2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid
Safety record from NHTSA: recalls, owner complaints, investigations and service bulletins.
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Vehicles › Nissan › Altima Hybrid › 2008
These records cover every 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid. To see whether one car still needs a recall repair, decode its VIN or check it with NHTSA.
Recalls
1 recall names the 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid. Newest first.
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…
Risk and remedy
Risk
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.
Owner complaints
16 complaints4 involved a crash1 involved a fire
What owners report most
Latest complaints
- Air bags
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated while driving. The contact was concerned that the air bag could deploy. The contact called paul miller nissan at (203) 335-3181 (located at 5420, 930 kings hwy e, fairfield…
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. The contact stated that the air bag warning indicator remained illuminated while driving. The contact was concerned that the air bag could deploy. The contact called paul miller nissan at (203) 335-3181 (located at 5420, 930 kings hwy e, fairfield, ct 06825) and was informed that there would be a diagnostic fee. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 171,000. The vin was not available. *Tt *tr
- Service brakes
I have a 2008 nissan altima hybrid and am having problems with the brakes. I was driving the car when I stepped on the brakes to stop for a signal. The pedal went down without slowing the car until it was near the bottom of its travel at which time the car came to an abrupt halt, the ABS, vdc and…
I have a 2008 nissan altima hybrid and am having problems with the brakes. I was driving the car when I stepped on the brakes to stop for a signal. The pedal went down without slowing the car until it was near the bottom of its travel at which time the car came to an abrupt halt, the ABS, vdc and brake warning light came on. I continued home without trouble until I was coming into the garage at which time the same thing happened.i have checked and found others who have had the same problem. Fortunately I was traveling at a low speed with no traffic.
- Vehicle speed control
Traveling south interstate 95 passing lane on curve @ east lyme ct. Car suddenly decelerated rapidly. Accelerator would not respond to depression. I couldn't immediately coast into right lane & no breakdown lane on my side. Cars behind me, apparently because there were no brake lights activated…
Traveling south interstate 95 passing lane on curve @ east lyme ct. Car suddenly decelerated rapidly. Accelerator would not respond to depression. I couldn't immediately coast into right lane & no breakdown lane on my side. Cars behind me, apparently because there were no brake lights activated, drove right to my bumper & began honking. when surprisingly the accelerator responded from complete halt , right lane cleared and I moved through it immediately onto exit ramp. I was baffled & car was responding so I rounded into east lyme stop & shop parking lot with blinkers on. after composing myself, I continued home on back road without incident. two weeks later leaving my development the vehicle was traveling at 30 (slight uphill) and same thing happened with my wife present; vehicle behind was alerted by hand signals to pass. after accelerator recovered function within minutes (slower than previous incident) I contacted nissan repair grossman's old saybrook from home. they said to bring it in. I said IS it safe? they said I could contact aaa. I called a friend with a diagnostic computer which indicated a "transmission module" failure. then, at nissan, shop foreman claimed that since there was no dash indicator or trouble code with his device there was nothing they could do. 1/4 mile away, the car stalled in middle of large intersection making a turn blocking everyone. when it recovered, I returned and he again claimed there was nothing they could do and kept asking me where I bought it. I told him it was unsafe to drive, until a mechanic overheard and convinced him to allow investigation. Mechanic acknowledged code. Test drive nothing happened. Shop foreman refused to note "accelerator failure" & wrote power failure. they ridiculed when told online search "accelerator failure" gets hits. Shop has it since september 15TH to date without notice? Options?
