The 2008 Nissan Xterra is a SUV that came with a 4.0L 6-cyl engine. At 18 years old, many are reaching the point where repairs cost more than the car is worth. Running or not, we'll make you an offer and tow it away for free.
| Body style | Sport Utility Vehicle - 2WD, Sport Utility Vehicle - 4WD |
|---|---|
| Engines | 4.0L 6-cyl |
| Transmissions | Automatic 5-spd, Manual 6-spd |
| Drive | Rear-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive |
| Fuel | Regular Gasoline |
| Fuel economy | 14–16 city / 20 highway / 16–17 combined MPG |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,950–$4,200 a year (EPA estimate at current fuel prices, 15,000 miles) |
| Tailpipe CO₂ | 523–555 grams per mile |
| Versions tested by EPA | 4 configurations: Xterra 2WD, Xterra 4WD |
| Age | 18 years |
Specs, fuel cost and emissions from the EPA's fueleconomy.gov data. Your car's exact equipment may differ.
NHTSA lists 6 safety recalls covering the 2008 Nissan Xterra. Open recalls don't stop you from selling or junking the car, but check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see which apply to yours.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2008-2011 Titan, Frontier, Xterra, Pathfinder, Armada, and 2008-2009 Quest vehicles. The resin emblem on the driver's air bag cover may develop cracks and detach during air bag deployment.
Risk: A detached emblem can become a projectile during air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury to vehicle occupants.
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.
Nissan is recalling certain model year 2006 and model year 2008 frontier, Xterra and pathfinder vehicles. The molded fuel tank shells can deform, causing the fuel sender float arm to contact an embossment molded into the tank shell causing the instrument panel fuel gauge to show that the vehicle has approximately one quarter tank…
Risk: This could cause the vehicle to run out of gas and stall in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Nissan is recalling 242,720 my 2005-2009 pathfinder, frontier and Xterra vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of connecticut, delaware, illinois, indiana, iowa, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont…
Risk: This issue could result in the non-deployment of the driver and passenger front air bags in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Nissan is recalling 5,523 my 2008 titan, frontier and Xterra vehicles for failing to comply to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 110, 'tire selection and rims for motor vehicles.' the tire placard lists an incorrect vehicle capacity weight.
Risk: This standard specifies requirements for tire selection to prevent overloading.
On certain sport utility vehicles, the antilock brake system/vehicle dynamic control (ABS/vdc) actuator is designed with one ball in the valve section. Some ABS/vdc actuators were manufactured with more than one ball in the valve.
Risk: In ABS/vdc actuators with more than one ball, it is possible that fluid flow could be blocked and cause a reduction in brake force in one or both front wheels or affect operation of the ABS and/or vdc. This could result in a reduction in br
Owners have filed 119 complaints about the 2008 Nissan Xterra with NHTSA. 9 reports involved a crash and 3 reports involved a fire. Owners reported 6 injuries.
Complaints are reports from owners and aren't verified by NHTSA. One complaint can list several components. Mileage is the median odometer reading owners reported for that component.
NHTSA's 5-Star Safety Ratings for the 2008 Nissan Xterra.
| Version | Overall | Frontal crash | Side crash | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Dr, RWD/AWD | Not rated | — | — | ★★★☆☆ | 25.6% |
Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (NCAP). Ratings from different model years or rating systems aren't directly comparable.
Manufacturers have filed 93 technical service bulletins and communications with NHTSA covering the 2008 Nissan Xterra. These are repair instructions for known issues, not recalls.
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/L
CERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision damage or other vehicle repair, a replacement "Certification Label" or "VIN Plate/L
Voluntary safety recall campaign 2005-2013 frontier, pathfinder, and Xterra; driver air bag cover campaign id #: pc945 and pc948 applied vehicles: 2005-2013 frontier (d40
CAN COMMUNICATION CODES - DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended. See AMENDMENT HISTORY on the last page. Please discard previous versions of this
Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins).
NHTSA opened 1 defect investigation covering the 2008 Nissan Xterra.
Transmission Failures
On February 29, 2012 the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) received a letter petitioning the agency to conduct a defect investigation into MY 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder, Frontier, and Xterra vehicles [the subject vehicles] for automatic transmission failures related to failed transmission coolers.
‹ Sell a 2007 Xterra · Sell a 2009 Xterra › · All Nissan Xterra years
It depends on its condition, whether major parts like the engine, transmission and catalytic converter are still there, and current scrap and parts prices where you live. As a heavier vehicle, its scrap weight adds to the offer. Enter your ZIP code above for a free offer on your specific car.
Yes. We buy 2008 Xterras that don't start, were in an accident, failed inspection or have a blown engine or transmission. Towing is always free.
Yes. Open recalls don't prevent a junk sale. NHTSA lists 6 recalls for the 2008 Nissan Xterra; you can check whether any are still open on yours with the VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Usually the title and a photo ID. Rules differ by state, including what to do with your plates and whether to file a notice of sale. Check our state-by-state car title guides for the official forms.
Data retrieved October 2026.
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