2008 Nissan Maxima: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2008 Nissan Maxima
On the 2008 Nissan Maxima, the failure owners report most often is other body or interior problem, and the reports cluster around 90,000 miles. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 75,000 miles. Overall it scores 62 out of 100, high risk for a 2008.
High risk for a 2008 — 319th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. 99 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model.
What breaks on the 2008 Nissan Maxima
Owners have reported 24 named failure modes on the 2008 Nissan Maxima, and the three most-reported carry 37% of everything filed.
Other body or interior problem leads with 17 reports, about 0.6 per 1,000 vehicles and with the middle half of reports between 66k to 110,000 miles.
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault follows with 15 reports, usually reported between 10k to 125,000 miles.
Other powertrain problem follows with 5 reports, median 90,000 miles.
By system, the reports fall mostly into body (21), airbag (20) and transmission (7).
The mileage the reports cluster at
74 of the reports on the 2008 Nissan Maxima came with an odometer reading, and half of those were filed before 75,000 miles.
Cumulatively, 32% by 50,000 miles, 68% by 100,000 miles and 93% by 150,000 miles of the dated reports had been filed, with 1 filed above the top of the chart.
The busiest stretch is between 0 and 10,000 miles, which alone holds 12% of the dated reports.
22% of the dated reports were filed below 36,000 miles.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 24. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A further 1 report came in above that, which is why the line stops short of the top. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
- Dashed the median reported mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Across the named modes, 7 mention a crash and 3 an injury. Those are the words owners used in their own complaints, and NHTSA does not verify them, but they are the closest thing in this data to a measure of what a failure actually did.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 4.07, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: other body or interior problem at $200–$2,000, airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault at $300–$1,600, other powertrain problem at $400–$4,500 and other wheel or tire problem at $200–$1,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
15% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other body or interior problem | body | 17 | 14 | 66k | 90k | 109k | 0.6 | $200–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault | airbag | 15 | 11 | 10k | 98k | 125k | 0.6 | $300–$1,600 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 5 | 5 | — | 89k | — | 0.2 | $400–$4,500 | High |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 5 | 4 | — | 9k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Rust or structural corrosion | body | 4 | 3 | — | 148k | — | 0.1 | $500–$6,000 | High |
| Fuel pump failure | fuel | 3 | 3 | — | 86k | — | 0.1 | $600–$2,600 | High |
| Other steering problem | steering | 3 | 3 | — | 49k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,400 | High |
| Other suspension problem | suspension | 3 | 2 | — | 49k | — | 0.1 | $350–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Timing chain, belt or tensioner failure | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 87k | — | 0.1 | $1,200–$4,500 | Critical |
| Oil leak | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,200 | Moderate |
| Complete transmission failure | transmission | 2 | 1 | — | 12k | — | 0.1 | $2,800–$8,000 | Critical |
| CV axle or driveshaft failure | drivetrain | 2 | 2 | — | 4k | — | 0.1 | $450–$2,200 | High |
| Fuel tank, filler or EVAP failure | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.1 | $250–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Control module (ECM/PCM/BCM) failure | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 107k | — | 0.1 | $700–$3,000 | High |
| Airbag inflator rupture | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 50k | — | 0.1 | $0–$0 | Critical |
| Seat belt or retractor failure | airbag | 2 | 2 | — | 111k | — | 0.1 | $200–$900 | High |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 2 | — | 83k | — | 0.1 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 2 | 2 | — | 62k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Other brake problem | brakes | 2 | 2 | — | 50k | — | 0.1 | $300–$1,800 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 2 | 1 | — | 11k | — | 0.1 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Steering rack, gear or tie rod failure | steering | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $700–$2,600 | High |
| Tire pressure monitor failure | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 75k | — | 0.0 | $80–$600 | Low |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.0 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Other seat belt problem | airbag | 1 | 1 | — | 500 | — | 0.0 | $200–$900 | High |
| Unclassified problem | other | 16 | 9 | 65k | 96k | 124k | 0.6 | — | Moderate |
This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2008 Nissan Maxima draws about 3.7 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 81st percentile of complaint rates among 2008 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. This year had no usable recall paperwork, so the fleet-size estimate is the median of other years of the same model.
The working figure is 26,833 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2008 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
What owners wrote
Verbatim from NHTSA complaint narratives, trimmed for length. The odometer reading is the one the owner gave.
