2008 Nissan Maxima
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
- Fuel economy
- 21 mpgcombined; city 19, highway 25; every version of this model year
- Five years of fuel
- $19,160U.S. average; Ohio $18,060 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
- NHTSA overall safety rating
- Not ratedNHTSA has no overall rating for this year
- Recall campaigns
- 0none on file
- Owner complaints
- 79filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales
Problems owners report
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Maxima. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
| Part | Complaints | Crashes | Fires | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 23 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Structure | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Power train | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown or other | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
5 more parts
| Engine and engine cooling | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system, other | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
Every Maxima year side by side
Recalls
NHTSA lists no recalls for the 2008 Maxima. NHTSA's recall lookup checks a specific VIN.
Service bulletins and investigations
Carmakers sent NHTSA 81 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2008 Maxima, the latest on Apr 13, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (15), electrical system (13), engine and engine cooling (11), structure (10), fuel system (7).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
| Investigation | Part | Opened | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preliminary evaluation PE08045 TRANSMISSION HOSE LEAK | Power train | Jul 23, 2008 | Closed Oct 24, 2008 NHTSA's record and documents |
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2008 Maxima.
Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5
Specs
EPA class: midsize cars. Each version EPA tested:
| Version | Engine | Transmission | Fuel | City / hwy / comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maxima Front-Wheel Drive | 3.5 L, 6 cyl | Automatic (variable gear ratios) | Premium Gasoline | 19 / 25 / 21 |
Sources and dates
- U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
- NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
- NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data