2008 Nissan Altima Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
The drive train I believe it’s called Or transmission is malfunctioning and yes it is available for inspection upon request Our safety was put in risk when the vehicle started driving at a low speed and would not accelerate eventually stopping completely The problem hasn’t been inspected or confirmed by a dealer or service center There was no warning lamps or messages prior to the failure
I HAVE THE TRANSMITION CODE P7044 (DEFECTIVE TORQUE CONVERTER) CAR HAS ONLY 97000 MILES DANGER IS AT TIMES CAR WILL NOT MOVE
I HAD PICKED UP A NAIL IN MY TIRE ON MY WAY HOME THAT I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT WHICH CAME OUT WHILE I WAS ON HIGHWAY 94 (TRAVELING AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 65MPH) WHICH CAUSE MY VEHICLE TO VEER TO ON COMING TRAFFIC SO. I TRY TO CORRECT IT AND THE MY VEHICLE WASN'T RESPONDING LIKE IT SHOULD HAVE BECAUSE OF THE TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING AND WOULDN'T POWER OUT OF THE PULL FROM THE DEFLATED TIRE SO I HAD TO OVER CORRECT WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE SENDING MY INTO A REVEAN AND THEN OVER A 5 WIRE FENCE SUBSEQUENTLY DAMAGING MY VEHICLE MORE THAN I WOULD'VE HAD THE TRANSMISSION BEEN OPERATING PROPERLY I HAD LESS THAN 100,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE WELL UNDER THE RECOMMENDED SERVICE INTERVAL NOT TO MENTION THAT I RECEIVED A CITATION FOR CARELESS DRIVING BECAUSE I WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL MY VEHICLE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE JERKED, LOST POWER, AND THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED NISSAN SOUTH AT 678-619-3104 (LOCATED AT 6889 JONESBORO RD, MORROW, GA 30260) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY; THEREFORE, THEY COULD NOT ASSIST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 114,000.
"TAKATA RECALL
THIS CAR IS DRIVEN ABOUT 5000 MILES PER YEAR. AT 5 YEARS/25000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY WHILE IN MOTION FAILED, LEAVING ME STRANDED ON THE ROAD. THAT TRANSMISSION HAD TO BE REPLACED. AT 10 YEARS/50000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY FAILED AGAIN, AGAIN WHILE IN MOTION, LEAVING ME ONCE MORE STRANDED ON THE ROAD. THAT TRANSMISSION ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. IT IS NOW 12 YEARS/60000 MILES AND TODAY THIS TRANSMISSION IS STARTING TO SLIP AND MAKE A WHIRRING NOISE. (THIS IS THE DATE I HAVE USED BELOW)
ALL I COULD SAY I WILL NEVER BY A NISSAM CAR. AGAIN IN TILL UR FIX THE PROBLEMS ITS TRANSMISSION EVEY BODY I TALK TO ITS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE NISSAN ALTIMA
CVT TRANSMISSION REPLACED AT 82,139 MILES. AN EXTENSION OF THE WARRANTY WAS DONE FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF CVT TRANSMISSIONS EXTENDING TO 120,000 MILES. MY DAUGHTERS VEHICLE IS AT 147,000 MILES AND THE CAR JUST ABOUT QUIT RUNNING ON THE INTERSTATE 55 SOUTH ON HER WAY BACK TO COLLEGE. WE HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED 200 MILES HOME AND THE TRANSMISSION MUST BE REPLACED AGAIN AT A COST OF $3500 AND THE CAR IS NOT WORTH THAT MUCH MONEY. NISSAN DID NOT CORRECT THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, THEY JUST PUT ANOTHER CVT TRANSMISSION IN THE FIRST TIME. THIS WAS AN UNSAFE AND UNETHICAL PRACTICE. THEY WILL NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT NOR GIVE ANY CREDIT BECAUSE THEY SAY THERE ARE TOO MANY MILES ON THE CAR. ALTHOUGH THERE IS ONLY 65,000 MILES ON THE TRANSMISSION ITSELF.
I WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND EVERYTHING WAS GOOD. SUDDENLY THE CAR LOST POWER BUT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING WELL. THE CAR JUST STOPPED AND COULD'T MOVE. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING THE CAR ON A VERY BUSY HIGHWAY. NISSAN SHOULD RECALL THE 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA!
I HAVE PUT 2 DIFFERENT CVT TRANNYS IN MY 08 ALTIMA COUPE AND BOTH HAVE FAILED AND STUCK HAVING TO DO A 3RD I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AT 80 WHEN IT WENT INTO FAIL SAFE WITH NO WHERE TO PULL OFF WAS STRANDED FOR A SECOND TIME
2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CVT TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED ON MORE THAN ONE OCCASION WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE TURNED OFF. *JS
CVT PROBLEM - WHIRRING NOISE
THE CAR SEEMS TO "SLIP GEARS" WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. THE CVT TRANSMISSION DOESN'T SEEM TO ENGAGE AND MOVE THE CAR AT TIMES. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON ISSUE AMONG NISSAN ALTIMAS OF THIS YEAR. RESEARCHING ONLINE THERE WERE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER OWNERS OF SIMILAR ISSUES. THE CAR FAILS TO ACCELERATE AT TIMES WHEN IT IS EXPECTED.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO PROPERLY ACCELERATE AND WOULD RANDOMLY DECELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GERALD NISSAN NAPERVILLE (1575 WEST OGDEN AVE, NAPERVILLE, IL) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT INDICATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN 2014 PER AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER'S CAMPAIGN FOR THE EXACT SAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000.
2008 ALTIMA COUPE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ISSUE WITH VEHICLES CONTINUOUSLY VARIABLE TRANSMISSION (CVT). *LD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD INTO LIMP MODE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *JS
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO KELLY NISSAN OF WOBURN (95 CEDAR ST, WOBURN, MA 01801 (888) 352-5657) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY FOR THE TRANSMISSION, BUT DECLINED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REGISTERED UNDER A SALVAGED TITLE IN 2014 AND THE WARRANTY WAS VOIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,470.
WHILE BEING SHIFTED INTO REVERSE FROM A STOP IN A PARKING SPACE, OUR '08 NISSAN ALTIMA COUPE 6SPMT MADE A LOUD CLUNK FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND THE CLUTCH PEDAL WENT IMMEDIATELY TO THE FLOOR. THE SHARED BRAKE/CLUTCH RESERVOIR WAS FOUND TO BE DRAINED TO THE LEVEL OF THE CLUTCH TAKEOFF. WHILE THIS PRESENTED NO IMMEDIATE SAFETY ISSUES, HAD IT HAPPENED WHILE SHIFTING AT HIGHWAY SPEED, I CAN IMAGINE IT WOULD BE, TO SAY THE LEAST, HIGHLY DISTRACTING FOR THE TYPICAL DRIVER AND PERHAPS MORE SO FOR A LESS EXPERIENCED ONE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED CLUTCH FAILURES IN OTHER CARS BUT TYPICALLY THE SYSTEM DETERIORATES SLOWLY, UNLIKE THIS SUDDEN FAILURE. I HAVE DIAGNOSED THE FAILURE MYSELF (COMPETENT DIY MECHANIC) AND BASED UPON NO SIGNS OF LEAKAGE OR MECHANICAL FAILURE IN THE AREA OF THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER OR RESERVOIR, BUT BRAKE FLUID DRIPPING FROM THE TRANSAXLE, I AM CONFIDENT THE CLUTCH MASTER CYLINDER OR AN INTERNAL HYDRAULIC LINE HAS FAILED. THANKS!
CVT TRANSMISSION WENT OUT 119,00 MILES. SAID WARRANTY WAS OUT AT 10 YEARS ON JAN. 30 2018 GOING TO HAVE TO PAY $4,600.00 TO HAVE REPLACED AND ONLY GIVING WARRANTY FOR 12 MONTHS OR 12,000 MILES. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER NISSAN.