Other body or interior problem
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 nissan maxima. The vehicle was parked when the contact noticed a large gap between the front hood and front bumper. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where the contact was told the bumper was built to factory standards. They were unable to repair the vehicle. The failure mileage was 15,000 and the current mileage was 30,000.
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
Airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 nissan maxima. While the contact's 85 pound wife was seated in the passenger seat, the air bag light illuminated and dimmed intermittently. The sales dealer stated that the light should work properly with someone between 70-80 lbs in the seat. After inspecting the vehicle, the dealer and the manufacturer stated that nothing could be done. The current mileage was 4,190 and failure mileage was approximately 3,000. Updated 04/21/08 *bf
On february 17, 2015, my daughter drove into a 3' ditch with about 4" of standing water with algea standing on top of the water. I had the vehicle inspected by my local mechanic to see if anything was damaged and had the oil levels checked as well and we continued to drive the vehicle for about 2500 miles. In may 2015 I chose to have the car repaired , front bumper etc. After the bodyshop finished with the car the airbag light needed to be reset by nissan. We continued to drive the car for another 500 miles and the transmission stopped. I was informed by my transmission mechanic that there was a recall on the vehicle with an extended warranty. I had the vehicle transported back to nissan for repair on july 27, 2015 and 10 -15 days later I was called and asked if the vehicle had been wrecked. Nissan warranty denied the claim based on the opinion the the car was flooded. The transmission oils were checked numerous times with no signs of water damaged. Nissan warranty referred me back to farm bureau to file an insurance claim based on the car was flooded in the accident that happened in february 2015. I had the transmission removed…
Other powertrain problem
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 nissan maxima. The contact stated that while at a complete stop and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to respond. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was found that the crank and cam sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.
I left the ignition on and it ran the battery went down , when I realized the battery was dead we charged the battery next day I got in to drive the car the transmission was like in 1st gear of the 6 speed auto transmission , I was out of state and found a dealership it took them a week to replace it, but they did give me a rental car the car had 58,000 thousand miles on it, it has 89,000 now , got in the car this week to go to a funeral and my remote wouldnt work , so I accidently left the car in reverse , when I got out of the car , the car never moved when I got in garage I seen the car moving, I dont understand why the car wasnt moving when I got out of it , hit the neighbors house and caused a lot of damage to it!!
How it ranks in the 2008 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2008 sits in the model line
High risk for a 2008 — 319th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. Every score on this site is a rank inside its own model year, which is what makes a 2004 and a 2019 comparable at all.
Across the 24 model years of this car that carry enough reports to score, 2008 comes out best at 62 and 2020 worst at 77, with 2008 itself at 62.
No other year of this model scores meaningfully better than 2008, so if this generation is what you want, the year is not the lever.
Within the 2004–2010 generation specifically, 2008 is the strongest year at 62 and 2005 the weakest at 74.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Shorter is better. Years with too few reports to score are shown without a bar rather than as a zero, because no data is not good news.
Within the 2004-2010 generation, 2008 Nissan Maxima scores best at 62 and 2005 Nissan Maxima worst at 74.
What to look at before buying one
The mileages below are where the first quarter of reports for each mode had already been filed, which makes them the point at which a fault is worth looking for rather than the point at which it happens: airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault from about 10k and other body or interior problem from about 66k.
On a 2008 Nissan Maxima with more miles than that on it, the useful question to put to a seller or a mechanic is whether airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault has been dealt with, and if so with what parts and at whose expense. A car that has already had the repair is in a different position from one that has not.
Treat it as where to point the inspection, not as a prediction. A well-maintained example can sail past every mileage on this page, and a neglected one can fail well before the first of them.
What this page cannot tell you
99 owner reports; fleet size borrowed from other years of the same model. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 99 reports, 74 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 75% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Maxima?
The most-reported failures are other body or interior problem (17 reports, median 90,000 miles), airbag warning light or occupant sensor fault (15 reports, median 100,000 miles) and other powertrain problem (5 reports, median 90,000 miles). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
At what mileage do 2008 Nissan Maxima problems start?
Other body or interior problem is the earliest failure mode to show up, with a median reported mileage of 90,000 miles and a quarter of reports before 65,000 miles. Across all failure modes on this year, the median report sits at 75,000 miles.
Is the 2008 Nissan Maxima reliable?
It scores 62 out of 100 on our risk index, which is high — 319th riskiest of the 356 2008 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2008 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Nissan Maxima is best?
Within the 2004–2010 generation, 2008 scores best at 62 out of 100 and 2005 worst at 74. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed