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Nissan XterraYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 3,099 NHTSA owner complaints across 16 model years, the Nissan Xterra years to avoid are 2005, 2006 and 2007, and the strongest years are 2003, 2004, 2008 and 2010. The Xterra has 21 safety recalls on record.

Nissan Xterra
Years to avoid'05 '06 '07Based on weighted complaintsBest years'03 '04 '08 '10Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints3,099Top: Power trainSafety recalls212000–2015 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: IFCAR, Public domain.

Best & worst years

Nissan Xterra years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Xterra median. Tap a year for its full report.

'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2015Not rated–/10010 complaints · 0 recalls2014Not rated–/10010 complaints · 0 recalls2013Not rated–/1004 complaints · 0 recalls2012Not rated–/10016 complaints · 2 recalls2011Not rated–/10024 complaints · 2 recalls2010Best82/10038 complaints · 4 recalls2009Not rated–/10019 complaints · 3 recalls2008Solid59/100119 complaints · 6 recalls2007Avoid28/100557 complaints · 1 recall2006Avoid21/100780 complaints · 3 recalls2005Avoid20/100845 complaints · 3 recalls2004Solid65/10084 complaints · 2 recalls2003Solid63/10072 complaints · 3 recalls2002Solid48/100157 complaints · 5 recalls2001Solid52/100150 complaints · 3 recalls2000Solid43/100214 complaints · 3 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Nissan Xterra problems

All model years combined: 3,099 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Power train103225
Fuel system, gasoline7215
Engine and engine cooling44010
Engine37512
Fuel/propulsion system2316
Electrical system20427
Air bags17768
Fuel system, other1392
Steering10819
27 other systems59070
21 recalls

Nissan Xterra recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

16%Air bags: frontal23V-067 · 2008–2011 · Feb 10, 2023 · 404,690 vehicles–Front: hub12V-462 · 2012 · Sep 20, 2012 · 2,417 vehicles–Engine and engine cooling11V-592 · 2011–2012 · Dec 19, 2011 · 14,718 vehicles–Steering: column10V-554 · 2002–2004 · Nov 11, 2010 · 500,552 vehicles–Engine and engine cooling10V-517 · 2005–2006 · Oct 28, 2010 · 747,480 vehicles–Electrical: navigational system(global positioning system)10V-401 · 2008–2010 · Sep 10, 2010 · 7,948 vehicles–Control arm: lower arm10V-208 · 2010 · May 14, 2010 · 41,649 vehicles–Frontal: sensor/control module-inactive10V-115 · 2010 · Mar 24, 2010 · 4,038 vehicles–Storage: auxillary tank10V-075 · 2006–2008 · Mar 3, 2010 · 80,689 vehicles–Air bags: frontal08V-690 · 2005–2009 · Dec 29, 2008 · 242,720 vehicles–Other: labels08V-045 · 2008 · Jan 25, 2008 · 5,523 vehicles–Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip: control unit/module07V-528 · 2008 · Nov 16, 2007 · 1,115 vehicles

Showing the 12 newest of 21 recalls. Each model-year page lists all recalls for that year.

5 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Xterra

  1. Transmission FailuresDP12004 · 2005–2010 · closed Oct 22, 2016
    No recall
  2. BRAKE ROTOR WARPAGEDP03005 · 2001–2003 · closed Jul 29, 2003
    No recall
  3. DRIVER'S AIR BAG SYSTEM FAILUREEA02020 · 2002 · closed Mar 3, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-061
  4. FUEL SPILL DURING REFUELINGPE02052 · 2001 · closed Dec 3, 2002
    Led to recall 02V-300
  5. DRIVER'S AIR BAG SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONPE02038 · 2002 · closed Aug 29, 2002
    No recall