- Electrical system
Nissan dealer IS saying I must replace part # 48700-9n00b, this same part IS under extended warranty on the altima 2009-2012. can I get a new version of these. *tr
- Engine
Check engine light came on. OBD2 code was p0303 and intermittently code p0300 indicating cylinder #3 and multiple cylinder misfiring. Took the car to local garage. Installed new spark plugs and with nissans guidance,they performed upper intake cleaning. Check engine light came back on for same…
Check engine light came on. OBD2 code was p0303 and intermittently code p0300 indicating cylinder #3 and multiple cylinder misfiring. Took the car to local garage. Installed new spark plugs and with nissans guidance,they performed upper intake cleaning. Check engine light came back on for same codes. Notified nissan and brought car to dealer as advised. Dealer replaced coil pack #3 and performed fuel induction cleaning. Cel came back up and dealer recommended removal of head to inspect for warpage after already spending $1200 on this issue. Nissan said they couldn't let me know if any or no financial assistance on the issue until I pay another $600 to inspect the head when a compression test should have been performed when nissan first worked on the vehicle. Overall, not satisfied with nissan for dropping the ball on an obvious recall under service bulletin ntb-10-056. *tr
- Engine
A carbon buildup in the cylinder head causes the vehicle to shake and during initial start up and stutter/shake during acceleration. This build up IS due to a design flaw in the cylinder head. It cause multiple unsafe instances when trying to merge with oncoming traffic and safely navigate in…
A carbon buildup in the cylinder head causes the vehicle to shake and during initial start up and stutter/shake during acceleration. This build up IS due to a design flaw in the cylinder head. It cause multiple unsafe instances when trying to merge with oncoming traffic and safely navigate in normal driving conditions. This IS a know issue to nissan and they have redesigned the head but are unwilling to help with the issue. This occurred on our vehicle with only 35,000 miles on it. *tr
- Exterior lighting · Service brakes
Hi, I recently discovered that the brake lights are intermittently malfunctioning because of an unreliable brake lights switch. I became aware of the issue because the push button ignition was intermittently failing. After a little bit of research I found out that it IS a known issue for nissan…
Hi, I recently discovered that the brake lights are intermittently malfunctioning because of an unreliable brake lights switch. I became aware of the issue because the push button ignition was intermittently failing. After a little bit of research I found out that it IS a known issue for nissan altima 2007-2008 owners, but was never addressed by nissan. I have a three month old baby that could have been severely injured in a rear end collision. Please make sure this issue gets addressed before any accident occurs. thank you so much! *tr
- Engine
Check engine light came on. Diagnostic error code was p0300 indicating intermittent multiple cylinder misfiring. Took the car to the dealer. Was informed that this IS a known problem with altima hybrids due to carbonation of the engine due to frequent starts and stops. Nissan has redesigned the…
Check engine light came on. Diagnostic error code was p0300 indicating intermittent multiple cylinder misfiring. Took the car to the dealer. Was informed that this IS a known problem with altima hybrids due to carbonation of the engine due to frequent starts and stops. Nissan has redesigned the cylinder head and at one time considered a recall but then decided against it and are handling it on a case by case basis. Initiated contact with nissan corporation. Nissan responded back in 10 days that they will not cover it because the car IS not under warranty anymore (warranty expired at 60,000 miles). Newly designed cylinder head was going to cost $2700. Decided to decarbonize the car engine using a kit. Car has been running fine since then. Cost $185. Bottom line: nissan should have covered the repair cost because it was caused by a design flaw in the cylinder head. Nissan should have advised about trying decarbonization. Overall very unhappy with the way I was treated by the company and the dealer. This IS the 6TH nissan product I have bought in the last 20 years, and will more likely be the last one. *tr
- Service brakes · Vehicle speed control
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. The contact stated that the brakes failed when applied, causing the contact to crash into a wall and another vehicle. The police were not contacted and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised her that the floor…
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. The contact stated that the brakes failed when applied, causing the contact to crash into a wall and another vehicle. The police were not contacted and there were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they advised her that the floor mat could have caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 10,700. The current mileage was approximately 10,800. updated 2/20/13*lj the consumer stated the body work was completed. Updated 02/21/13
- Electrical system
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle could only be started sporadically. The failure progressed until the vehicle could no longer be started. The dealer was notified but no assistance was offered. The vehicle was diagnosed by a private mechanic who advised…
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima. The contact stated that the vehicle could only be started sporadically. The failure progressed until the vehicle could no longer be started. The dealer was notified but no assistance was offered. The vehicle was diagnosed by a private mechanic who advised that the brake sensor cables caused the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 16,000 and the current mileage was 40,000....updated 10/17/12 *bf the consumer stated the start engine button failed about 30 times, when he attempted to start the vehicle. The consumer stated aaa knew exactly what cables to tighten under the steering. Updated 10/17/12
- Vehicle speed control
TL* the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. the contact stated was stopped at a traffic stop with the brakes applied when the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed into another vehicle. There were no injuries. The manufacturer was not contacted and the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 8,000.
- Engine and engine cooling
2008 nissan altima hybrid. There were two incidents of the car running even though I left it for quite a while. first, in a shopping mall I thought the car was off, and it remained running for quite a while. in a second incident it stayed running at the curb for 3 hours until I returned. I thought the car was off when I left it, but it was not off. *tr
- Electrical system · Visibility › Power window devices and controls
Nissan 2008 altima hybrid windows roll down (drivers side and passenger side) by themselves after the engine IS shut off and we leave the car locked. *Tr
- Service brakes, hydraulic
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. While the contact was driving approximately 40 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and continued to accelerate. Immediately, the brakes were engaged with excessive force and the pedal traveled to the floor. There was no power response which resulted…
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 nissan altima hybrid. While the contact was driving approximately 40 mph, the brake pedal was depressed and continued to accelerate. Immediately, the brakes were engaged with excessive force and the pedal traveled to the floor. There was no power response which resulted in a crash. The vehicle began to smoke. The fire department and police were not called to the scene. There were no injuries. The vehicle was taken to an auto body shop for damages sustained in the crash. The authorized dealer inspected the vehicle and was unable to locate the problem. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that a specialist would inspect the vehicle. The contact was waiting on a response from the manufacturer. The failure mileage was 8,000. The current mileage was 12,000.
