There are 15 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2008 Nissan Xterra in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 15 of 15 matching reports.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)COOLANT LEAKING INTO TRANSMISSION CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO FAIL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOULDER AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE AND 4WD WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CAME TO THE CONTACT'S HOME AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR. THE CONTACT INSTALLED THE RADIATOR. THE TRANSMISSION WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,316.
VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION (HIGHWAY DRIVING). I BEGAN TO HEAR A WHINNING SOUND AT ANY RATE OF SPEED.THE SOUND NEVER WENT AWAY. IT BECAME LOUDER DURING ACCELERATION. I CHECKED ANY RECALLS ON THE XTERRA MODELS AND FOUND OUT THAT IT HAS A FAULTY TIMMING CHAIN ISSUE. I HAD THE VEHICLE SERVICED AND INDEED, THE PROBLEM WAS THE TIMING CHAIN.
THE TIMING CHAIN TENSIONERS IN THE ENGINE OF THIS CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD WHINING SOUND, WHICH IS A TYPICAL PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES. NISSAN WAS AWARE OF THESE FAULTY TENSIONERS BACK IN 2004, WHEN THEY ISSUES A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN. HTTP://WWW.NISSANPROBLEMS.COM/TRENDS/TIMING-CHAIN/
CRACKED RADIATOR LEAKING FLUID INTO TRANSMISSION. I WAS DRIVING WHEN I FELT A SLIP I PARKED THE CAR AND WITH IN MINUTES A CREME COLORED FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. TOOK CAR TO MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME IT WAS A GOOD THING I TOOK IT THEN BECAUSE IF IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO LEAK IT WOULD HAVE DAMAGED MY TRANSMISSION. I NOW HAVE TO HAVE NEW RADIATOR PUT IN THERMOSTAT PUT IN AND ENGINE FLUSHED THIS DOES NOT GUARANTEE I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE PROBLEMS. VOICING THIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS ISSUE AND DEALER SHIPS AND MANUFACTURERS DO NOT DO MUCH ABOUT IT. THEY TAKE OUR MONEY BUT DON'T CARE WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE FACT. I LOVE THIS VEHICLE BUT WILL NEVER BUY A NISSAN AGAIN VERY SAD.
I WAS TOLD THE TIMING BELT TENSIONERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IT ONLY HAS 60,800 MILES ON IT. THE DEALER QUOTED ME 1400.00. THERE IS A HIGH PITCHED WHINE FROM THE ENGINE, MOST NOTICEABLE AT LOW SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE RUNS OK BUT I'M AFRAID IF THE TENSIONERS FAIL, SO WILL THE TIMING BELT AND SO WILL THE ENGINE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS TRANSMISSION FLUID IN THE RADIATOR, AND THE RADIATOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE BODY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN XTERRA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT BEGAN TO SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEAD GASKET FAILED AND THE ENGINE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED ROYAL NISSAN AT (225) 924-0400 (LOCATED AT 9325 AIRLINE HWY, BATON ROUGE, LA 70815) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 34416631. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000.
WITHOUT WARNING THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND CAR WAS SMOKING (OVERHEATED) DUE TO A RADIATOR LEAK INTO THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS NEARLY KILLED ON THE JAMES RIVER BRIDGE. I BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW AND HAVE KEPT THE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING THROUGH THE INTERSECTION, MY VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER CAUSING ME TO GET REAR ENDED. VERY MINIMAL DAMAGE TO MY VEHICLE BUT MY DAUGHTER WAS IN THE CAR WITH ME. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION AT A SHOP IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER WAS DUE TO A FAILURE IN THE TEAMS FLUID COOLER CAUSING RADIATOR FLUID TO ENTER THE TRANSMISSION. *TR
MY NISSAN XTERRA IS A VICTIM OF THE MANUFACTURING DEFECT WHERE THE COOLANT IN THE RADIATOR MIXES WITH THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID, DUE TO A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER, CAUSING COMPLETE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. MY TRANSMISSION SLIPS AND DRIVING IS ERRATIC, CAUSING UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITIONS. THE REPAIR IS QUOTED AT $6,000 DOLLARS AND IS NOT CONSIDERED A RECALL ITEM. NISSAN HAS EXTENDED COVERAGE ON VEHICLES UP TO 100,00 MILES ONLY, BUT THIS IS STARTING TO HAPPEN TO NEWER VEHICLES OVER 100,00 MILES. A RADIATOR REPLACEMENT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS PROBLEM. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED SOON! *TR
SMELLING RADIATOR FLUID AND NOW THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT WORKING CORRECTLY. *TR
CAR'S HEATER BLOWS COLD AIR WHEN CAR IS IDLING. NISSAN SERVICE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THIS WAS CAUSED "BY AN AIR POCKET" FORMING IN THE COOLING SYSTEM? THE AIR POCKET HAS TO BE REMOVED - WHICH OF COURSE COSTS MONEY. WE OWN TWO 2008 XTERRAS. THIS ALSO HAPPENED WITH OUR OTHER 2008 XTERRA. *TR
I HAVE AN 08 NISSAN XTERRA THE VDC/SLIP/ENGINE/TIRE PRESSURE/ AND AIR BAG LIGHTS ARE ON. THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE STALLING AT TAKE OFF. THE FUEL INDICATOR IS NO LONGER WORKING AND HAD MADE ATTEMPTS TO GET THIS FIXED AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WASN'T ON MY VEHICLE. I DON'T THINK THE NISSAN DEALERSHIP IS HANDLING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THESE VEHICLE. THERE IS SO MUCH GOING WRONG WITH MY VEHICLE FOR IT TO BE THREE YEARS OLD. THE ENGINE STALLING SEEMS TO BE AT LOW SPEEDS AND IS POTENTIALLY THE MOST DANGEROUS. *TR
THE COOLING SYSTEM IS CONTAMINATED W/OILY SUBSTANCE, TRANSMISSION FLUID. TRANS. IS MAKING LOUD NOISES, JUMPS OUT OF GEAR @ HWY SPEEDS, DRIVE TRAIN MAKING A 'RUMBLY' GRINDING SOUND, CAR DANGEROUSLY PULLS DOWN VERY QUICKLY TO MUCH LOWER SPEED WHEN PRESSURE RELEASED FROM ACCELERATOR. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
Checks are recorded separately for each dataset, not for the whole page. Dates use UTC. A missing check date does not mean no records exist.
Vehicle import recorded: Apr 28, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.