NissanMaxima2008Overview/nissan/maxima/2008/base/

2008 Nissan Maxima

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Maxima.

Body PASSENGER CARTransmission Automatic (variable gear ratios)

The 2008 Nissan Maxima is a passenger car fitted with an automatic transmission featuring variable gear ratios, its powertrain requiring 4.4 quarts of 5W-30 API oil and achieving EPA ratings of 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined. Set within the model's 1990–2023 complaint spectrum—which ranges from a high of 1,425 grievances in 2004 to a low of one in 2015—this model year registers only 78 total owner complaints and zero recalls, placing it among the less problematic entries despite air bags constituting the primary reported issue. That statistical position suggests a reliability profile notably stronger than the generation's peak trouble years.

Model year202320222021202020192018201720162008

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.4 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque72-87 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy19/25/21 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 24F · 550 CCA battery, OE oil filter 1520865F0E. Note the factory battery is now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 24F · 550 CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizeP335-55HR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim7-J inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter1520865F0E
Engine air filter165460Z000
Spark plug22401ZE01B
Battery244109B900 discontinued
Front wiper blades28890ZD80A alt 288903Z600
Serpentine belt119508J100 alt 11920CK000
Thermostat13050ZA000 alt 212008J10B
Cabin air filter27277VP01A

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic (variable gear ratios)

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length193.7 in
Overall width70.5 in
Overall height57.1 in
Wheelbase111.8 in
Curb weight3618 lb
Track (front / rear)61.4 / 61.4 in
Weight distribution (front / rear)61/39

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined19 / 25 / 21 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Passenger volume104 cu ft
Cargo volume16 cu ft
Recommended fuelPremium Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

Independent road tests for the Maxima of this era, listed by trim and engine — this page spans more than one engine, so no single horsepower figure is shown.

6.1–6.6 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 6.10 sec — 2005 3.5 SE
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
20053.5 SE 3.5L V66.10 sec14.90 sec265 hpFWD
20043.5 SE 3.5L V66.30 sec14.77 sec265 hpFWD
20043.5 SE 3.5L V66.40 sec15.00 sec265 hpFWD
20043.5 SE 3.5L V66.60 sec14.91 sec265 hpFWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.4 qt of 5W-30 API engine oil. Torque lug nuts to 72-87 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Engine Oil5W-30 · API
Engine Oil Capacity4.4 qt
Power Steering FluidUSE NISSAN POWER STEERING FLUID

Engine torques

Engine Flywheel Bolts65 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs5 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts72-87 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub203 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)600 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)50 rpm
Ignition Timing15, Not adjustable degrees
Ignition Timing Acceptable Variance5 degrees
Ignition Timing Reference RPMIdle rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.15-1.27 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type46
Oil Capacity5.03 oz
Standard BCI Group Number24F
Standard BCI Cranking Performance550 cca

Service checks

Injector Primary Resistance11.1-14.5 ohms
Engine Oil Pressure14 psi @ Idle, 43 psi @ 2000 rpm psi
Intake Valve Lash0.012-0.016 in
Exhaust Valve Lash0.012-0.017 in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket17-22 ft-lbs / 32 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle101-129 ft-lbs / 130 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.079; Rear: 0.039 in
Rotor Max Parallel Variation0.0006 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0028 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.35 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.35 in
Rotor Minimum Machining1.024 in / 0.31 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Camshaft Bearing/Carrier Cap Bolts or Studs — tightening sequence 1 stages
11.4 ft. lbs., Step 2: 4.3 ft. lbs., Step 3: 7.01.4 ft. lbs
Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
114-15 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9514–15 ft. lbs
Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
132 ft. lbs., step 2: 9032 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 5 stages
172 ft. lbs.72 ft. lbs
2loosen all bolts in reverse order
329 ft. lbs.29 ft. lbs
490 degrees90 degrees
590 degrees; Check diameter of bolts at two points, 11 mm and 48 mm from the end. Whenever the difference between these two points exceeds the limit of 0.11 mm, replace bolts.90 degrees
Main Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
124-28 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9524–28 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 3,750 mi; spark plugs at 105,000 mi; coolant every 3,750 mi. The big-interval services (every 3,750 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 3,750 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Engine Coolant System Hoses (inspect) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Engine Oil Filter (replace) · Exterior Lighting (inspect)
Every 7,500 miBattery (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect) · Drive Axle Assembly (inspect) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Steering Linkage (inspect)
Every 15,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Air Conditioning System (inspect) · Axle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Body Latches, Locks & Hinges (lubricate) · Brake Line (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect)
Every 30,000 miDrive Belt (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Fuel System (inspect) · Headlamp (inspect alignment) · Transmission Assembly (drain & refill)
At 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)
Every 60,000 miRadiator Hose (replace)
At 105,000 miSpark Plugs (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Nissan Maxima sits at the tail end of a generation (2004–2008) that experienced a massive early-life complaint spike—1,425 complaints in 2004—followed by a steady year-over-year decline to 948, 576, 129, and finally 78 in 2008. This downward arc suggests Nissan progressively addressed the issues that plagued earlier models in this generation, making 2008 the most refined and least-troubled year of the cycle. Notably, 2008 also carries zero recalls, matching only 2011–2014 and 20212023 as recall-free years across the entire dataset, though it does retain one open investigation. The top complaint areas—Air Bags (16), Structure (14), Power Train (7), and Tires (6)—are modest in volume, and the absence of fire complaints is encouraging, though the data does not specify root causes for any of these categories. Importantly, the 2009 redesign saw complaints jump back to 339, reinforcing that 2008 represents a mature, end-of-cycle product rather than a first-year redesign risk. **Bottom line: the 2008 Maxima is a strong candidate among used Maximas in this dataset—low complaints, zero recalls, and the benefits of end-of-generation refinement make it one of the safer model years to purchase.**

0
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
82
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
78
Owner complaints
7 involved a crash · 0 a fire

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 78 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags16
Structure14
Power Train7
Tires6
Engine4
Air Bags,Structure3
Steering3
Unknown Or Other2

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 82 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB09-131C2026-04-13StructureCERTIFICATION LABEL AND VIN PLATE REPLACEMENT SERVICE INFORMATION Because of collision…
NTB13-107G2024-05-20Electrical SystemVEHICLE KEY NOT DETECTED / AUTHENTICATED, ENGINE WILL NOT START This bulletin has been…
NTB13-027D2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION – NETWORK DIAGNOSTIC FLOW CHART This bulletin has been amended. See…
NTB10-066C2024-05-20Electrical SystemCAN COMMUNICATION CODES – DIAGNOSTIC TIPS AND GUIDELINES This bulletin has been amended…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Maxima. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Maxima take?

4.4 qt of 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Maxima have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 0 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the Maxima get?

EPA figures are 19 city / 25 highway / 21 combined mpg.