2008 Nissan ALTIMA HYBRID: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
16 owner complaints analyzed
1 distinct recall campaigns
38,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 15 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 3 of 16 complaints (18.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 9 | 56.3% |
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 12.5% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 6.3% |
| Steering behavior | 1 | 6.3% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 3 |
| Engine | 3 |
| Service Brakes | 3 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 3 |
| Air Bags | 1 |
| Electronic Stability Control (Esc) | 1 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | 1 |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 |
Electrical System: 3; Engine: 3; Service Brakes: 3; Vehicle Speed Control: 3; Air Bags: 1; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 1; Engine And Engine Cooling: 1; Exterior Lighting: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 6 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 2 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 2 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 6; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 2; 75,000 to 99,999: 2; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (6). 1 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 |
| 2010 | 2 |
| 2011 | 2 |
| 2012 | 1 |
| 2013 | 3 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 2 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2019 | 1 |
2009: 2; 2010: 2; 2011: 2; 2012: 1; 2013: 3; 2014: 2; 2015: 2; 2017: 1; 2019: 1
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 9 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10274184 · 2009-06-17 (June 17, 2009)
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 AN…
Owner-reported narrative. 11,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10274184 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10293276 · 2009-11-23 (November 23, 2009)
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…
Owner-reported narrative. 13,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10293276 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10323030 · 2010-03-31 (March 31, 2010)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10323030 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10367938 · 2010-11-27 (November 27, 2010)
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
Owner-reported narrative. 38,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10367938 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10383091 · 2011-02-17 (February 17, 2011)
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
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10383091 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10425409 · 2011-09-14 (September 14, 2011)
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.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10425409 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10470788 · 2012-08-15 (August 15, 2012)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 16,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10470788 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10491681 · 2013-01-07 (January 7, 2013)
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 …
Owner-reported narrative. 10,700 miles reported. Look up ODI 10491681 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
1 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
08V521000 · Electrical System:Software | Air Bags
Reported: 2008-10-07 (October 7, 2008)
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 THE PASSENGER SEAT CUSHION MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED OUT OF SPECIFICATION. UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS, THIS COULD CAUSE AN INTERRUPTION OF SIGNAL BETWEEN THE OCS AND THE AIR BAG CONTROL UNIT (ACU).
Consequence: 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.
NHTSA campaign record ↗