U.S. public vehicle records

2008 Nissan FRONTIER problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

136 owner complaints analyzed

5 distinct recall campaigns

85,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 108 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 51 of 136 complaints (37.5%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Transmission and shifting	46	33.8%
Braking behavior	14	10.3%
Electrical and battery issues	7	5.1%
Engine operation	5	3.7%
Fuel system concerns	5	3.7%
Steering behavior	4	2.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Power Train

Engine

Air Bags

Fuel/Propulsion System

Electrical System

Service Brakes, Hydraulic

Engine And Engine Cooling

Unknown Or Other

Power Train: 51; Engine: 26; Air Bags: 21; Fuel/Propulsion System: 13; Electrical System: 12; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 10; Engine And Engine Cooling: 7; Unknown Or Other: 5

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 14; 25,000 to 49,999: 13; 50,000 to 74,999: 17; 75,000 to 99,999: 29; 100,000 to 149,999: 26; 150,000 and above: 9

75,000 to 99,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (29). 28 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

2008: 5; 2009: 4; 2010: 8; 2011: 5; 2012: 8; 2013: 8; 2014: 19; 2015: 16; 2016: 14; 2017: 11; 2018: 10; 2019: 9; 2020: 5; 2021: 1; 2022: 4; 2023: 6; 2024: 3

Pattern summary

Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 46 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 14 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 7 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10421672 · 2011-08-27 (August 27, 2011)

REPORTS OF TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT FROM RADIATOR ENTERING TRANSMISSION VIA THE INTERNAL AT COOLER, LOCATED IN THE RADIATOR. *TT

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10421672 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10485353 · 2012-11-20 (November 20, 2012)

TOTAL TRANSMISSION FAILURE DUE TO COOLANT MIXED WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 140,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10485353 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10252760 · 2008-12-24 (December 24, 2008)

I HAVE A 8 MONTH OLD FRONTIER NISSAN VEHICLE , WITH JUST 1 SERVICE ON TIME EVERYTHING - THE FAILURE I GOT A LOOSE NUT ON THE REAR BRAKE CALIPER - WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWNHILL ON A MOUNTAIN WITH SNOW - LOST ALL BRAKE FLUIDS AND BRAKE SYSTEMS JUST WENT HARD TO WORK AND NOT A UNIFORM BRAKE. TO CORRECT I WENT TO DEALER AND THEY SAID THEY JUST RE-TORQUE THE NUT AND THAT'S IT. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10252760 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10273227 · 2009-06-09 (June 9, 2009)

WE OWN A 2008 NISSAN FRONTIER TRUCK/ 4 WHEEL DRIVE, 6CYL. THE BRAKES ARE FAR TOO SOFT,AND SPONGY, REQUIRE FAR TOO MUCH PEDAL TRAVEL TO BE SAFE OR EFFECTIVE, OR TO BE EFFECTIVELY USED BY ANYONE!! ALL FRONTIER MODELS HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. THEY NEED TO BE RECALLED/BRAKE SYSTEM CORRECTED & MADE FIRMER, SAFER! *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 50 miles reported. Look up ODI 10273227 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10242011 · 2008-09-12 (September 12, 2008)

6- DAYS AFTER BUYING A BRAND NEW 2008 NISSAN FRONTIER 2WD/SE CREW CAB THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD NOT STAY ON .ON THE DAY I WENT TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE DEALER THE TRUCK WOULD NOT START, I HAD IT TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY WORKED ON IT FOR A WEEK.THEY STATED THAT SOMETIMES IT WOULD START AND OTHER TIMES IT WOULDN'T ,THEY SAID THEY HAD TO CALL THE NISSAN TECH LINE THAT INSTRUCTED THEM TO CHECK SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS BUT IT STILL WOULD NOT START SO THE TECH LINE TOLD THEM TO REPLACE THE -"IPDM E/R".THEY SAID THE TRUCK WAS THEN FIXED A…

Owner-reported narrative. 497 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242011 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10447524 · 2012-02-11 (February 11, 2012)

LEFT WORK ABOUT 4 DAYS AGO AT NIGHT WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE TRUCK CUT OUT ON ME(NO GAS PEDAL) SO I LOOK DOWN AT THE VOLTAGE GAUGE AND ITS READING ABOUT 10V..... SO I THOUGHT TO MYSELF "OK WELL MAYBE THE ALTERNATOR FINALLY WENT AFTER ALL THE [XXX]I PUT IT THROUGH." WENT TO PULL OVER AND HERE IS WHERE IT GETS WEIRD, I WENT TO HIT THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, I COASTED TO THE SLOW LANE AND TURNED MY ACC. OFF AND GOT IT BACK HOME SAFELY. LONG STORY SHORT I TESTED THE ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY, BOTH OF WHICH WERE …

Owner-reported narrative. 70,567 miles reported. Look up ODI 10447524 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10681485 · 2015-02-05 (February 5, 2015)

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 I…

Owner-reported narrative. 123,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10681485 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10882045 · 2016-07-01 (July 1, 2016)

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 APPROXIMAT…

Owner-reported narrative. 61,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10882045 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10628457 · 2014-08-26 (August 26, 2014)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 NISSAN FRONTIER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGE INDICATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL AND WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT THE FUEL GAUGE ERRONEOUSLY DECREASED TO EMPTY CAUSING THE EMPTY LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL SENSOR ON THE FUEL PUMP WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT NO REMEDY WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,555.

Owner-reported narrative. 43,555 miles reported. Look up ODI 10628457 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10661628 · 2014-12-02 (December 2, 2014)

THE SPARE TIRE ON THE VEHICLE IS HELD IN PLACE BY A CHAIN UNDER THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. ITS HOISTED INTO PLACE FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN CHECKING THE AIR PRESSURE IN THE SPARE TIRE, I FOUND THE SPARE TIRE RIM BADLY RUSTED. I'M AFRAID THAT THE RIM'S HOLES WILL ULTIMATELY BECOME SO LARGE SO AS NOT TO HOLD THE LUG NUTS. IF THE SPARE WITH RUSTED LUG NUT HOLES THAT WERE TOO LARGE, WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE, THE SPARE COULD POSSIBLY COME OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. FURTHERMORE, THE ANCHOR POINT ON THE SPARE TIRE HOIST IS A…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10661628 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10352762 · 2010-08-30 (August 30, 2010)

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HAD SUDDENLY STOPPED MOVING AND COULD NOT BE TURNED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS AND THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12000. UPDATED 11/19/10 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. UPDATED 11/23/10

Owner-reported narrative. 11,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10352762 at NHTSA ↗