2008 Nissan Sentra Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sentra years
- About as many complaints as other years 16th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Nissan Sentra. That ranks 16th out of 32 Sentra model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (53 complaints, 32%), typically at around 103,971 miles. Complaints mention 20 crashes, 3 fires, 17 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 167owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 20complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Nissan Sentra problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags problems | 53 | 32% | 103,971 | “air bag” (57%) | $3,050 |
| Power Train | 20 | 12% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 15 | 9% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 15 | 9% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 14 | 8% | 36,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 13 | 8% | 16,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 13 | 8% | 8,950 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 13 | 8% | 19,500 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 12 | 7% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 7% | 87,026 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 10 | 6% | 37,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 9 | 5% | 69,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 4% | 88,500 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 3% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 4 | 2% | 6,500 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 4 | 2% | 57,429 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 3 | 2% | 94,048 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 2% | 105,677 | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 2% | 44,575 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 1% | 73,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 1% | 139,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 1 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 1% | 12,926 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Nissan Sentra recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Equipment:electrical:navigational system(global positioning system)
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain vehicles that were equipped with a garmin nuvi model 750 navigation system. The batteries contained in the affected gps units can overheat.
Risk: Overheated batteries could result in a fire.
Fix: Nissan will notify owners and the repairs will be performed by garmin technicians by replacing the battery and inserting a spacer on top of the battery free of charge. The safety recall began on september 16, 2010. Owners may contact garmin directly at 1-866-957-1981 or nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Nissan is recalling certain model year 2008 sentra passenger vehicles equipped with bosch master cylinders. Brake fluid may leak from the master cylinder. If the amount of brake fluid in the master cylinder reservoir decreases to below the minimum level, the brake system warning indicator will illuminate as designed and the brakes will not function properly.
Risk: If the warning lamp is continuously ignored, one of the brake circuits on the vehicle may fail increasing stopping distances and increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the master cylinder brake booster assembly free of charge. The recall began on december 14, 2009. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:master cylinder
Problem: Nissan is recalling 169,202 my 2007-2008 sentra passenger vehicles equipped robert bosch master cylinder. Due to the machining irregularity by the supplier, the internal seal groove in the body of some brake master cylinders may allow for a gap in the groove contact area of the seal. This may result in brake fluid slowly leaking from the master cylinder into the brake booster assembly, causing the brake warning light to illuminate.
Risk: If the warning lamp is ignored, one of the brake circuits on the vehicle may not operate as designed increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the master cylinder/brake booster assembly and if brake fluid leakage is detected, the master cylinder will be replaced with a new one free of charge. The recall began on august 20, 2008. Owners may contact nissan at 1-800-647-7261.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Scope of Recalls 08V311 and 09V431 (DP16002) — opened Dec 20, 2016, closed Oct 2, 2017.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Transmission problems! Dealer wants to Charge me $7,000.00 dollars to fix it! Recall has a warranty until 2022 or 120,000 miles . My car has 85,375 miles!they said that warranty already expired! But my car only has 85,375 miles and the warranty is 120,000 miles!
The car's airbag dashboard light has been on and blinking for about a month now- indicating an issue. I have not been in any recent accidents and it appeared on its own. Subsequently, the car horn does not work. Airbags and car horn are necessary to prevent accidents and serious injury, including…
The contact owns a 2008 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle in front abruptly depressed its brake pedal causing the driver to crash into the rear of the vehicle. During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged…
Driver Air bag sensor light came on. The dealership reset it several times but it continues to come on. We paid the money to have them put the car on the diagnostic system. They are saying after review, the airbag needs to be replaced. It costs $1500 to replace the airbag. Which makes zero sense…
Just driving down the highway (no brakes applied) and the master cylinder went bad and lost power brakes.
Other Nissan Sentra years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Sentra | 18 | 1 |
| 2025 Sentra | 31 | 4 |
| 2024 Sentra | 41 | 3 |
| 2023 Sentra | 20 | 1 |
| 2022 Sentra | 81 | 2 |
| 2021 Sentra | 132 | 3 |
| 2020 Sentra | 206 | 4 |
| 2019 Sentra | 222 | 2 |
| 2018 Sentra | 185 | 2 |
| 2017 Sentra | 231 | 3 |
| 2016 Sentra | 270 | 6 |
| 2015 Sentra | 351 | 3 |
| 2014 Sentra | 380 | 5 |
| 2013 Sentra | 638 | 6 |
| 2012 Sentra | 180 | 0 |
| 2011 Sentra | 142 | 2 |
| 2010 Sentra | 144 | 3 |
| 2009 Sentra | 55 | 1 |
| 2008 | 167 | 3 |
| 2007 Sentra | 154 | 1 |
| 2006 Sentra | 116 | 5 |
| 2005 Sentra | 170 | 5 |
| 2004 Sentra | 197 | 4 |
| 2003 Sentra | 180 | 7 |
| 2002 Sentra | 304 | 10 |
| 2001 Sentra | 236 | 7 |
| 2000 Sentra | 171 | 6 |
| 1999 Sentra | 59 | 0 |
| 1998 Sentra | 58 | 1 |
| 1997 Sentra | 108 | 3 |
| 1996 Sentra | 141 | 3 |
| 1995 Sentra | 117 | 3 |
See all Nissan Sentra problems by year, every Nissan model, or the Nissan VIN decoder.
Similar Nissan models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Nissan Sentra?
Owners most often report air bags, power train, engine problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 53 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Nissan Sentra?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Nissan Sentra a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sentra model years, the 2008 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.