DRIVING ON HIGHWAY AND CAR LOST ACCELERATION AND WAS FORCED TO PULL OVER. CAR WENT INTO "LIMP' MODE. NISSAN DEALERSHIP CLAIMED THE CVT TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.
TRANSMISSION GOING INTO FAIL SAFE MODE WHEN DRIVING. VERY DANGEROUS, PULLING OUT INTO AN INTERSECTION AND LOSING POWER IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION, POSSIBLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT BY NOT BEING ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF TRAFFIC. VERY SCARY AND VERY CONCERNING.
DRIVING ON I 25,PRESSED ON GAS PEDAL,CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE,BEGAN LOSING POWER,WOULD ONLY GO 20-30 MPH. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP IN CHEYENNE,WYOMING. WAS TOLD THAT WAS TRANSMISSION WAS OUT.
CAR WHINES WITH ACCELERATION AND WILL NOT ACCELERATE IF GAS PEDAL IS PUSHED MORE IN 1" OR SO DOWN. WHEN THE PEDAL IS PUSHED FOR ANY NEEDED ACCELERATION THE CAR WILL WHINE REALLY LOUD, RPM'S SHOOT UP, BUT ACCELERATION STAYS THE SAME!
ON 02/06/2014, THE CVT (TRANSMISSION) FAILED AT 117,240 MILES. THE CVT WAS UNDER STANDARD WARRANTY AND WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP, MCGAVOCK NISSAN, LUBBOCK, TX. THE REPLACEMENT CVT FAILED AGAIN. FIRST CVT FAILED AT 117,240 AND REPLACED BY STANDARD WARRANTY BY NISSAN. THE REPLACEMENT CVT CURRENTLY STALLS AT LOW SPEEDS, 5-10 MPH, WHILE TAKING OFF. ON 03/02/2017, 151,551 MILES, LESS THAN 35,000 MILES SINCE THE FIRST CVT WAS REPLACED, THE DEALERSHIP, MCGAVOCK NISSAN, LUBBOCK, TX, DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM. THEIR SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE THE REPLACEMENT CVT. I CALLED NISSAN USA. NISSAN USA CALLED BACK AND ADVISED THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE CVT BECAUSE THE REPLACEMENT CVT WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, 12 MONTHS AND/OR 12,000 MILES. NISSAN USA WAS OF NO HELP. THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ONLY ANNOYING, IT POSES A DANGER TO MY FAMILY! THE VEHICLE IS STILL RUNNING, HOWEVER, IT IS HARD TO CROSS A BUSY STREET BECAUSE IT STALLS ON TAKEOFF. DANGEROUS! I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CVT IS A FAILURE TOP TO BOTTOM. NISSAN NEEDS TO DO THE RIGHT THING! DON'T INSTALL THIS TYPE TRANSMISSION IN THEIR VEHICLES!
WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 40MPH ON PUBLIC WAY. POWER , WITHOUT WARNING AND SUDDENLY, WAS CUT DOWN AND SPEED REDUCED TO 10 MPH. VEHICLES BEHIND ME HAD TO TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME.
MY WIFE HAD BROUGHT THE NISSAN AND MAKING PAYMENTS ON CAR, WE DRIVE IT ALL DAY WE BE BROUGHT IT. THE NEXT DAY DRIVEING IT THEN THE TRANSMISSION STARTED ACTING CRAZY LIKE HASHING,SLIPPING. I TOOK THE CAR SHOP TO SEE WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND HE SAY THEY HAD RECALLS ON THE CVT TRANSMISSION. IM TRYING TO SEE HOW CAN I GET THE DEALER TO LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM.
Trend Over Time
Complaints by year
Other Issues
Common problems reported
Quick Summary
The 2008 Nissan Altima has 57 Power Train complaints on file. 5 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.