Most common 2008 Nissan Pathfinder problems
Share of the 328 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Nissan Pathfinder complaints by model year
Best Pathfinder years: 2012, 2011, 2020. Years to avoid: 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022, 2015. Compare all years →
2008 Nissan Pathfinder recalls (4)
Air bags › Frontal
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the driver's airbag cover. Owner letters were mailed December 8, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall are PC944, PC945, and PC946.
Equipment › Electrical › Navigational system(global positioning system)
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.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline › Storage › Auxillary tank
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the fuel level sending unit inside the fuel tank with a new one that has a modified float arm. This service will be performed free of charge.
Air bags › Frontal
Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island,…
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front czs with a redesigned sensor. The recall began on January 26, 2009. Owners in the other states will receive extended warranty coverage for the sensor to 10 years.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder:
Transmission Failures
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.NHTSA conducted a comprehensive review of data related to this subject.
What 2008 Nissan Pathfinder owners say
Transmission & drivetrain all 155 →
The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Pathfinder. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the vehicle downshifted independently. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving to his destination. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic and was informed that the transmission fluid needed to be changed. The contact took the vehicle to a second independent mechanic and was informed that the radiator and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
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.
Engine & cooling all 84 →
Contamination from the radiator mixed with the transmission cooler. The car is now inoperable due to this design flaw. This causes the transmission to be extremely sluggish and unresponsive when run, oftentimes the engine won't start or crank due to a blown fuse related to this issue. The slow acceleration causes safety issues when pulling out into traffic. The vehicle was inspected by a licensed Illinois auto rebuilder. The four-wheel-drive indicator is stuck to on although the vehicle is in two-wheel drive and service engine light appeared.
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.
Fuel & propulsion system all 81 →
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?
While driving Thursday, February 14th, 2019, my check engine light came on. I pulled over in a nearby parking lot as soon as I could. At this point, I noticed that my fuel gauge had dropped from 1/4 tank down to empty. I used an odb2 scanner to check my error codes, and found an error code p0463 (fuel tank level sensor - voltage high). I immediately proceeded to a gas station, refueled, and cleared the engine code to see if it would reappear. It has not since reappeared. After some research, I found that this is a known issue for 2008 Nissan pathfinders, and that there is a recall associated with the issue. The NHTSA campaign id is 10V075000. I called Nissan's public number and a local dealership owned service center. Neither found any active recalls regarding my vehicle, and neither knew what a NHTSA campaign id number was. I asked to speak to the manager of the service center. …
2008 Nissan Pathfinder engines & fuel economy
| Engine | Transmission | Drive | MPG city / hwy / combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 15 / 22 / 17 |
| 4.0L 6-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 14 / 20 / 16 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | RWD | 13 / 18 / 15 |
| 5.6L 8-cyl | 5-speed automatic | 4WD/AWD | 12 / 18 / 14 |
EPA ratings. Class: SUV.
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder a good car?
Based on 328 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Pathfinder rates avoid: 2.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Pathfinder at the same age. It is one of the Pathfinder years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder?
The transmission & drivetrain — 155 complaints, 47% of all complaints for this model year, most often about automatic transmission. Next are the engine & cooling (84) and fuel & propulsion system (81).
How many recalls does the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder have?
There are 4 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Pathfinder, the most recent from February 10, 2023 (frontal). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Nissan Pathfinder?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2012, 2011 and 2020. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2013, 2014, 2025, 2022 and 2015. See the full Nissan Pathfinder years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Nissan Pathfinder problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 107,000 miles; 9% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
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.