- Electronic stability control (esc) · Service brakes, electric
2008 nissan altima hybrid sedan : while driving the warning indicator for ABS illuminated. while slowing vehicle to leave roadway a loud metallic impact noise was heard, followed by vibration. upon pulling off of roadway onto soft shoulder the vehicle slid and was barely controllable. was…
2008 nissan altima hybrid sedan : while driving the warning indicator for ABS illuminated. while slowing vehicle to leave roadway a loud metallic impact noise was heard, followed by vibration. upon pulling off of roadway onto soft shoulder the vehicle slid and was barely controllable. was advised by service department at dealership that right front anti-lock brake sensor was damaged by possible rock/debris impact. wire leading to sensor was sheared. had dealership return old part. wire to harness would indicated sheared by impact since ends are frayed. dealer was unable to replicate the loud metal to metal noise coming from rt front. not a warranty item since part damaged from road debris. it IS my concern that this wire harness IS a critical safety component and appears to be unprotected from typical driving, such as rocks and other road debris. upon failure of the ABS, the vehicle IS hard to control while braking, especially if this failure occurs on wet or otherwise slippery surfaces. the wire leads to each wheel ABS sensor should be insulated and sheathed, and located in a less vulnerable area within the strut/wheelhouse area. *Tr
- Power train › Automatic transmission
My 2008 nissan altima, when parked on a slight incline rolled independently and collided with and damaged a parked vehicle. the car was in park and locked and I was walking away when I noted that the vehicle was moving. following the crash I unlocked the car, started the car and moved it from…
My 2008 nissan altima, when parked on a slight incline rolled independently and collided with and damaged a parked vehicle. the car was in park and locked and I was walking away when I noted that the vehicle was moving. following the crash I unlocked the car, started the car and moved it from the scene. I have since had it examined by the nissan dealership. they found no defect with the transmission, brakes or other systems. they said that there were 2 possible explanations. the first that the car was not properly set into park and that the slight incline kept the drum of the brake moving such that it didn't set. The second IS that they that they had seen this type of incident in cars with the intelligent keys. The car can be stopped when the car IS still in gear and since there IS no key to remove there IS no safety feature to prevent someone from leaving the car in gear and leaving the vehicle. they suggested that I always use the parking brake. something that I intend to do. I was not in the car and there was no one in the vehicle that my car hit however, I would like to lodge a complaint for the record and request that there be some sort of review of cases like this. *Tr
Defect investigations
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation opened these reviews into vehicles including this one.
- Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for…
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
Service bulletins
Technical service bulletins and other communications the manufacturer sent dealers about this vehicle. Ask a dealer for the full document by its number.
- 11004962VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 11004961CAN COMMUNICATION NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 11004960CAN COMMUNICATION CODES DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 11001201WINDOW GLASS WARRANTY INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 11001194REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 11001191WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10243708DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10239062SILICONE-BASED LUBRICANT OR GREASE CAN DAMAGE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SERVICE INFORMATION Do not apply Silicone-based lubricants or grease to, or around, any interior electrical components. To avoid the risk of death or severe personal injury, do not directly spray Silicone-based lubricant or grease, or inadvertently overspray Silicone-based lubricant or grease onto any interior electrical components. These types of lubricants can be detrimental to the proper operation of electrical components.
- 1023906012 VOLT BATTERY TESTING FOR IN-SERVICE VEHICLES SERVICE INFORMATION The following Service Information lists NNA procedural recommendations for establishing good connections while performing 12V battery testing. These recommendations are expected to promote uniformity during the connection process, therefore reducing the number of incorrect Test with DCA and Replace results. HINT: If 12 volt batteries are allowed to discharge for a prolonged period of time, battery life may be drastically reduced. This condition may lead to premature battery replacement and customer dissatisfaction. IMPORTANT: CPX-900 is now an accepted testing tool to use along with or in place of the DSS-5000 CPX-900 operating instructions are found at: https://nissancpx900.midtronics.com/ DSS-5000 operating instructions are found at: https://nissandss5000.midtronics.com/ DCA-8000 is now a required testing tool to be used for all warranty replacement decisions. The DCA-8000 is also a more efficient charger than previously available, and will charge any available 12 volt lead acid battery safely and accurately as long as all precautions and inputs are made correctly. The DCA-8000 operating instructions are found at: https://nissandca8000.midtronics.com/
- 10235710INTELLIGENT KEY REPLACEMENT OR SWAPPING BETWEEN VEHICLES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Discard all previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10235707VEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10233896ABS/VDC CAN DIAGNOSIS INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232658REMOVING FOREIGN MATERIAL FROM THE WINDOW GLASS This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232657WHEEL BEARING COLLISION DAMAGE This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232656WINDSHIELD CRACKING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10232652DIAGNOSIS OF VEHICLE PULL (DRIFT) AND/OR STEERING WHEEL OFF-CENTER This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10208953DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10208946CAN COMMUNICATION NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10206391STRUT AND SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10192437SERVICE INFORMATION When an exhaust manifold and three way catalyst assembly is removed from an applied vehicle for any reason: 1. Remove and discard the exhaust manifold stay and its related parts. 2. The upper and lower exhaust manifold covers (heat shields) may need to be replaced. - Refer to the FLOW CHART on page 3 for detailed vehicle applicability. See this bulletin for further detail.
- 10188377STRUT AND SHOCK ABSORBER REPLACEMENT GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10177211DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 101657582007-2011 ALTIMA HYBRID; PRODUCT SERVICE INFORMATION This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10153007NISSAN; DTC P0456 CAUSED BY EVAP LEAK AT VENT CONTROL VALVE O-RING This bulletin does NOT apply to LEAF vehicles and Titan XD vehicles with V8 diesel engine. This bulletin has been amended. See Amendment History on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this bulletin.
- 10056378Nissan: information provided regarding removal of three way catalyst and exhaust manifold service and replacement, if needed, of upper/lower (heat shield) exhaust manifold covers. Model 20007-10 sedan/coupe, 2007-11 hybrid.
- 10053956Nissan: a loose fuel fill cap IS the cause of evap leak dtcs (p0442, p0455, p0456) stored on some vehicles. Model years 2007-2011. Model not listed.
- 10052407Nissan: service information on the removal and installation of service parts, on certain vehicles, for the steering wheel switch, if needed, without replacing the driver airbag module. Models 2007-2013 altima.
- 10051767Nissan: lock/unlock request button on outside handle does not respond.
- 10043735Nissan: door lock/unlock inoperative with intelligent key.
- 10041744Nissan: when adjusting either front seat, driver/passenger, forward or backwards, it will bind or not move at all.
- 10040510Nissan: axle bolt and torque information.
- 10039845Nissan: the engine will not crank when pressing the push-button ignition switch and applying the brake pedal.
- 10039824Nissan: the fuel guage IS erratic, the malfunction light IS on, and there are stored trouble codes.
- 10033711Nissan: vehicle has more than 15000 miles on the odometer, and dtc p0300, p0301, p0302, p0303, and/or p0304 IS stored. This incident may also include engine running rough and/or vehicle vibration on deceleration.
- 10032992Nissan: xenon head lamp service. A xenon headlamp IS not functioning because of an issue inside the headlamp assembly (an internal issue). In most cases, replacement of a bulb or hid control unit will solve the incident. This includes all models with xenon head lamps. No models listed.
- 10032964Nissan: the mil IS on with one or more of the following dtcs stored: p0442/p0448/p0455/p0456 and evap vent control valve IS stuck open or will not seal when operated/closed. Replace vent control valve; install filter kit listed in parts information; and clear any dtcs stored in the ecm. Updated 6/15/11.
- 10032506Nissan: vent control valve replacement. When replacing the evap canister vent control valve for reason: use the one listed on page 2; for vent control valve replacement procedure, refer to the appropriate section of the electronic service manuals (esm; when installing the new valve, do not add any lube to its o ring; for frontier (D40 series) only, install the protector listed in parts information. Includes 2005-09 frontier. Updated 12/8/10.
- 10032505Nissan: slight driver's power seat movement side to side. Determine which type of seat frame assembly (device and slide assy) IS in the vehicle.
- 10032306Nissan: exterior lamp fogging. Occasionally water IS noticed in the exterior lamps. This IS generally not due to a defect. All current exterior lamp assemblies are vented to the atmosphere (not sealed). This IS necessary to allow for expansion and contraction of air from temperature variations (warmer or colder) without damage to the lamp. Moisture in the air sometimes travels into and out of the lamp assembly through these vents. Certain environmental conditions may cause moisture to condense. The fogging/cloudiness should disappear over time when the lamp IS in a dry environment. No models listed. Updated 5/7/10. Updated 12/9/13.
- 10031305Nissan: tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light on/flashing. No models or model years listed. Updated on 08-11-2011.
Every Nissan Altima Hybrid model year
Bars are owner complaints, dots mark years with recalls. Select a year to open its report.