2008 Nissan Altima Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 90 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2008 Nissan Altima, 9% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 76,465 miles. The words owners use most often: “push button” (10% of reports).
- 90electrical system complaints
- 76,465median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 40%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Push button: mentioned in 9 of 90 complaints (10%)
- Failed start: mentioned in 7 of 90 complaints (8%)
- Intelligent key: mentioned in 6 of 90 complaints (7%)
- Brake switch: mentioned in 6 of 90 complaints (7%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 69 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 90 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 4 a fire, 2 an injury.
Nissan Altima electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Altima | 1 | 100% | — |
| 2025 Altima | 1 | 14% | — |
| 2024 Altima | 3 | 7% | — |
| 2023 Altima | 11 | 37% | — |
| 2022 Altima | 7 | 23% | — |
| 2021 Altima | 21 | 30% | 17,000 |
| 2020 Altima | 42 | 27% | 21,171 |
| 2019 Altima | 58 | 25% | 21,000 |
| 2018 Altima | 37 | 16% | 31,672 |
| 2017 Altima | 27 | 7% | 29,127 |
| 2016 Altima | 42 | 8% | 33,650 |
| 2015 Altima | 56 | 6% | 35,000 |
| 2014 Altima | 71 | 6% | 32,144 |
| 2013 Altima | 159 | 7% | 39,924 |
| 2012 Altima | 44 | 10% | 46,500 |
| 2011 Altima | 31 | 13% | 35,000 |
| 2010 Altima | 74 | 19% | 46,760 |
| 2009 Altima | 466 | 30% | 78,010 |
| 2008 Altima | 90 | 9% | 76,465 |
| 2007 Altima | 37 | 8% | 73,000 |
| 2006 Altima | 72 | 9% | 95,000 |
| 2005 Altima | 97 | 9% | 69,000 |
| 2004 Altima | 32 | 12% | 53,500 |
| 2003 Altima | 89 | 10% | 67,890 |
| 2002 Altima | 77 | 7% | 60,000 |
| 2001 Altima | 19 | 12% | 54,205 |
| 2000 Altima | 25 | 16% | 90,706 |
| 1999 Altima | 4 | 5% | 89,000 |
| 1998 Altima | 15 | 12% | 70,000 |
| 1997 Altima | 14 | 13% | 140,000 |
| 1996 Altima | 11 | 12% | — |
| 1995 Altima | 16 | 9% | 157,280 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Electrical system:software; air bags
Problem: 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).
Risk: This could result in the passenger air bag being suppressed which could fail to provide adequate protection in the event of a crash.
Fix: 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.
Electrical system:ignition:module
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles that have had the body control module (bcm) replaced during service at a dealership, the tire pressure monitoring system (tpms) may have been inadvertently deactivated due to an issue with the dealer service software. If the tpms is turned off, it would not alert the driver to a decrease in the tire pressure as designed.
Risk: Driving on under-inflated tires is unsafe and could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will check the tpms function and reactivate it if necessary. The recall began on january 18, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Altima. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V521000 (Air Bags, Electrical System). The contact called the dealer and made an appointment; however, the contact was informed that the part might not be available for the appointment. The contact…
Parked car due to electrical and transmission issues had left it for a couple hours to receive assistance and the car was gone it had no plates because I was attempting to register the car that same day
Iâm having to replace at least 2 sensors every 6 or 7 months.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2008 Nissan Altimas have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 90 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2008 Nissan Altima (9% of the 1,030 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Nissan Altima electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 76,465 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2008 Nissan Altima?
The most frequent phrase is “push button”, in 9 of 90 complaints, followed by “failed start” (7).
Other 2008 Nissan Altima problems
- Structure problems (312)
- Visibility/wiper problems (168)
- Air Bags problems (142)
- Power Train problems (80)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (58)
- Engine problems (54)
See all 2008 Nissan Altima problems or electrical system problems across all Altima years.