NHTSA vehicle safety data

2008 Nissan Sentra Recalls, Ratings & Complaints

The 2008 Nissan Sentra has 3 NHTSA recall campaigns and 167 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Nissan dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2008 Nissan Sentra, plus NCAP crash-test ratings. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

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2008 Nissan Sentra owner complaints

Owners have filed 167 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Nissan Sentra, describing incidents dated April 17, 2007 to April 11, 2024.

Most-cited components

Air Bags 53 complaints
Engine 25 complaints
Service Brakes 21 complaints
Power Train 20 complaints
Steering 15 complaints
Suspension 14 complaints

Of the 167 complaints on file, 20 report a crash and 3 a fire; across all 167 complaints, owners report 17 injuries (owner-reported, not verified by NHTSA).

Newest complaints

ODI #11582494 · Filed April 12, 2024
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!
ODI #11512881 · Filed March 20, 2023
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…
ODI #11500321 · Filed January 5, 2023
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…

Read all 167 complaints

Owner-reported

2008 Nissan Sentra mileage at failure

121 of the 167 complaints on file for the 2008 Nissan Sentra give the vehicle's mileage when the problem happened.

Mileage at failure by component, from owners' complaints to NHTSA
Component	Median	Middle half	Based on
Air Bags	Median 100,000 miles	Middle half 65,000–130,000 miles	Based on 38 complaints

A component's median is its 50th percentile, and its middle half runs from its 25th to its 75th percentile.

Owners give the mileage themselves, often as a round number, and NHTSA doesn't check it. A complaint that names several components counts under each one, and mileages that can't be right, such as 999,999, or 50 miles on a five-year-old car, are left out.

These figures describe the complaints owners filed. They don't predict when a particular vehicle will have a problem, and vehicles that never had one aren't counted.

Mileage from NHTSA's complaints file of October 31, 2026. How these figures are worked out

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2008 Nissan Sentra in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Defect Petition DP16-002: Scope of Recalls 08V311 and 09V431
Closed October 2, 2017

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

PORTABLE AUTOMOTIVE GPS PRODUCTS/OVERHEATS

NHTSA #10V401000 · Equipment — Electrical — Navigational System(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM) · NHTSA notice

Reported September 10, 2010 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 7,948 vehicles

Owners notified September 16, 2010

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

OVERHEATED BATTERIES COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO <A HREF=HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV>HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV</A> .

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/ROBERT BOSCH

NHTSA #09V431000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Master Cylinder · NHTSA notice

Reported November 3, 2009 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 10,586 vehicles

Owners notified December 14, 2009 · Vehicles built February 23, 2008 – April 18, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER/ROBERT BOSCH

NHTSA #08V311000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic — Foundation Components — Master Cylinder · NHTSA notice

Reported July 11, 2008 · NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC.

Potentially affected: 169,202 vehicles

Owners notified August 20, 2008 · Vehicles built January 1, 2007 – February 22, 2008 (per NHTSA)

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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.

Manufacturer remedy

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.

Notes

CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

2008 Nissan Sentra 4-DR.w/SAB

—

out of 5

Overall Safety Rating

Not Rated

Frontal Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 5

Side Crash

Not Rated

Driver: 5, Passenger: 4

Side Pole

Not Rated

Rollover

Not Rated

Safety Technology

1 investigation

167 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Nissan Sentra.

Unknown or Other

ODI #11582494

Incident: April 11, 2024 · Filed: April 12, 2024

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!

Air Bags; Unknown or Other

ODI #11512881

Incident: February 1, 2023 · Filed: March 20, 2023

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 death in the event of an accident. I advised my local Nissan dealership who stated there are no current recalls and the car would need to be inspected- which will likely be costly. No inspections have been made at this time.

Air Bags

ODI #11500321

Crash

Incident: January 5, 2023 · Filed: January 5, 2023

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 but no air bags were deployed. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 117,000.

Air Bags

ODI #11499567

Incident: December 30, 2022 · Filed: December 30, 2022

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. The car has never been wrecked. Reports have shown issues with airbags in hundreds of thousands of Nissans. The 2008 Nissan Sentra needs to be reviewed for an airbag recall. This is extremely dangerous.

Service Brakes

ODI #11456543

Incident: March 12, 2022 · Filed: March 14, 2022

JUST DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY (NO BRAKES APPLIED) AND THE MASTER CYLINDER WENT BAD AND LOST POWER BRAKES.

Vehicle Speed Control; Wheels; Service Brakes

ODI #11404021

Incident: March 18, 2021 · Filed: March 20, 2021

I PURCHASED THE CAR DROVE IT HOME WITH NO PROBLEM. 2 DAYS AFTER MY PURCHASE IT DRIVES VERY SLOW AND WON'T PICK UP SPEED.

Power Train

ODI #11383505

Incident: November 24, 2020 · Filed: December 15, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN SENTRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE FAILED TO MOVE FORWARD. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. *BF

Vehicle Speed Control; Unknown or Other

ODI #11376546

Incident: November 24, 2020 · Filed: November 27, 2020

THERE THE CODE OF P1778 THAT KEEPS COMING UP ON ABOUT A CVT AND IFS AFFECTING THE DRIVE AND STRAIN THE TRANSMISSION I DONT UNDERSTAND THE ISSUE IS RECURRING.AND THIS HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. YOU CAN FEEL THE CAR HESITANT

Suspension; Wheels; Fuel/Propulsion System

ODI #11354821

Incident: September 13, 2020 · Filed: September 14, 2020

BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY MY AXEL AND BALL JOINT. THE CONTROL ARM DISCONNECTED FROM MY TRANSMISSION. THIS CAUSED DAMAGE TO THE SIDE PANELING IN FRONT MY TIRE. THE CAR WOULDN'T MOVE EVEN WHEN PUT IN NEUTRAL. WHEN I GO IN REVERSE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED MY CAR WOULD PUTTER AND THEN DIE. THE CAR WILL NOT REVERSE UNLESS I PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL AND ROLL OUT FROM WHERE I AM.

Air Bags

ODI #11353426

Incident: September 2, 2020 · Filed: September 6, 2020

AIR BAG LIGHT FLASHES ON DASH WON'T GO OFF. THIS SHOULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE... OVER 10 IN THE LAST YEAR ALONE REPORTED SAME PROBLEM

Other Nissan Sentra model years

Check your 2008 Nissan Sentra VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Nissan Sentra at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

Check a Nissan VIN