nissan has known about a defective timing chain problem on this and related engines since at least 2004, yet they continued to use those defective timing chains until approximately 2010. Nissan should issue a recall and replace the chains under warranty.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. While driving various speeds, the vehicle stalled with and all the warning lights illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was able to restart minutes later. In addition, the service engine warning light and the flip error light illuminated continuously. The failure recurred six times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the cause of the failure was undetermined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000. The VIN was not provided.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Nissan Frontier. While driving approximately 30 MPH, there was a waddling noise coming from the passenger side of the engine. The vehicle stalled and the warning indicators illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the timing chain tensioner failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 6,000.
Engine complaints in other Frontier years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2008 Nissan Frontier?
NHTSA has 35 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2008 Nissan Frontier, 26% of the model year's 136 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Nissan Frontier engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2008 Nissan Frontier, though it has 5 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2008 Nissan Frontier engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.